This easy Cottage Pie recipe has a flavorful gravy with ground beef, ground sausage, and mixed vegetables topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese.

Want some more of my favorite meals? Try Taco Soup, Chicken Tetrazzini, Chicken Casserole, or Harissa Pasta!

An easy Cottage Pie recipe in a cast iron pan with some meat and vegetable gravy showing under the layer of cheesy mashed potatoes.

Why I love Cottage Pie:

  • Comfort Food – There is just something about old-fashioned comfort foods that warm my heart…and belly and Cottage pie is on my favorite’s list (right there with Chicken Pot Pie and Lasagna).
  • Delicious – Even my pickiest eaters enjoy this meal because the meat and gravy filling is flavorful and perfectly complimented by the mashed potatoes.
  • Practical – I love that I can whip this up with pantry ingredients anytime, and it’s one of my favorite things to use up my leftover Mashed Potatoes. It also makes an excellent freezer meal, so go ahead and double it.

Cottage Pie vs. Shepherd’s Pie

The main difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s pie is cottage pie uses ground beef, and Shepherd’s pie uses ground lamb. Both pies are cooked with vegetables and gravy and baked under a layer of mashed potatoes. To make Shepherd’s pie using this recipe, simply substitute ground lamb.

How to make Cottage Pie:

Make Mashed Potatoes (or use leftover mashed potatoes): Boil potatoes in a saucepan with 2 inches of water until fork tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain water and allow potatoes to steam in the pot with a lid for a few minutes. Mash lightly with potato masher, then add butter, sour cream, milk, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper and combine.

A pot of homemade mashed potatoes with sour cream and butter on top, ready to be mixed.

Prepare meat Gravy: Brown ground beef and sausage in a 12 inch oven safe skillet, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain some of the grease and remove meat to a plate. Sauté onion, celery, and carrots in the pan for 5-8 minutes, until tender. Add garlic and flour then toss together. Cook for 1 minute. Add beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and bay leaves then stir. Simmer for 5 minutes then taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove bay leaves then stir in frozen peas, corn, and cooked meat.

Ground beef, sausage, and vegetables being mixed together to make an easy shepherd's pie.

Assemble: Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat mixture to completely cover the top. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.

A homemade Cottage Pie in a cast iron pan with fluffy mashed potatoes being placed on top of the homemade gravy.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving to allow the gravy sauce in the meat mixture to cool and thicken.

A plate with the best Cottage Pie recipe with fluffy and cheesy mashed potatoes on top.

Variations:

Shepherd’s Pie: Use ground lamb in place of ground beef.

Vegetarian: Omit meat and either double the vegetables or add a cup of cooked barley, farro, or wild rice.  Use vegetable stock instead of beef stock, and substitute wine vinegar for Worcestershire if desired.

Gluten-Free: Replace flour by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the beef broth before adding to the pan.

Making Ahead, Storing, and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead:  Cook the meat gravy and mashed potatoes and store separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm the mashed potatoes in the microwave with a little splash of milk, to re-soften them, and then assemble before baking.

To Freeze: Cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before baking until warmed through.

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Recipe

An easy Cottage Pie recipe in a cast iron pan with some meat and vegetable gravy showing under the layer of cheesy mashed potatoes.
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Total 1 hour 30 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

For the Filling:

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 lb ground sausage (I use Jimmy Dean pork sausage)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small yellow onion , chopped
  • 2 ribs celery , chopped
  • 1-2 carrots , chopped (about 1 cup)
  • cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • tablespoons  tomato paste
  • cube beef bouillon
  • tablespoons  Worcestershire sauce
  • teaspoon  fresh thyme , chopped (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary , chopped (or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary)
  • bay leaves
  • ½ cup frozen corn
  • ½ cup frozen peas

