Description
This Guinness Cottage Pie recipe offers a hearty and comforting twist on the classic dish by incorporating rich Guinness beer into the savory ground beef filling. Topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked to bubbly perfection, it’s an ideal meal for cozy dinners and family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Filling
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15 or leaner)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces Guinness beer (or beef broth)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered
- ½ cup heavy cream or milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare for Cooking: Gather all your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). While prepping the meat filling, start cooking the potatoes for the mashed potatoes.
- Make Meat Filling: In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef along with the diced onion. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the flour thoroughly, then slowly add the Guinness beer, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and dried thyme. Mix in the frozen peas and carrots and then remove the skillet from heat.
- Make Mashed Potatoes: Boil the peeled and cut russet potatoes until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Mash them until smooth, and then stir in the heavy cream or milk, butter, salt, and pepper until creamy and well combined.
- Assemble and Bake: Evenly spread the mashed potatoes over the meat filling in the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if using. Serve hot and enjoy your classic Guinness Cottage Pie.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef (85/15 or leaner) to reduce excess grease in the filling.
- You can substitute Guinness beer with beef broth for a milder flavor or if avoiding alcohol.
- Russet potatoes are preferred for creamy mashed potatoes but Yukon Gold can also be used.
- Make sure to cook the potatoes properly so they mash smoothly without lumps.
- The dish is best served fresh but leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated.
