British cottage pie

The Family KitchenBritish cottage pie

United Kingdom · Cottage pie · United Kingdom

British cottage pie

A proper comfort-food bake with savoury beef, soft carrot and peas under a golden potato topping. Serve in neat squares or spoon it soft.

20 minPreparation
35 minCooking
55 minTotal time
6Servings
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The Family Kitchen · Portions are a guide; appetite and needs vary.

Illustration of british cottage pie
AI-generated serving illustration

For 6 servings

What you’ll need

Allergens
Milk. Check stock labels.

One step at a time

Let’s make it

  1. Boil potatoes for 15–18 minutes until very tender. Drain, mash with milk and butter, and cover to keep warm.
  2. Warm oil in a pan. Cook onion, carrot and beef for 8–10 minutes, breaking up the mince until no pink remains.
  3. Stir in tomato paste, thyme, stock and peas. Simmer for 8 minutes until thick; taste and add salt only if needed.
  4. Spoon filling into a baking dish, top with mash and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes until golden and piping hot. Rest before serving.

Preparation and cooking times are estimates. Use the doneness checks in the method.

Make the texture work

Bake individual ramekins for clear portions, or serve mash and filling separately. Mash peas into the beef only if that is a welcome texture.

Season it properly

Thyme, tomato paste and stock give a deep savoury flavour. Black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and extra salt can be offered to adults after serving.

Simple swaps

Use turkey mince or lentils in place of beef. Sweet potato can replace half the potato for a gentler colour change.

Keep it safely

Refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 48 hours or freeze for one month. Reheat once until the middle is steaming hot.

Food education

What the ingredients bring

These are practical food-group notes, not a laboratory nutrition analysis. Portions and brands change the numbers.

  • Beef supplies protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
  • Potatoes contribute carbohydrate, potassium and vitamin C.
  • Carrot and peas add fibre, folate and beta-carotene.
Before serving: adapt the size and texture to your child’s chewing skills, then let the meal be a relaxed family moment.

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