Meatball Cottage Pie

Comfort with a twist! This version of Cottage Pie replaces the ground beef with meatballs for a comforting, filling, family-friendly dinner.

Meatballs are always a hit! Try more of our favorite meatball dishes, like these Sweet and Sour Meatballs, these Slow Cooker Mexican Meatballs, or these Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Lemon Orzo.

I love the fresh produce of summer and early fall. The corn, the tomatoes, the green chiles from my parents. I just can’t get enough.

But really – I have a special place in my heart for the comfort foods of fall and winter. I start getting sad when the temperatures start dropping, but then I remember that I get to make comfort food 24/7 and my heart skips a beat. Yep – call me a casserole girl.

I know that casseroles get a bad rap, but I also happen to know that people really do love them. Even if they don’t want to admit to it. Penne Pasta Bake, Taco Casserole, even a Breakfast Casserole with Ham and Cheese – I think that casseroles are the new black.

Because casserole = comfort. And you can’t go wrong with comfort.

I’m diving right into comfort food season. Up first to bat is this Meatball Cottage Pie.

So I grew up calling it a Shepherd’s Pie. But did you know that technically, it has to be made with lamb to be called a Shepherd’s Pie? The version that so many of us are familiar with – with ground beef – is actually called a Cottage Pie.

And, well, I’m sticking with beef today. In the form of meatballs.

One of the staples that we keep in the freezer to help out with dinner in a pinch are frozen meatballs. They really are a saver. And they are a budget saver.

This recipe is super easy. The meatballs are cooked in an easy gravy with vegetables, then they are topped with creamy homemade mashed potatoes. Throw the whole thing into the oven, and then dinner is served. While there is some cooking time involved, the hands on time is minimal, and the whole thing can actually be done in advance. Just warm it through in the oven before serving it! I love a good make-ahead meal! And the meal is super budget friendly, as well, which makes it a win-win!

So I’m welcoming in fall with this fun twist on traditional cottage pie. And I’m deeming it official comfort food season!

Ingredients

• Oil: This is just a neutral oil to cook your vegetables in. You can use vegetable oil, olive oil, avocado oil – or any oil that you use for cooking,
• Vegetables: This dish is veggie packed! For the gravy, you will need onions, carrots, and garlic, and then later in the recipe you will need peas. You will also need potatoes for the mashed potatoes on top. I like to use russet potatoes.
• Tomato Paste: This brings some acidity to the filling.
• Flour: You will need the flour to thicken up the gravy.
• Broth: I like to use beef broth, or even chicken broth.
• Worcestershire Sauce: The Worcestershire sauce adds flavor and depth.
• Meatballs: You can use frozen store-bought meatballs, or feel free to use homemade meatballs.
• Cheese: A bit of parmesan cheese in the potatoes adds lots of flavor.
• Egg: The egg is needed in the potatoes to help them to set up.

How to Make Meatball Cottage Pie

1. Make the gravy by cooking the onion and carrot until softened, then add in the tomato paste and the garlic. Stir in the broth slowly, along with the Worcestershire sauce. Once this is simmering, add the meatballs. Cover, and then let the mixture simmer.
2. While this mixture is simmering, make the potatoes by boiling them until they are tender. Once tender, drain and then mash them, adding in the butter and parmesan. Stir in the egg, and add milk as needed to make the potatoes smooth. Don’t forget to season them with salt and pepper.
3. Add the peas to the meatball mixture, then pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spoon the potatoes over the top of the meatballs, then bake the casserole until the top is golden brown.

More Comforting Casseroles

Beef Enchilada Casserole
Tuna Casserole
Chicken Tamale Casserole

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Meatball Cottage Pie

5 from 1 vote

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

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Comfort with a twist! This Meatball Cottage Pie replaces the ground beef with meatballs for a comforting, filling, family-friendly dinner.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 cup diced onion
• ▢ 1/2 cup diced carrot
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon flour
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup beef or chicken broth
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 1/2 lbs (about 38) frozen meatballs
• ▢ 2 1/2 lbs potatoes (Russet are best), peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
• ▢ 1/4 cup butter
• ▢ 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ milk as needed
• ▢ 1/2 cup frozen peas

Instructions

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup diced carrot, salt and pepper
• Add in the tomato paste and garlic and stir for a minute. Stir in the flour and cook an additional minute.
  1/2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon flour
• Slowly stir i the beef broth and then the Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the meatballs. Cover, reduce the heat, and allow to cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
  1 1/4 cup beef or chicken broth, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 lbs (about 38) frozen meatballs
• Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a large pot, then fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by a couple inches. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then return the potatoes to the same pan and let them sit for a minute or two.
  2 1/2 lbs potatoes
• Add in the butter and parmesan. Mash with a potato masher until smooth, then stir in the egg. Add in milk, if needed, to reach your desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  1/4 cup butter, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, milk
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Stir the peas into the meatball mixture. Pour the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Dollop spoonfuls of the potatoes on top of the meatball mixture, then spread out gently with a spoon to cover the top. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before serving.
  1/2 cup frozen peas

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 578kcal (29%), Carbohydrates: 47g (16%), Protein: 34g (68%), Fat: 29g (45%), Saturated Fat: 15g (94%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 179mg (60%), Sodium: 1007mg (44%), Potassium: 932mg (27%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 4g (4%)

Keywords: baked french toast casserole, comfort food, cottage pie