This delicious ground beef and potato casserole is my variation on a classic British cottage pie. Seasoned ground beef and vegetables are topped with a creamy mashed potato for one hearty and comforting dinner.
Peel and dice the potatoes and add to a large pot with cold salted water. Boil until tender and drain.
Mash the potatoes with the milk and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste and set to one side.
Pre heat the oven to 400F / 200c.
Heat the oil in a large pot on a medium high heat. Add the beef and cook til brown. Remove and set to one side.
Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and bell pepper and cook until softened.
Add the beef back to the pot along with all of the other ingredients. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
Spoon the ground beef mix into a baking dish.
Top with the mashed potato and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes until the top of the potato has started to brown and the beef underneath is bubbling.
Notes
Starchy potatoes like Yukon Gold or Russet are best to use for the mashed potato.
I don't like a completely smooth mash for this pie, I prefer to keep a few lumps in for texture, but feel free to mash it as smooth as you like.
If you prefer a thicker casserole filling, you can add in a cornflour slurry. Mix one tablespoon of cornflour and one tablespoon of water and stir into the pot once you have added the stock.