Cottage Pie Recipe

This comforting cottage pie is packed with a slow-cooked beef filling, root vegetables, and red wine, then topped with cheesy Dubliner mashed potatoes and baked until golden brown. It takes just 30 minutes of prep and makes 10 servings, making it perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

Here is something most people get wrong. If you are using beef, it is not a classic shepherd’s pie, it is a cottage pie. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen this mixed up, but now you know. My cottage pie recipe is unique and takes it even further with root vegetables like celeriac root and turnips that you do not see in every version. Even the Italian in me comes out in this one because I had to throw garlic in there. Ha!

Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is a traditional dish with roots in England, Scotland, and Ireland. The concept was born out of practicality: families used whatever meat and vegetables they had on their pantry, topped it with potatoes, and baked it. The beef version became known as cottage pie, while the lamb version became shepherd’s pie.

As a chef with more than a decade of experience, I can tell you that the secret to the best pie is simple: don’t rush the onions. I caramelize them with leeks for a full 45 minutes over low heat, and that patience is what separates a great cottage pie from an average one. After that I sear the beef, deglaze with a full cup of red wine, stir in tomato paste and flour for body, then finish the filling with homemade beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard.

The mashed potato topping gets Dubliner cheese, my homemade buttermilk, egg yolks, and butter. I pipe mine on with a star tip because I like it to look restaurant quality, but you can absolutely just spoon it on and smooth it out. Now, grab a big pot, pour yourself a glass of that red wine before it all goes in the pan, and let’s make this delicious cottage pie following my easy directions below.

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the Filling

• Oil – I use olive oil for searing the beef. You could also use rendered lard or clarified butter for extra flavor.
• Beef – I prefer ground sirloin or ground short rib for the best flavor. Ground chuck works too. If you want to take it up a notch, grind your own.
• Onions and Leeks – One yellow onion and two leeks, both thinly sliced. You can use white or sweet onion if that is what you have. The leeks add a mild, sweet layer that onions alone cannot match. Make sure to rinse the leeks well under cold water because they tend to hold a lot of dirt.
• Root Vegetables – I use carrots, celeriac root, and turnips. You could also add parsnips or rutabaga. Root vegetables are a staple in Irish cooking and they add serious depth to this filling.
• Garlic – Four cloves, smashed and finely minced. The Italian in me could not leave it out.
• Red Wine – I like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or shiraz. Use whatever is on sale, you do not need anything expensive for cooking. If you do not drink alcohol, substitute with extra beef stock and a splash of red wine vinegar.
• Tomato Paste – This adds body, color, and a savory layer to the filling.
• Flour – I use it to create a roux right in the pot that thickens the filling into a stew-like consistency once the stock goes in.
• Beef Stock – Homemade beef stock or brodo gives you the most flavor. A good store-bought stock works too.
• Seasonings – Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, sea salt, and black pepper are all I use.

For the Topping

• Potatoes – Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered. My Irish friend Gemma told me russets are the closest thing in the States to the Roosters they use in Ireland. Yukons will work but russets are the move here.
• Buttermilk – Homemade buttermilk adds tang and creaminess.
• Butter – One stick plus a quarter cup of melted unsalted butter.
• Dubliner Cheese – One cup goes into the potatoes and half a cup gets sprinkled on top. If you cannot find Dubliner, gruyere or an aged white cheddar are great substitutes.
• Egg Yolks – Two yolks add richness and help the potatoes stay firm when piped.

How to Make Cottage Pie

Sear the beef: I add the olive oil to a large rondeau pot over medium-high heat and place in the ground beef. I cook it on all sides until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Then I set the beef aside on a plate.

Caramelize the onions: I add the diced onion and sliced leeks to the same pot with the rendered meat fat. I cook them over low to medium heat for up to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are very well browned, sweet, and tender. This is the flavor foundation of the entire pie, so I do not rush it.

Saute the root vegetables: I add the carrots, celeriac root, and turnips and sauté over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until just lightly browned.

Add the garlic: I stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 to 45 seconds. As soon as I can smell it, it is done.

Return the beef: I add the seared beef back to the pot and stir everything together.

Deglaze with wine: I pour in one cup of red wine and cook until it is almost completely gone, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Pince the tomato paste: I stir in the tomato paste until all the ingredients are coated.

Make the roux: I sprinkle the flour over everything and stir to combine. The filling will tighten up and get thick.

Add the stock and season: I pour in the beef stock and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until thick. Then I season with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, sea salt, black pepper, and fresh thyme. I taste it here and adjust the seasoning.

Transfer the filling: I spread the beef filling evenly into a deep 13×9 casserole dish and set it aside.

Boil the potatoes: I add the peeled and quartered potatoes to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 12 to 13 minutes until tender. I know they are done when I pierce them with a fork and they slide right off.

Mash the potatoes: I drain the potatoes and run them through a food mill for the smoothest result. A hand masher or stand mixer works too, but the food mill gives you that silky texture.

Season the potatoes: I fold in the buttermilk, one stick of melted butter, one cup of Dubliner cheese, egg yolks, sea salt, and ground white pepper until completely combined.

Top the pie: I transfer the potatoes to a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe them over the filling. You can do zigzags, fleurettes, or just spoon it on and smooth it out. I went with a double layer of zigzags on this one.

Finish and bake: I drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter over the top and sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of Dubliner cheese. I bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown on top.

Garnish and serve: I finish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Every St. Patrick’s Day I go way overboard, and I am not even a little sorry about it. This cottage pie comes out of the oven right alongside my corned beef and cabbage, a loaf of Irish soda bread, and usually my Dublin coddle simmering on the stove.

This is not just a March recipe though. I love serving this any time of the year with my classic pot roast and some artisan bread when my parents come over for dinner. If you want something sweet to finish the meal, my pistachio cake rounds it out perfectly.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This recipe is best served right out of the oven, but you can keep it warm covered in foil at a low oven temperature for up to 1 hour before serving. You can also fully assemble the pie, chill it, and freeze it unbaked for later.

How to Store: I cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It freezes well covered for up to 2 months. I thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: For the whole pie, I place it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through. For a single portion, the microwave works best. If baking from frozen, go at 350 degrees for 60 to 75 minutes until browned and heated through.

More Irish Recipes

• Colcannon
• Bangers and Mash
• Irish Beef Stew
• Mulligan Stew
• Apple Irish cake