homemade air fryer cottage pie
Components:
For the Filling of Meat:
- One pound (450 grams) of ground beef (or, for a more classic shepherd’s pie, ground lamb)
- one medium onion, chopped
- two minced cloves of garlic
- Diced two medium carrots
- half a cup of frozen peas
- TWO Tablespoons tomato paste
- One spoonful of sauce from Worcestershire
- A single cup of beef stock
- One tablespoon of fresh thyme or one teaspoon of dried thyme
- To taste, add salt and pepper.
- One tablespoon of flour (optional for thickening)
Regarding the Mashed Potato Garnish:
- Three big peeled and sliced potatoes
- two tsp butter
- 1/4 cup of milk, or cream for a flavorful boost
- To taste, add salt and pepper.
- 1/4 cup of optionally shredded cheddar cheese
Guidelines:
Prepare the potatoes:
- For ten to fifteen minutes, or until they are soft, boil the peeled and diced potatoes in salted water. After draining, mash the potatoes with milk, butter, pepper, and salt. Put aside.
Create the Filling of Meat:
- Preheat a skillet over medium heat while the potatoes are cooking. Add the ground beef and heat, breaking it up as it cooks, until it is browned. Remove any extra fat.
- When the vegetables are tender, add the chopped onion, garlic, and carrots to the skillet and simmer for an additional five minutes.
- Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and tomato paste and stir. Simmer for five to seven minutes, or until the mixture thickens. (If you want to thicken the sauce, add flour.)
- After adding the frozen peas, simmer for an additional two minutes. To taste, add salt and pepper for seasoning.
Put the Cottage Pie Together:
- Set the air fryer’s temperature to 350°F, or 175°C.
- Spoon the meat contents into a small ovenproof dish or baking dish that fits within your air fryer basket. Evenly distribute it.
- Using a spatula, distribute the mashed potatoes evenly over the top of the meat filling. The mashed potatoes will get crispier if you use a fork to make ridges on top.
Cook the Cottage Pie by Air:
- Once the baking dish is in the air fryer, cook it at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crispy and golden-brown mashed potato topping is achieved. For a cheesy crust, you can top it with shredded cheddar cheese if you’d like in the final five minutes of cooking.
Serve:
- Before serving, let the cottage pie to cool for a few minutes after it’s finished. Savor this warm, cozy dish!
Advice:
- Modify the Filling: For a lighter version, replace the beef with ground turkey or chicken. For a vegetarian option, add lentils.
- Make-Ahead: When it’s time to serve, just assemble and air fry the mashed potatoes and meat mixture that you’ve already prepared.
- No Baking Dish with Air Fryer? You can make small cottage pies in individual ramekins if you don’t have a baking dish that fits your air fryer.
Per-serving Nutritional Information:
- 450 kcal of calories
- 24g of total fat
- Ten grams of saturated fat
- 100 mg of cholesterol
- 700 mg of sodium
- 38g of total carbohydrates
- 5g of dietary fiber
- 4g of sugars
- 22g of protein
With a crispy, golden mashed potato topping, this Air Fryer Cottage Pie saves you time without sacrificing any of the comforting flavors of the classic recipe. It’s ideal for a simple yet filling supper!