Mince and potato bake is a delicious twist on a cottage pie. The difference is that the potatoes are sliced and arranged on the bottom of the dish instead of being mashed on the top! So instead of crispy potato topping you get creamy potatoes underneath that have absorbed all the flavours from the mince and gravy, and it's all topped with a gooey melted cheese.
I absolutely love comfort food. And especially when it's so easy to make. This mince and potato bake recipe is a win/win situation - a hearty plate of food, with minimum effort. That's my kind of meal.
This mince and potato bake recipe is made with slices of parboiled potatoes, topped with a layer of savoury mince and vegetables, and covered in cheese. Then it's baked in the oven until the potatoes have absorbed all the lovely flavours and the cheese is melted and golden.
This is an economical recipe because you can use whatever vegetables you happen to have available. I used carrots, celery, onions, leeks and mushrooms. The main thing is to cut the vegetables into fine dice so they blend nicely with the crumbly mince. See Variations below for other suggestions.
What you end up with is a meal the whole family will enjoy. And the beauty of it is that you can hide as many vegetables as you can cram into the mince. Just cut them up finely (or even grate them) and no one will ever know!
If you are looking for a traditional cottage pie - the one made with mashed potatoes on top of the mince - then you might like to try this traditional cottage pie recipe.
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Ingredients
This mince and potato casserole will easily feed 4 people. You can easily stretch it to serve more by adding extra potatoes and diced vegetables.
- Beef mince (or ground beef) - I use good quality lean beef mince with a low 5% fat content. You can use a higher fat content if you wish, but you may find that you have to drain some of the fat away once the meat has browned.
- Potatoes - I am lucky enough to have a supply of lovely waxy Charlotte potatoes from hubby's allotment. They have a creamy texture and the paper-thin skin means I can simply scrub them and not bother peeling them. However, it doesn't really matter what potatoes you use - if they have thicker skins, peel them first. The potatoes are par-boiled to give them a head-start in the oven. I find if you don't parboil the potatoes first they tend not to soften sufficiently in the oven.
- Vegetables - I used leeks, onions, carrots and celery. Because the mince becomes fine and crumbly once browned I like to cut the vegetables into a fine dice.
- Mushrooms - these should be coarsely chopped. You can use any variety of mushrooms you have in the fridge - baby mushrooms, white or chestnuts, or even the larger Portobello mushrooms.
- Stock - you can use ready-made beef stock, or make your own stock using a stock cube or stock pot.
- Passata - this is a thick tomato puree that has been sieved to remove the pips and skins. You can buy passata in supermarkets alongside the canned tomatoes, or you can make your own. See this recipe for how to make passata. Whenever I have a glut of tomatoes I make a huge batch of passata and freeze it in cup-sized portions.
- Garlic - this is optional. If you are using fresh garlic cloves they should be finely chopped. I tend to grab a bottle of ready-minced Lazy Garlic for convenience.
- Paprika - for extra flavour.
- Worcestershire sauce - adds a savoury note.
- Grated cheese (not pictured) - this will be used to sprinkle over the cassrole before it goes into the oven. I like to use cheddar or a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella.
- You will also need salt and black pepper for seasoning, and a couple of tablespoons of sunflower oil for frying the meat.
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Instructions
And this is how to make my delicious mince and potato bake.
Note - the mince and vegetables have to simmer for 25 minutes before they go into the oven. Then the casserole is in the oven for 50 minutes. However, apart from parboiling the potatoes and slicing then into the casserole dish, this is all mainly hands-off time. I just wanted to make you aware that this dish does take a while to cook.
Step 1: Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a pan and fry the beef with half a teaspoon of salt, on moderate to high heat, breaking it up with a spatula, until it is browned and crumbly. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and discard any excess fat (if there is any). Leave one to two tablespoons of fat in the pan to fry the vegetables.
Step 2: In the same pan fry the vegetables with the garlic until they start to soften and the onions have turned translucent. Add another splash of oil if necessary.
Step 3: Add the chopped mushrooms and continue to fry until the mushrooms have released their moisture.
Step 4: Add the meat back to the pan, pour in the tomato passata and stock and add the paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to low and simmer for 30minutes.
Step 5: While the mince is simmering, parboil the potatoes for 6 - 8 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes). They should be firm enough to pierce with a knife. Drain and cool them by running cold water into the pan.
Step 6: Slice the potatoes thinly and arrange them in the bottom of a 10" x 7" oven-proof casserole dish.
Step 7: Taste the mince for seasoning and add extra salt and black pepper if necessary. Tip the mince on top of the potatoes.
Step 8: Sprinkle the top of the mince with grated cheese.
Step 8: Cover the dish with tinfoil (or a lid) and bake the casserole in a preheated oven (180C / 360F) for 45 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
Tips for a perfect outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your mince and potato bake turns out perfectly.
- If you used beef mince with a high fat content you may find there is a lot of fat that has cooked out. Discard most of it, leaving only sufficient to fry the vegetables.
- When frying the vegetables, stir often and don't allow them to burn. The idea is to let them soften.
- Once the mince has simmered, check the consistency of the gravy. If it seems too thin (ie the liquid hasn't evaporated sufficiently) make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it slowly into the mixture until the gravy thickens. You may not need all the cornflour mixture. If you prefer you can thicken it by removing the pan lid and letting the mince mixture simmer for another few minutes
- Don't thicken the gravy too much - the potatoes will absorb some of the liquid while the dish is in the oven.
- Don't be tempted to skip the step of parboiling the potatoes. The potatoes won't cook sufficiently in the time that the casserole is in the oven. By the same token, don't cook the potatoes fully or they will be difficult to slice and will turn to mush in the oven.
