Dairy Free Cottage Pie
This dairy free cottage pie recipe is the family favourite you know and love and is my go-to easy recipe on a chilly day! Made with a rich savoury beef mince and a layer of creamy dairy free mashed potato that is cooked until golden brown, it is the perfect easy, budget-friendly comfort food that will have you going back for seconds!
Servings 6 serves
Calories 435kcal
Ingredients
For the beef filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 500 grams beef mince/ground beef
- 1 brown onion/yellow onion finely diced
- 1 large carrot grated
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon plain flour/all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1-2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 125 ml red wine
- 150 grams frozen peas
- 500 ml beef stock
- salt and pepper to taste
For the mashed potato:
- 800 grams potatoes
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter
- 60 ml dairy free milk oat milk, soy milk or almond milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan over high heat with the 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the 500 grams beef mince/ground beef. Cook the beef mince, breaking it down with a wooden spoon, and continue cooking until it browns and all the water that releases has cooked out. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
- Add the 1 brown onion/yellow onion to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, until translucent. Add the grated 1 large carrot and minced 4 garlic cloves and continue to sauté until soft.
- Add the beef back to the pan and mix through the onion and carrot mixture. Add the 1 tablespoon plain flour/all purpose flour and cook for a couple of minutes, followed by the 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Add the 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1-2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce and 125 ml red wine and cook down for another few minutes to remove the alcohol taste.
- Add the 150 grams frozen peas and 500 ml beef stock and season with salt and pepper . Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and let it simmer until the liquid has cooked out and the mixture is thick. You will know it is done when you scrape a spoon along the bottom of the pan and the mixture holds firm. Set aside to cool slightly.
- While the beef is simmering, peel and chop the 800 grams potatoes and add to a medium saucepan with enough water to cover them. Bring to the boil. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
- Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes, until soft. Drain all the excess water and return the potatoes to the saucepan. Add the 2 tablespoons dairy free butter and a pinch of salt and pepper . Add the 60 ml dairy free milk a little at a time and mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the pie by placing the cooked beef in a medium casserole dish and smoothing out the top so it is flat. Scoop on the mashed potato and smooth down with the back of a spoon until all the beef is covered. Score across the mashed potato with a fork.
- Bake the pie for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the gravy is bubbling out the sides. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Gluten free option: use a gluten free flour in place of the plain flour, and make sure to use a gluten free Worcestershire sauce and beef stock.
Wine free option: replace the red wine with extra beef stock.
Make ahead: assemble the pie and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking, adding a few extra minutes to the bake if cooking from cold.
Storage instructions: keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 568mg | Potassium: 1036mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2331IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 4mg
