Healthy Cottage Pie Recipe made with red wine

This cottage pie recipe is a nourishing and warming meal. It is made with bone broth for added nourishment and red wine to create tons of flavor.

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As a kid, I had never had cottage pie. I am pretty sure I didn’t even hear about it until I was in my thirties. Not sure how that is possible.

After I started following a Paleo way of eating, my food choices started to expand. I purchased a few new cookbooks. One included a cottage pie recipe.

So I gave it a try. It was so delicious! Needless to say, I have been making cottage pie ever since.

Over the years, the recipe has changed to fit our tastes. It has also changed to fit our eating style.

When I first made the recipe, I used mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes….potatoes were not recommended for the paleo diet at that time. Today, I use potatoes.

I have learned a lot about nutrition in food through my training to become a nutritional therapy consultant. That training lead me to the understanding that most foods can be included in one’s diet, without fear, if those foods are properly grown/raised and prepared with care.

I say that but if you have a specific health condition that needs you to avoid certain foods, then please do so. In those cases, even properly preparing a certain food may not make it doable for you.

Anyway, back to the cottage pie recipe!

The meat filling for this cottage pie is flavored with red wine, tomato paste, and plenty of unrefined salt to make it really delicious! It also has a bit of broth so that it doesn’t get too dry.

The mixture is topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and then baked until everything is set and delicious!

Ingredients

For the meat and vegetable filling:

Ground beef: Grass-fed beef is the healthiest option. If you do not have a source for it, you can order from my favorite local farm, White Angus Ranch, and have it shipped directly to your door!

Onion

Garlic

Carrots: Dice them a bit smaller to make sure that they cook fully.

Dried Tarragon

Salt and pepper

Red wine: Be sure to pick a really great wine! If you would not drink it by the glass, you should not cook with it.

Bone Broth: Homemade broth adds nutrients to the dish while also making sure it doesn’t get too dry while baking.

Tomato Paste

Eggs: The eggs will help bind the meat mixture together.

For the mashed potatoes:

Potatoes: I recommend using either russets or Yukon golds.

Milk: If you can get raw milk, it is the best choice. I like to buy A2/A2 milk from Azure Standard because I do not have a source for raw. If neither of those are an option, look for milk that has been VAT pasteurized.

Butter: Grass-fed butter contains more nutrients than other butter. Kerrygold is a great option that you can find in most stores.

Salt: You want to use unrefined salt. My favorite is Redmond’s Real Salt.

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Tools Needed

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Cast iron skillet
• Mixer or potato masher
• Measuring cups

How to make cottage pie

To make the mashed potatoes:

1. Add to a pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a hard simmer. Cook until potatoes are very fork-tender.
3. While the potatoes cook, heat the milk and butter until just warm.
4. When the potatoes are done, drain the water from the pot.
5. Add the milk and salt to the potatoes and mix with a mixer until smooth and no lumps remain. Or use a hand masher to mash.

To make the meat filling:

1. Brown the ground beef in a heated cast iron skillet or dutch oven.
2. Once brown add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook until veggies are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add spices, herbs, red wine, broth, and tomato paste, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until liquid has reduced by about half.
4. Remove pan from heat, allow to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Whisk the eggs and add them to the cooled meat. Stirring well.

Assemble and bake the cottage pie:

1. Top the meat and vegetable filling with the mashed potatoes. Be sure to seal the edges by getting the potatoes all the way to the rim of the pan. If desired, use the back of a fork to make lines on the potatoes.
2. Bake the cottage pie in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.
3. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Meal Prep Tips

To meal prep this cottage pie recipe I recommend dicing and chopping all the veggies and making the mashed potatoes ahead of time. Store both in the refrigerator. On the day you will eat the dish, follow the remainder of the instructions.

Additionally, you can make the recipe entirely, and reheat it when needed. If you will be eating it for multiple meals, you can divide the recipe into smaller containers.

Storage and Reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat cottage pie, place it in a 350-degree oven until it is warm. I suggest cutting it into individual servings and placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to speed up the reheating process. This will also make sure the dish doesn’t dry out while reheating.

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