A good cottage pie earns its place in the autumn dinner rotation. It is hearty, familiar and just as welcome on a rainy Tuesday as it is at a weekend family table.
This version pairs a savoury 100% grass fed organic beef and vegetable filling with a butternut squash-and-potato topping. The squash adds colour and a gentle sweetness, while the potatoes give the mash enough structure to sit neatly over the filling. Beef bone broth brings the gravy together.
Serves: 4
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: about 50 minutes, with the filling and topping prepared at the same time
You will need: a roughly 2-litre baking dish
Ingredients
For the topping
- 500 g peeled butternut squash, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 500 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 50 g grated mature cheddar
For the filling
- 500g Bradner Farms 100% grass fed organic ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 350 ml Nourish Yourself beef bone broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 150 g frozen peas
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Put the potatoes and squash into a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, until both are tender.
- Meanwhile, brown the beef in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces. Add a little oil if needed to prevent sticking. Transfer the beef to a bowl, leaving about a tablespoon of fat in the pan.
- Add the onion and carrots to the pan. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Return the beef to the pan. Sprinkle over the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the broth, then add the Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Stir in the peas. Taste and season, allowing for any salt already in the broth.
- Drain the potatoes and squash thoroughly. Let them steam-dry in the colander for 2–3 minutes, then mash with the butter. Season to taste. The topping should be spreadable but not watery.
- Spoon the filling into the baking dish. Spread the mash over it, working from the edges towards the centre. Roughen the surface with a fork and add the cheddar, if using.
- Place the dish on a baking tray to catch any spills. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the top begins to colour. Check that the centre of the beef filling reaches at least 71°C with a food thermometer. Give it more time if needed, then let the pie rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Small touches that make a difference
Keep the filling thick enough that a spoon drawn through it leaves a brief trail. A loose gravy can bubble through the topping. Draining the squash and potatoes well is equally important: a dry, fluffy mash is much easier to spread.
Serve with steamed green beans, cabbage or a simple leafy salad. The pie already brings plenty of comfort; the side can stay straightforward.
Make-ahead and leftover tips
To prepare ahead, cook the filling and mash, cool them promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours. Assemble and bake the next day, allowing extra time for the chilled ingredients and heating the centre to 74°C.
Refrigerate cooked leftovers within two hours and use within three days, or freeze in individual portions. Reheat leftovers to 74°C throughout. Thaw frozen portions in the fridge before reheating.
Bring autumn dinner together with HOTRO.ca
Start with ground beef and beef bone broth from HOTRO.ca, then add squash, potatoes and a few everyday vegetables. It is a practical way to turn familiar ingredients into a dinner worth sitting down for.