Easy Personal Sized Cottage Pie Recipe

The other day, while binge-watching “And Just Like That,” I caught sight of a character savoring a delicious Cottage Pie that looked so warm and inviting—it instantly ignited a craving in me for something just like that! There’s something about a personal-sized Cottage Pie that wraps you in a cozy embrace, making your whole body feel nourished and satisfied. After some careful tweaks and testing, I crafted the ultimate recipe for the easiest and most delightful Cottage Pie for 1-2. If you’re in the mood to spoil yourself with a heartwarming meal while enjoying your favorite show, or if you want to whip up something special for a dear friend, this Cottage Pie recipe is the perfect choice!

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings: 1

Course: Main Course

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

0.35 Pounds Ground Beef
3 tbsp red wine
3 tbsp veggie stock
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp flour
27 grams brunoised chopped veggies carrots, white onions, and celery
1 tsp minced garlic
25 grams corn frozen
25 grams peas frozen
0.3 pounds/ 2 small potatoes chopped
1 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tbsp butter this salt the potatoes well but add additional salt to taste
1 tbsp cheese I used mozzarella but its common to use parmesan
Seasoning : Garlic Sea Salt very intense flavor so it seasoned this dish extremely well. I used about 2 tsp for the meat and 1/2 tsp for potatoes. I am very much a season to taste, so I do not have exact spice measurements.

Equipment

For your pan, I would recommend nothing bigger than 5′ x 6′
Food Scale For this recipe the use of a good scale will ensure accurate measurements! The scale I used is linked here: https://amzn.to/3IvAh1d

Method

Boil the Potatoes:

Chop your potatoes and add them to a pot of boiling water. Boil for about 7 minutes—you’ll know they’re ready when they’re very soft and a fork easily slides through.

Prep the Veggies:

While the potatoes boil, brunoise chop your carrots, white onion, and celery. Set those aside for later.

Mash the Potatoes:

Once the potatoes are done, remove from heat and drain the water. Mash them right in the pot until smooth, then mix in heavy cream, butter, and a little extra salt if needed. Set mashed potatoes aside in a bowl.

Cook the Beef & Veggies:

In a hot pan over medium heat, add your ground beef. Let it cook for about 30 seconds (just until it’s about medium-rare), then toss in your chopped veggies. Keep stirring and cook until the beef is fully cooked—this should take about 3-4 minutes.

Finish the Filling & Assemble the Cottage Pie:

Simmer the Sauce:

In the same pan with your beef and veggies, stir in tomato paste, garlic paste, red wine, and veggie stock. Mix well and let it simmer for about 1 minute.
(This is the perfect time to season to your taste! I added about 2 tsp of garlic salt.)

Thicken the Filling:

Sprinkle flour evenly over the top, mix again, and let the mixture simmer for another 30 seconds.
(If it looks a little dry, just add 1 tbsp of veggie stock to loosen it up.)

Add the Veggies:

Toss in your corn and peas and bring everything to a final simmer for 1 more minute. Once everything’s heated through, remove from heat.

Assemble & Bake:

Preheat Oven:

Set your oven to 350°F.
Layer the Pie:
In a personal-size baking dish (I used a Korean stone bowl!) add the entire beef mixture, gently pressing it down to flatten.
Top with your mashed potato mixture, spreading it evenly to cover the filling.
Use a fork to score the top in a criss-cross pattern for that classic shepherd’s pie look.
Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly on top, and feel free to add another dash of seasoning.

Bake:

Place your dish on a flat baking pan (just in case of spills!) and bake for 35 minutes at 350°F.

Garnish & Serve:

Remove from oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
Finish with fresh rosemary on top and enjoy!

Notes

Serving Suggestions:
To truly elevate the dish, serve it on a dark-toned plate to highlight its vibrant colors! Finish it off with a garnish of fresh rosemary for an aromatic touch!

This dish would pair excellent with a nice red wine!! The flavors are very rich and savory. It makes me feel like I am reading a nice book with candle lights, wine, and jazz music. A very cozy meal indeed.

Additional Side dishes you could add: Toasted Artesian/ Baguette bread

Thank you for reading!! Let me know if you have any questions or if you enjoyed the recipe!!

Easy Personal-Sized Cottage Pie Recipe