Cottage pie is a classic English comfort food made with flavorful ground beef and vegetables in a rich gravy all topped with a blanket of creamy mashed potatoes. It’s one of my favorite comforting ground beef recipes, made even easier in the slow cooker.
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You'll Love My Cottage Pie
Cottage Pie is one of those old-fashioned comfort foods I look forward to, especially during holidays. It is packed with protein and vegetables, an all in one meal that pleases even the pickiest eaters.
Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting while the flavors meld together all afternoon.
Ingredients
Pro Tip
Browning the meat and searing the flour before adding into the slow cooker prevents the classic slow cooker problem of a watered down sauce.
Slow Cooker Cottage Pie
Ingredients
Cottage Pie Filling
- 2 lbs lean ground beef (907g)
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped (about 150g)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (16g)
- ¾ cup 180g beef broth, low sodium, plus up to ¼ cup more (60g), if needed
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced (227g)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups frozen vegetables ,(like peas, carrots and corn)
Mashed Potato Topping
- 3 to 4 russet potatoes about 2 pounds (907 g)
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ½ to ⅔ cup (120 to 160 ml) whole milk , warmed
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned. If needed, carefully drain the excess grease or blot it with a paper towel.
- Add in the chopped onion and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until it begins to soften. Stir in the fresh garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour evenly over beef. Stir thoroughly and cook for 1 minute, until you do not see any dry flour. Set aside.
- In the slow cooker, pour in the beef broth and whisk in the tomato paste. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary and paprika.
- Transfer the meat mixture into the slow cooker. Finally add in the sliced mushrooms and frozen vegetables. Stir everything together.
- Put the cover on your slow cooker and cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Mashed Potatoes
- While the cottage pie cooks, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 to 2 inch evenly sized chunks. Place them in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Drain well and return the potatoes to the pot. Mash with a potato masher or hand mixer.
- Add the butter, milk, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy, adding additional milk as needed to reach your desired consistency. Set aside until ready to assemble the cottage pie.
Finish the Cottage Pie
- Once the filling has finished cooking, taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. If the filling seems too thick, stir in additional beef broth, but only a tablespoon or two at a time.
- Spoon the mashed potatoes evenly over the filling and gently spread them to the edges.
- For a golden, lightly crisp topping, transfer the slow cooker insert to the oven, only if it is oven safe, and broil until the potatoes are lightly browned. Alternatively, spoon individual portions into oven safe dishes and broil.
- Top with fresh chopped parsley or green onions, optional
Notes
- Don't be tempted to add extra broth at the beginning. Though the mixture might seem to require more liquid, as the beef, mushrooms and frozen vegetables will release moisture. Only add the extra broth after the cooking time has completed to avoid the cottage pie filling becoming watery.
- I prefer to use 93/7 but you can also use 90/10 ground beef.
- Be sure to drain any grease before adding onions.
- I like to use a fork to make texture lines on the top of the mashed potatoes.
- Do not take the vegetables out to thaw, they should be put into the slow cooker while frozen.
- Storage Instructions:
Storage: Store leftover cottage pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm up in the microwave or you can add a bigger portion into an oven-safe dish, cover and heat in an oven at 350°F until hot.
Freezing: You can also freeze cottage pie. Cool completely and transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
How to Make Slow Cooker Cottage Pie
1- Brown ground beef in a large skillet breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Drain any excess grease then stir in the chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2- Sprinkle flour evenly over the beef mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until no raw dry flour remains. Remove the skillet from heat.
3- In your slow cooker add in beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and paprika. Add the browned beef and onion mixture to the slow cooker.
4- Add the sliced mushrooms and frozen mixed vegetables. Stir everything until evenly combined.Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
5- About 30 minutes before serving, place peeled potato chunks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until fork-tender. Drain and mash then mix in butter, warm milk, salt, and black pepper until creamy. Add extra warm milk if needed to achieve a spreadable consistency.
6- Uncover the slow cooker and check the consistency of the filling. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon warm mashed potatoes over the filling and gently spread to the edges. Use a fork to rake light ridge patterns across the potato top. If your slow cooker insert is oven-safe, place it under the oven broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Alternatively, transfer individual portions into oven-safe dishes to broil.
FAQs or Troubleshooting Guide
Traditionally shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb and cottage pie is made with ground beef.
Yes. Browning the ground beef before adding it to the slow cooker improves the flavor and allows you to remove excess grease. This method enhances the texture of the filling compared to adding raw ground beef straight to the slow cooker.
Ground beef, mushrooms and frozen vegetables all release moisture as they cook. Avoid adding extra broth at the beginning of the cooking time, even if the mixture initially looks a little dry. If by the time your filling is ready, it remains too thin for your liking, remove the lid and allow it to sit for a few minutes before topping with mashed potatoes.
Many modern slow cooker ceramic inserts are oven safe up to 400°F/200°C, but always check your specific manufacturer manual before putting it under the broiler. If unsafe, spoon portions into an oven safe casserole dish to brown the top.
Recipe Variations
- Meat Options: Substitute ground beef with ground lamb for a classic Shepherd's Pie, or ground turkey/chicken for a lighter alternative.
- Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes: Use olive oil or vegan butter and non-dairy milk (like oat or unsweetened almond milk) for the mashed potatoes.
- Low-Carb / Keto: Swap the mashed russet potatoes for a buttery mashed cauliflower topping.
- Gluten Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour or cornstarch slurry (add 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water at the end of cooking).
Amira's Tips
- Warm your milk before adding it to mashed potatoes. It helps keep them hot and blends in more easily. Stir gently and avoid overmixing to keep the potatoes creamy instead of gummy.
- Make ahead: You can brown the beef, onions, garlic, and flour mixture up to 24 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge overnight, then dump everything into the slow cooker in the morning. You can also prepare the mashed potatoes up to 2 days ahead. Reheat slightly before spreading over the warm filling.
Serving Ideas
- There’s nothing like a big hunk of crusty bread, garlic bread or corn bread to soak up the delicious meaty sauce of this cottage pie.
- • A basic mixed green salad or more roasted veggies on the side.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Tortellini Ground Beef
- Hamburger Rice Casserole
- Sloppy Joe Pizza
- Egyptian Phyllo Meat Pie
- Baked Beans with Ground Beef
- Mashed Potatoes and Ground Beef
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