Name: Cottage Pie
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Cuisine: Other

Jule’s Menu Verified

February 13, 2026

This recipe from presents a classic British cottage pie — a hearty baked comfort dish featuring a savory mixture of ground beef, aromatic vegetables, red wine and broth simmered into a rich filling, boosted with brown lentils for extra texture and nutrition, then topped with creamy mashed potatoes mixed with butter, milk and cheese and oven-browned until golden and bubbling.

From the Cook

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Cottage Pie

Jule’s Menu Verified

Ingredients

WarningMilk and 4 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Wash the celery and carrots thoroughly and cut them into small cubes. Peel and finely dice the onions and garlic.

Brown the ground beef in a large, deep skillet until brown and crumbly. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Spread oil in the pan, add carrots, celery and onions and sauté with a generous pinch of salt over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes until soft.

Increase the heat slightly, add the garlic, flour, and tomato paste, and sauté for a few minutes. Return the ground beef to the pan.

Deglaze with red wine and let it simmer briefly until the alcohol has evaporated. Add beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Add bay leaf and thyme sprig, cover partially, and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened nicely.

After 20 minutes, drain the lentils and add them to the pan. Let the ground meat mixture simmer, covered, over low heat for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the potatoes, halve or quarter them, place them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat slightly and simmer the potatoes for about 15 minutes with the lid partially closed, until they are tender.

Drain the potatoes, let them steam briefly, and press them through a potato ricer. Mix the mashed potatoes with milk, butter, and cheese, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) for conventional oven settings or 200°C (390°F) for fan-forced oven settings. Remove the thyme and bay leaf from the ground meat pan, then transfer the ground meat to a casserole dish. Spread the mashed potatoes on top with a spoon.

Bake the cottage pie in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the surface has a golden brown color.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Potato Texture Magic 🥔
Warm your milk and butter before adding to mashed potatoes to create an ultra-smooth, creamy topping that spreads easily and browns beautifully.
Lentil Prep Perfection 🫘
Rinse brown lentils thoroughly and soak for 30 minutes to reduce cooking time and remove any potential earthiness, ensuring a more refined texture in the pie.
Wine Depth Technique 🍷
Reduce the red wine by half before adding other liquids to concentrate its flavor and remove any harsh alcohol notes, creating a more complex and rich filling.
Golden Crust Hack 🧀
Sprinkle extra grated cheddar and a light dusting of breadcrumbs on top of the potato layer for an irresistibly crispy, golden-brown crust.
Layering Flavor Bomb 🌶️
Bloom your dried herbs and spices in oil before adding other ingredients to unlock their full aromatic potential and create deeper, more intense flavors.

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About the Cook

Jule’s Menu

Hi, I’m Julia, and I’m the recipe developer, photographer, and author behind Jules’ Menu. I’ve spent the last eight years perfecting healthy everyday recipes so they strike the perfect balance between healthy and nourishing, simple and practical, and gourmet-level delicious.