For the mashed potatoes

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Make mashed potatoes: Add potatoes to a saucepan with 3 inches of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, about 12-15 minutes.
  • Drain the water and leave the potatoes in the pot. Cover with the lid and allow to steam for a few minutes.
  • Mash the potatoes lightly with a potato masher (avoid over-mixing the potatoes). Add butter, sour cream, milk, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper and stir just until smooth. Set aside.
  • Make the meat gravy: In a large, oven-safe* 12 inch skillet with sides, add the ground beef and ground sausage (or ground lamb, to make shepherd's pie). Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook over medium heat until browned, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks.  Drain some of the grease (reserving some in the pan) and remove meat to a plate.
  • Add the onion, celery and carrots to the pan and sauté for about 5-8 minutes, until tender. Add garlic and flour and toss to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the beef broth, bouillon cube, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and bay leaves and stir to combine.
  • Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Taste and add extra seasonings, if needed. Remove bay leaves and stir in frozen peas, corn, and cooked meat.
  • Assemble: Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat mixture to completely cover the top. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving, to allow the gravy sauce in the meat mixture to cool and thicken.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. 

Notes

Serving size is about 1 ¼ cups.
Skillet size: If you don’t have large enough oven-safe skillet, assemble cottage pie in a 9×13 inch pan.
For Shepherd’s Pie: Substitute ground lamb. 
Vegetarian:  Omit meat and either double the vegetables or add a cup of cooked barley, farro, or wild rice.  Use vegetable stock instead of beef stock, and substitute wine vinegar for Worcestershire if desired.
Gluten-Free: Replace flour by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the beef broth before adding to the pan.
Make Ahead Instructions:  Cook the meat gravy and mashed potatoes and store separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm the mashed potatoes in the microwave with a little splash of milk, to re-soften them, and then assemble before baking.
Freezing Instructions: Cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before baking until warmed through.

Nutrition

Serving: 8gCalories: 589kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 30gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 1249mgPotassium: 1298mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2610IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 4mg

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I originally shared this recipe October 2019. Updated November 2023.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made Shepherd’s Pie for Pi Day this year and we couldn’t stop eating it! So super yummy!! Made exactly a written with lamb, perfect flavor. Delicious!

  2. I found this super bland. I TRIPLED the tomato paste, garlic and Worcestershire. More spices were needed like garlic powder, onion powder and celery salt. Also added franks hot sauce. Made it more edible but was still missing something, added wine and brown sugar, perfection!

  3. 5 stars
    I made this last night verbatim EXCEPT i sautéed my veggies in some red wine..also not a huge lamb fan so i loved the meats in this version…this was absolutely punched with flavor ! My boyfriend was a huge fan – served with flaky layer biscuits 🙂 Huge comfrot meal

  4. 5 stars
    Excellent!! This dinner was delicious and easy to make. 3 out of 5 kids asked for it to be their special birthday dinner this year.

  5. Excellent recipe! The meat sauce is outstanding. Made this with few departures. I used I used organic beef but decided to go with Jimmy Dean sausage. I used organic beef bone broth and a heaping teaspoon of “Better than Bouillon” low-sodium organic vegetable concentrate instead of a bouillon cube. I added 2/3rds cup frozen peas and 2/3rds cup frozen corn. I added no salt or pepper but I did use a scant teaspoon of “Devil’s Dust” seasoning from a company called Spice & Tea Merchants ( spice merchants.biz ) and about 1/4 teaspoon “Black Garlic” from Trader Joe’s in addition to the recommended fresh garlic. I used salted butter in the mashed potatoes. The finished dish did not want for salt. The flavor really popped,—and that sauce…Will def make this again! Thank you.

  6. Ummm…the explanation of the difference between cottage and shepherds pie says “lab” instead of “lamb”. Dog lovers might be offended. 😉 My family loves your recipes though. They’re all delicious. I like trying new foods too. We’re vegetarian but have no trouble subbing in vegetables where needed. Your meal plans are fun and a blessing.

    1. Oops, that’s quite the typo – definitely meant ‘lamb’ and not ‘lab’! 😅 Thanks for pointing it out, and no offense to dog lovers intended! Really glad to hear you and your family are enjoying the recipes, and it’s awesome you’re finding them easy to adapt to vegetarian. Thanks for the kind words about the meal plans – it’s great to know they’re making mealtime fun and a bit easier.

