Irish Cottage Pie
Traditional cottage beef pie topped with Irish Colcannon (buttery mashed potatoes loaded with sauteed leeks, kale, and crispy bacon).
Cozy, skillet Irish Cottage Pie is delicious and satisfying with an inviting depth of flavour. Rich meaty gravy and tender carrots topped with creamy Colcannon mash loaded with sautéed leeks, kale, and crispy bacon. It’s the ultimate St. Patrick’s Day comfort food.
What makes this cottage pie Irish?
Cottage pie is a British dish of minced beef and vegetables topped mashed potato and baked. But, topping this traditional cottage beef pie with Colcannon – an Irish dish of mashed potatoes with cabbage – turns this British classic into an Irish favourite.
How to make Irish cottage pie
Step 1a: In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, about 5 minutes.
Step 1b: Add the onion and carrot and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 2: Stir in the tomato paste until the beef and vegetables are coated. Sprinkle the flour over top and stir to combine.
Step 3: Add the broth, worcestershire, dijon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool in the pan.
Step 4: Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil the potatoes until tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes. In a separate skillet cook the diced bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the rendered fat behind.
Step 5: Add the leeks and kale (or cabbage) to the pan with the bacon fat and cook over medium-low heat until soft and tender.
Step 6a: Drain the potatoes and let them steam-dry for 5 minutes. Mash them with ¼ cup butter, milk, and salt until smooth.
Step 7b: Fold in the leek, kale, and chopped bacon.
Step 8: Spread the mashed potatoes over the cooled beef mixture. Melt the remaining ¼ cup butter and spoon it over top.
Step 9: Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until golden on top and bubbling around the edges. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
What to serve with Irish cottage pie
Irish cottage pie is a pretty complete meal by itself, but if you’re looking to round it out with a few sides, I’d recommend a light garden salad and some good artisan bread or soft Irish bread rolls.
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Looking for more Irish recipes for St. Patrick’s Day? Try this one-pot Dublin Coddle, a rustic Irish stew made with sausage, thick-cut bacon, chunky potatoes, and sliced onions braised in broth.
Irish Cottage Pie
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- 1 cup leek, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef or mushroom broth
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- cracked black pepper, to taste
Colcannon Topping
- 2 lbs potatoes (yukon and/or russet), peeled and cubed
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- 1 cup leek, thinly sliced
- 1 cup kale, thinly sliced
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup butter, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and carrot and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste until the beef and vegetables are coated. Sprinkle the flour over top and stir to combine.
- Add the broth, worcestershire, dijon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool in the pan.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large pot, boil the potatoes until tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a separate skillet cook the diced bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the rendered fat behind.
- Add the leeks and kale (or cabbage) to the pan with the bacon fat and cook over medium-low heat until soft and tender.
- Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry for 5 minutes. Mash them with ¼ cup butter, milk, and salt until smooth. Fold in the leek, kale, and chopped bacon.
- Spread the mashed potatoes over the cooled beef mixture. Melt the remaining ¼ cup butter and brush it over top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden on top and bubbling around the edges. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Beef: Substitute lamb mince for ground beef to make this an Irish Shepherd’s Pie.
- Broth: You could use chicken or vegetable broth in place of beef or mushroom broth.
- Cabbage: You could also use savoy or green cabbage instead of kale in the Colcannon topping.
