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Weekend • Beef

Classic Skillet Beef Cottage Pie

Savory minced beef and vegetables in a rich wine-tinged gravy topped with golden, broiled cheddar mashed potatoes.

Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Servings
6
Level
Weekend
Classic Skillet Beef Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is the definitive comfort meal, and cooking the meat base in an oven-safe skillet makes it remarkably weeknight-accessible. Seasoned ground beef, sweet carrots, and tender peas simmer together in a glossy Worcestershire-spiked gravy before being crowned with fluffy mashed potatoes. Pop the skillet under the broiler until the peaks turn crisp and golden.

Ingredients

Yield: 6 servings

Potato Topping

  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup whole milk or heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Beef Filling

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (85/15)
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes until tender. Drain, then mash with butter, milk, shredded cheddar, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Preheat your oven's broiler to high. In a large oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it apart, until browned, about 6 minutes. Drain excess grease if necessary.

  3. Step 3

    Add the diced onion and carrots to the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute.

  4. Step 4

    Sprinkle the flour over the beef mixture and stir well to coat. Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and season with salt and pepper.

  5. Step 5

    Smooth the beef filling into an even layer in the skillet. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, spreading to the edges to seal. Use the tines of a fork to create textured ridges across the potatoes.

  6. Step 6

    Broil the skillet 6 inches from the heat source for 5 to 7 minutes, watching closely, until the potato ridges are deeply golden brown and the gravy bubbles around the edges. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Tips

  • Scoring textured peaks on top of the mashed potatoes with a fork is essential for catching the heat and turning delightfully crunchy under the broiler.
  • If you don't own an oven-safe skillet, simply transfer the cooked beef filling into an 8x8-inch baking dish before topping with potatoes.

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