I’m still fielding recipe requests, and this recipe has not only been requested, it was the source of much amusement in the catering shop. Meatloaf Cottage Pie is very, very, tasty, please don’t get me wrong. I will happily eat it any day of the week and lots of our female customers feel the same way. And so do their kids: both children and teenagers absolutely love Meatloaf Cottage Pie, and scarf it right down. But this was the ONE thing actual men themselves would call the shop to ask about, specifically.
When I say they would call to ask, I’m not talking about special ordering. We had a number of smart guys who’d call in and order all sorts of things for all sorts of reasons. And I don’t mean the men who were on errand duty. What I mean is that grown men–often men who we’d never personally met–would pick up the phone and call us wanting to know if we had any Meatloaf Cottage Pie RIGHT NOW? And if they got there in six minutes, would we probably have any left? I swear, you would’ve thought it was banana pudding. (What IS it with guys and banana pudding anyway?) We were always tickled but sometimes struggled to keep up with the demand.
You’ll be delighted to hear that Meatloaf Cottage Pie is way easier to make than meatloaf, but hits the same spot. With ketchup, Worcestershire, and Italian seasoning, the ground beef filling is tangy and savory and tastes like the very best classic American meatloaf. Leftover buttermilk mashed potatoes are excellent and economical on top, but you can absolutely get away with store-bought mashed potatoes instead. Toss a bag of fresh green beans in the microwave to steam, and you have a wholesome, nutritious dinner everyone in your house will love.
I prefer to use 80/20 ground chuck for Meatloaf Cottage Pie, and I drain the beef thoroughly after browning and before adding any seasoning. I’ve used very lean ground beef, but I find it’s a bit tough and doesn’t take up the seasoning as well as the chuck does.
When spreading the mashed potatoes on top, I make sure not to smooth it out very much. The little crests get brown and crispy and caramelized and are beautiful, plus they taste great.
I also have a request on the table for a chicken version of cottage pie. I am working on that now and I’ll let y’all know when I nail it down.
Happy New Year!
Meatloaf Cottage Pie
Ingredients
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 ¼ lbs. ground chuck
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ¼ T. Italian seasoning
- ¼ t. oregano
- ½ t. onion powder
- ¼ t. garlic powder
- 1 T. parsley flakes, plus a little more for garnishing the top
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 cups mashed potatoes, warm or at room temperature
Instructions
- Sauté the onion in the oil until translucent. Add the ground chuck, crumble and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Add ketchup and next 7 ingredients. Combine well and simmer for a minute or two. Taste and correct seasoning. Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease a 9" X 13" casserole dish. Add all of the beef mixture. Spoon the mashed potatoes all over the top. Using the back of a spoon, spread the potatoes so they cover the dish entirely. Don't smooth too much. Peaks and valleys are the goal. Sprinkle with a few more parsley flakes.
- Bake 30 minutes or until the filling is hot and the potatoes are browning.
The Meatloaf Cottage Pie is AMAZING! It’s easy to prepare, extremely tasty and a wonderful comfort food! It’s rainy, windy and cold today but I am warm inside after this meal!
Thank You!!!
Thanks, Jamie! I’m glad y’all enjoyed it!