- I find that covering the casserole with tin foil keeps the steam in the dish, which helps the potatoes cook fully.
Variations
Here's how you can vary the recipe to make it your own!
- Spicy - add some heat by dicing up a chilli pepper and frying it with the vegetables, or add a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes.
- Tomatoes - if you don't have passata, chop up 2 or 3 tomatoes and add those to the mince (along with any liquid that gets released). If using fresh tomatoes you may also like to add a tablespoon of tomato paste or puree.
- Vegetables - you can vary the vegetables to suit yourself. Here are a few suggestions:
- finely chopped green beans
- grated courgette or zucchini
- finely chopped cauliflower or broccoli
- a handful of frozen peas or sweet corn.
- Curry - you could even add curry spices to the mince and make a curried mince and potato bake - see this ground beef curry recipe for details. If you were going to do this, I'd be inclined to leave off the cheese.
- Sweet potatoes - use sweet potatoes or a mixture of sweet and white potatoes for the potato layer.
- Herby - swap the paprika for a teaspoon of dried Italian herbs, oregano or marjoram. Or try some finely chopped rosemary or thyme.
Equipment
As far as equipment goes, you won't need much.
- A large frying pan or saute pan to cook the mince.
- A 10" x 7" oven-proof casserole dish for baking.
Storage
You can store any leftover mince and potato bake in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat it either in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove.
You can also make this dish up to 3 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator, covered with tinfoil, until you are ready to bake it. Because the potatoes have been parboiled, there is no danger of them discolouring during this time.
This mince and potato bake also freezes well. You can freeze it ready-assembled, in which case I would be inclined to assemble it in a disposable aluminium container. You can also freeze the mince separately, then defrost the meat and parboil the potatoes when you are ready to make it. In either case, you can freeze it for up to three months.
FAQ
The potatoes shouldn't stick to the dish, however, if you are worried they will stick, spray the dish lightly with oil before adding the potatoes.
Not at all, I've made this recipe with lamb mince and it is equally delicious. You could also use a mixture of beef and pork.
To be perfectly honest, there are so many vegetables and potatoes in this dish you don't really need a side. You could serve it with a fresh green salad, or even a slice of crispy garlic bread if you wanted to add extra carbs!
Save for later
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Related recipes
Visit my beef recipes page for similar recipes. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Mince and potato bake
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Large frying pan with lid OR
- Large saute pan (with lid)
- Oven-proof baking dish approx 10" xx 7"
Ingredients
- 1 pound / 450 grams lean beef mince / ground beef
- 1 pound / 450 gram potatoes
- 1 medium leek thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 1 small stalk celery diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- 1 medium white onion peeled and diced
- 4 ounces 115 grams mushrooms diced
- 1 cup / 240 ml passata
- 1 cup / 240 ml beef stock use a stock cube if necessary
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil for frying
- ½ cup 60 grams grated cheese
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a pan and fry the beef with half a teaspoon of salt, on moderate to high heat, breaking it up with a spatula, until it is browned and crumbly. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and discard any excess fat (if there is any). Leave one to two tablespoons of fat in the pan to fry the vegetables.1 pound / 450 grams lean beef mince / ground beef, 2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt
- In the same pan fry the vegetables (except the potatoes) with the garlic until they start to soften and the onions have turned translucent. Add another splash of oil if necessary.1 medium leek, 1 small stalk celery, 1 large carrot, 1 medium white onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the chopped mushrooms and continue to fry until the mushrooms have released their moisture.4 ounces 115 grams mushrooms
- Add the meat back to the pan, pour in the tomato passata and stock and add the paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.1 cup / 240 ml passata, 1 cup / 240 ml beef stock, 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 360°F
- While the mince is simmering, parboil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 6 - 8 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes). They should be firm enough to pierce with a knife. Drain and cool them by running cold water into the pan.1 pound / 450 gram potatoes
- Slice the potatoes thinly and arrange them in the bottom of a 10" x 7" oven-proof casserole dish.
- Taste the mince for seasoning and add extra salt and black pepper if necessary. Cover the potatoes with the mince mixture.¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Sprinkle the top of the mince with grated cheese.½ cup 60 grams grated cheese
- Cover the dish with tinfoil (or a lid) and bake the casserole in a preheated oven (180C / 360F) for 45 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
Notes
- If you used beef mince with a high fat content you may find there is a lot of fat that has cooked out. Discard most of it, leaving only sufficient to fry the vegetables.
- When frying the vegetables, stir often and don't allow them to burn. The idea is to let them soften.
- Once the mince has simmered, check the consistency of the gravy. If it seems too thin (ie the liquid hasn't evaporated sufficiently) make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it slowly into the mixture until the gravy thickens. You may not need all the cornflour mixture. If you prefer you can thicken it by removing the pan lid and letting the mince mixture simmer for another few minutes.
- Don't thicken the gravy too much - the potatoes will absorb some of the liquid while the dish is in the oven.
- Don't be tempted to skip the step of parboiling the potatoes. The potatoes won't cook sufficiently in the time that the casserole is in the oven. By the same token, don't cook the potatoes fully or they will be difficult to slice and will turn to mush in the oven.
- I find that covering the casserole with tin foil or a lid keeps the steam in the dish, which helps the potatoes cook fully.
- This mince and potato bake also freezes well. You can freeze it ready-assembled, in which case I would be inclined to assemble it in a disposable aluminium container. You can also freeze the mince separately, then defrost the meat and parboil the potatoes when you are ready to make it. In either case, you can freeze it for up to three months.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
VJ
This makes a delicious family meal - it's like an upside down cottage pie!