  7. 5 stars
    absolutely delish. I doubled the mixture to save some for the freezer to have ready for a quick meal. Oh, and I used a lot more mashed potatoes because #boymom LOL

  8. Hi, this looks good, except it is cottage pie with a twist (adding the sausage). It is NOT Sheppard’s Pie, that is made with lamb.

  9. 5 stars
    I made it and it turned out perfect! I did double the veggies and I added a teaspoon of marjoram for an extra kick.All herbs I used were fresh fr6om my herb garden. I also prefer and use fresh peas to frozen. I’ve made cottage pie many times. This recipe is closest to mine and was a big hit with my British husband so that’s high praise! Really easy to follow.

  10. 5 stars
    Super super yummy! Best recipe I’ve found!

    Question.. I was wanting to make this & freeze it. Do we cook it & freeze it with the potatoes on top? I didn’t know if yhe consistency of the mashed potatoes would change or not.

  11. 5 stars
    Extremely tasty, as with so many of the recipes here. Made as my personal St. Patricks Day celebration. Will become a welcome addition to ‘the normal rotation’.

    At grocery store today their ground beef was outrageous so I used ground turkey and went a little heavier on the beef bullion – I use granular instead of cubes. Used good quality local sausage too.

  12. I just made this for supper tonight. Fabulous….Even my snoopy kid loved it. It’s going into the keep category in my recipe box.

  13. I made this and it was wonderful. However, it calls for one cube beef bouillon but nowhere in the directions is this used. Did I miss it?

  14. 5 stars
    Love this recipe! Great as is or modified based on what I have (ketchup vs paste, more veggies, beef OR sausage or both, instant potatoes) Thank you!

  15. This is a recipe I will use from now it is easy to make and has a lot of flavor. I don’t like greasy casseroles and this one is made just right. Thank you for another great recipe.

  16. 4 stars
    I find that tomato paste needs mor than 5 minutes to cook out the bitter, I simmered for 30 minutes. Most Brit cottage suggest 30 to 45 minutes. Otherwise spot on with all ingredients. Thanks!

  17. 5 stars
    Now that autumn is here I get to make this delicious recipe again! I’ve made it several times, every time wonderful. Once, I made it vegetarian by using lentils. The broth/sauce is so yummy that it is enough to flavor the lentils.

  18. 5 stars
    Sounds so yummy. I have everything I need except potatoes. They’ll be on my grocery list. Next weeks dinner, for sure.

  19. 5 stars
    I love this dish, and it’s fairly easy to make. It makes a great company meal that’s a nice change from the usual Italian fare that’s common for easy make-ahead meals that can be easily prepared and served. I think of it as being a sort of English lasagna because of that. I always add mushrooms to it, because I love them, and instead of bullion, I use bone broth which has a very rich flavor. Watch the size dish you use in the oven, because if you use a large one, it will take oodles of mashed potatoes to cover it. It’s easy, keeps well, and is truly delicious.

  20. 5 stars
    A novice cook, I made this recipe today, and WOW! It is wonderful – I had to tear myself away from my third helping to come write a review! The only thing I’ll do differently next time is to have my filling ingredients prepped before I start browning the mince, and I plan to start the carrots sautéing a few minutes ahead of the other veggies next time so they’ll cook through a bit more. Thanks so much for this recipe! It’s definitely going in my meal rotation.

  21. 5 stars
    WOW, my husband is an O’Malley and grew up eating traditional Irish food. He LOVED this recipe. We’ve made it twice now. Both times it turned out amazing. Love the video instructions as well.

