A delicious dinner in one recipe provides protein and veggies in a cozy serving. The topping of creamy garlic mashed potatoes makes every bite of this comfort food dinner so good.
Ingredients
For The Cottage Pie:
- 2 lbs lean ground beef (can sub ground turkey, ground lamb, or a mix)
- 1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas and carrots (1 10-ounce bag)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 6 garlic cloves, minced (2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce*
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour*
- 2 cups beef broth (may sub chicken broth or vegetable broth)
For The Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
- Water and salt
- 2 lbs russet potatoes (about 5 small-medium), peeled and chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced (2 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ to 1 cup beef broth or beef stock (or use chicken broth or vegetable broth)
- ⅓ cup minced fresh chives or fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- At the same time, start cooking the potatoes: Fill a pot halfway with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.
- In a very large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef for 5 minutes.
- Add the onion and continue to saute until the ground beef is cooked through, 5-7 minutes more.
- Drain grease from the skillet and return to the stovetop over medium-high heat.
- When the water in the pot comes to a boil, add the peeled and chopped potatoes (to make the mashed potatoes).
- Once the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork, drain the water from the pot and return the potatoes to the pot.
- Add the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Using a hand mixer, whip the potatoes until they are well mashed and creamy, increasing the speed as you continue to whip for a full minute or two.
- Add ½ to 1 cup broth and continue to whip until the potatoes are very creamy.
- Add the chives and whip again until the chives are incorporated.
- Set the mashed potatoes aside. (Alternatively, you can whip the potatoes with a stand mixer or a hand potato masher.)
- Back at the skillet with the ground beef, add the frozen peas and carrots, frozen corn, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, thyme, rosemary, and salt.
- Stir until well combined.
- Sprinkle the flour all over the ingredients in the skillet and stir until dissolved.
- Slowly pour the broth over the ground beef mixture and continue to heat and stir until the broth thickens to a gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and place the skillet on a sheet pan (this helps prevent spillage in the oven).
- Gently add the mashed potatoes in a layer over the ground beef mixture.
- Use the back of a spoon to spread the potatoes evenly in a wavy pattern, or use a fork to draw a lined pattern.
- Place the sheet pan with the skillet on the top rack in the oven.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- If desired, garnish servings with additional chives or fresh parsley.
- Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- This large heavy duty enamel-coated cast iron skillet is a team favorite dish for recipes like this one that go from stovetop to oven.
- *For gluten-free cottage pie, use an equal amount of 1-for-1 gluten-free flour.
- Also, use a brand of Worcestershire sauce that is certified gluten free.