Cottage Pie with Cauliflower Mash

This Week

2 Dec - 8 Dec

Cottage Pie with Cauliflower Mash

Cottage pie is classic comfort food but we’ve put a healthier twist on it by topping it with a cauliflower mash – it’s so creamy you’ll barely notice it’s not potato.

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Meal Prep Guide

Prepare the filling for the pie, excluding the peas. Add the peas before popping the mince into your baking dish. (Store in an airtight container in the fridge)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion (finely diced)
1 leek (sliced)
1 large carrot (finely diced)
¼ bunch of celery, 3-4 stalks (finely diced)
2 Tbsp fresh herbs (we used rosemary, oregano and thyme) or 1 Tbsp of dried mixed herbs
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
600g beef mince
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup of chicken, beef or vegetable stock
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, fan bake.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, leek, carrot, celery, garlic and herbs; season with salt and pepper.
Sauté for 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and start to caramelise.
Increase the heat to high and add the mince. Cook for 7 minutes or until the mince is nicely browned and all the moisture has evaporated.
Add the tomato paste and stock. Cook over high heat for a few minutes before turning it down to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.

Cut 1 cauliflower into florets (Store in an airtight container in the fridge)

Tips

If you don’t have a blender you can make the cauliflower mash with a potato masher or a stick blender.
If you have any red or white wine then use half stock and half wine, this gives it a really delicious flavour and a good excuse to have a glass of wine with your meal.
Make sure the mince has nicely browned before adding the stock this is what gives the dish a nice depth of flavour.
If are cooking the filling in a sauté dish then you can add the mash directly on top and pop it in the oven – to save dishes. ‍

Shortcuts

Vegetables

You can swap out the cauliflower mash for sweet potato, pumpkin or potato or a mixed veggie mash.
Serve alongside a simple side salad or steamed green beans.

Protein

For a vegetarian option, swap the mince out for 1 cup of finely diced mushrooms and 1 tin of brown lentils (drained). Add the mushrooms after step 3, once the mushrooms are cooked and the liquid release has evaporated add lentils and cook as per recipe steps.
To turn this into a shepherd’s pie, simply swap out the beef mince for lamb mince.

Ingredients

Cottage pie filling

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion (finely diced)
1 leek (sliced)
1 large carrot (finely diced)
¼ bunch of celery, 3-4 stalks (finely diced)
2 Tbsp fresh herbs (we used rosemary, oregano and thyme) or 1 Tbsp of dried mixed herbs
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
600g beef mince
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup of chicken, beef or vegetable stock
1 cup of frozen peas
Salt and pepper

Cauliflower mash topping

1 cauliflower (cut into florets)
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup cheddar cheese (grated)
Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, fan bake.
‍Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, leek, carrot, celery, garlic and herbs; season with salt and pepper.
Sauté for 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and start to caramelise.
Increase the heat to high and add the mince. Cook for 7 minutes or until the mince is nicely browned and all the moisture has evaporated.
Add the tomato paste and stock. Cook over high heat for a few minutes before turning it down to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.
While the filling is simmering, make the mash. Steam or boil the cauliflower until tender, approximately 10 minutes.
Add the cauliflower to a blender with the butter, salt and pepper; blend until smooth and creamy (alternatively, you could use a stick blender or a potato masher).
Once the mince mixture has cooked, stir through peas, then add it to a baking dish. Top the mince with the cauliflower mash and sprinkle over the cheddar cheese.
Pop in the oven to cook for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Variations

Vegetables

You can swap out the cauliflower mash for sweet potato, pumpkin or potato or a mixed veggie mash.
Serve alongside a simple side salad or steamed green beans.

Protein

For a vegetarian option, swap the mince out for 1 cup of finely diced mushrooms and 1 tin of brown lentils (drained). Add the mushrooms after step 3, once the mushrooms are cooked and the liquid release has evaporated add lentils and cook as per recipe steps.
To turn this into a shepherd’s pie, simply swap out the beef mince for lamb mince.