    1. Use beef broth to start, taste and then add bouillon to your liking. I like the deeper flavor that using both, adds.

  22. 5 stars
    love your recipes, but please can we sort the confusion Shepherds Pie V Cottage Pie,
    Shepherds Pie is made with Ground Cooked left over Roast Lamb and Pickled Lamb , this cold meat is minced and mixed with lots Tomato Sauce and Wircestershire Sauce with a pinch if seasoning and black Pepper,, then topped with mash Potato,, this pie is heated through in oven and put under grill to nicely brown the potatoes,, The Cottage Pie is made with ground meats yet to be cooked
    and lots of vegies added, from the Cottage Garden,, so the term ground lamb for Shephetds Pie should read “ ground cooked Lamb” a huge difference in texture and taste, it is delicious,, you just need a meat mincer at home,!! this recipe handed down over our generations to my German background Grandma.. she made it so often, we loved it,

    1. 5 stars
      Talk about confusing. You may want to reread your comment/reply. Spelling, facts and clear communication is needed. I hope you find constructive criticism helpful.

    2. My experience is only Americans insist on differentiating cottage and Shepard’s pie according to the meat used.

  23. 5 stars
    I made it for the first time. For meat, I used 1 3/4 lb of high quality steak that I first chopped into small pieces and marinated in olive and red wine. It turned out fantastic. The next time I entertain I will make this dish.

  24. 5 stars
    I’m not a huge fan of sherpard’s pies because I find them bland but both my husband and I loved this recipe! I made the potatoes the day before so it was less time spent in one day. I used hot sausages and it was so tasty!

  25. 5 stars
    This turned out great. I had to modify it since I didn’t have beef broth or bouillon- I used better than bouillon vegetable stock. That turned out great! I also added more peas, carrots and corn and added mushrooms. I didn’t have sour cream so used Yogurt. And I used 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound Jimmy Dean Hot sausage! Leaving the mashed potatoes not fully mashed was great. Will make this again! My husband said it was the best he’s ever had. Well he was hungry!

  26. I’ve made this recipe twice now and am making it again tomorrow. It’s hearty, flavor-filled, relatively easy to make, and DELICIOUS. I have three young daughters and, between them, my wife, and myself, this provides enough food for one meal and leftovers later in the week.

    By the way, this recipe has also entirely changed how I make mashed potatoes. So…thanks for that, too 🙂

  27. 5 stars
    The family and I loved this! Followed your recipe but I used 1 lb of Ground bison and 1 lb of Ground pork sausage from Butcher box and halved the Worcestershire sauce and added 1 Tbs of red wine vinegar. Very yummy and they want this again — soon!

  28. 3 stars
    Had a great flavor, very filling. I used a pound and a half of ground beef instead of the two pounds of the ground beef and sausage. A pound and a half of meat was plenty. This recipe just took me FOREVER. If you have time this is good recipe.

  29. Shepard’s pie is made with LAMB that’s why it’s called SHEPARDS. they take care of SHEEP. Cottage pie is made with beef.

  30. 5 stars
    I’ve tried multiple recipes for cottage pie, recently because of the Covid-19 lockdowns I use the meal plans here to make my life a bit less hectic and I had to just rate this one. By far the best recipe for this you will find bar none.

  31. 4 stars
    I used a little extra meat and veggies to make it thicker without increasing the liquid. Substituted 1 cup of red wine and did a cup and a half of beef stock. Added extra of all the spices as well. Turned out great!

  32. 1 star
    Didnt care for this at all.. it came out so soupy, potatoes were covered in the broth.. i followed the recipe to a tee measuring and weighing everything.. nor did i like the taste of the rosemary or thyme in it… i bought all ingredients fresh.. so very disappointed how it came out.. i will fix the old standard next time, simpler and tastier..

  33. 5 stars
    This is the best cottage pie I have ever had! I split mine into two 8×8 pans because I wanted to make some to share with a friend. I only had a 14 oz can of beef broth, so I used 3/4 red wine to get the full 2 1/2 cups of liquid required. I can’t wait to make this again!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!

  34. Just a reminder, Worchestershire sauce is not always gluten free. Check your brand or substitute something else.

    I want to make this!

  35. 5 stars
    The recipe came out great, but the ingredients list says “Beef stock” while the instructions say “beef broth” – which one should it be? Also, the ingredients list contains beef bouillon cube but I didn’t see in the instructions list where/when that gets added. I used beef stock and put the bouillon cube in when I added the herbs and it turned out great, so I doubt it matters but I’m curious to find out.