Lighter cottage pie

Name: Lighter cottage pie
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 400g lean (5% fat) British beef mince; 1 tsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 carrots, finely chopped; 100g chestnut mushrooms, sliced; 300ml beef stock; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; For the topping; 1 cauliflower, roughly chopped; 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed; 40g lighter mature cheddar; You’ll also need…; 1.5 litre ovenproof dish

Published: 14 Sep 18
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Our lighter cottage pie is less calorific, fibre-packed and simple to make. We can assure you it’s also just as comforting

Or, opt for the classic with this comforting cottage pie with cheddar and parsnip mash.

Serves 4
Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 25-30 min

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Ingredients

400g lean (5% fat) British beef mince
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
100g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
300ml beef stock
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

For the topping

1 cauliflower, roughly chopped
400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
40g lighter mature cheddar

You’ll also need…

1.5 litre ovenproof dish

Method

Heat a large non-stick deep frying pan (with a lid), add the beef mince and fry for 5-8 minutes until browned. Drain the mince (discard any fat) and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in the pan, add the onion and gently fry for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the carrots and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Return the drained mince to the pan and add the stock, chopped tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.
Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, then uncover and simmer for 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and heat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/gas 6. Boil the cauliflower for 10 minutes until very tender. Drain, return to the pan and add the drained beans. Use a potato masher to mash the cauliflower and beans coarsely, then season to taste.
Transfer the mince mixture to the ovenproof dish and top with the cauliflower and bean mash (see Make Ahead). Grate over the cheese, then bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with peas or other green veg.

Recipe from April 2018 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 363kcals
Fat: 8.7g (3.7g saturated
Protein: 34.9g
Carbohydrates: 30.4g (17.8g sugars)
Fibre: 12.3g
Salt: 1.3g

delicious. tips

We used a lean (5% fat) beef mince and swapped the usual mash for a cauliflower and bean topping. The creaminess of the beans means there’s no need to add extra butter to the mash.
Make but don’t bake the pie and keep it covered in the fridge. Bring back to room temperature, then bake as in the recipe for an extra 10-15 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Freeze the unbaked pie (without cheese) for up to 3 months, wrapped in cling film. Bake from frozen for 45-50 minutes. Top with grated cheese after 15 minutes.

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