This gluten free dinner recipe is pure comfort food and I know you're going to love it! This delicious gluten free cottage pie ticks all the boxes: a rich and savory beef and vegetable filling topped with the most amazing creamy mashed potatoes. It's the best meal on a cold winter night!
While I have used onions, carrots and green peas in my pie, one of the best things about cottage pie is that you can use whatever you have on hand. It's a great way to avoid wasting fresh vegetables and a perfect way to use leftover mashed potatoes.
If you're looking for more yummy ground beef dinner ideas, I recommend this fun Frito pie casserole, my easy Mexican beef and rice skillet dinner, or this family favorite Hamburger Helper copycat recipe.
What is the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd's Pie?
A lot of people use the names interchangeably, but they are actually different recipes. The difference is simple - traditional cottage pie is made with beef and shepherds pie is made with ground lamb. Shepherds herd sheep - that's how shepherds pie gets its name.
Any type of beef can be used for a cottage pie, although ground beef is probably most common. If you find a recipe using lentils, chicken or turkey, those would all technically be cottage pie.
Ingredient Notes
This may look like a lot of ingredients, but some are used for the filling and others for the mashed potato topping. They are all simple ingredients, that should be easy to find. The recipe is both gluten free and dairy free as written.
- Yellow Onions - Onions provide the base flavor for the meat part of this recipe. If you don't have fresh onions, you can substitute ½ teaspoon of onion powder but you won't add it until after the ground beef is cooked.
- Carrots - I've used fresh carrots cut into small coins, about ¼ inch thick. If your carrots are larger sized, you may want to also cut them in half or quarters. You want small carrot pieces, because they do take longer to cook through that some other vegetables. If you don't like carrots, you could sub in something like parsnips.
- Ground Beef - I used an 85/15 blend of ground beef, because I think the added fat adds more flavor. If you're concerned about fat content, use lean beef, ground chicken or ground turkey instead.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 flour blend in this recipe. The flour helps to thicken the sauce for the filling. If you don't have gluten free flour, you can substitute cornstarch or tapioca starch, but you will only use 2 Tablespoons because it is double strength. If you're not gluten free, use all purpose flour in the same measure (¼ cup).
- Tomato Paste - A little tomato paste goes a long ways in the flavor department. I love this addition to the cottage pie sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce - If you're following a gluten free diet, this is one ingredient that you'll need to check for a gluten free label. Not all brands are gluten free. If you can't find a gf option, coconut aminos will work as a substitute.
- Gluten Free Beef Broth - Beef stock is another ingredient that can have hidden gluten, so if you're on a gluten free diet make sure to check your labels. I usually use Pacific Foods brand of broth.
- Frozen Peas - I know not everyone loves peas, so if you're in the anti-pea camp, feel free to use your favorite vegetable here.
- Yellow Potatoes - I prefer yellow potatoes for mashed potatoes because they have a nice buttery texture and flavor. However, Russet potatoes would work fine too.
- Dairy Free Milk - I use unsweetened coconut milk for most of my cooking, but any non-dairy milk will work fine. If you're not dairy free, use whole milk in the same measure.
- Vegan Butter - I typically use Country Crock plant butter or Miyokos vegan butter in my recipes. If you're not dairy free, use unsalted butter in the same measure.
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese - I like to use the Violife Parmesan wedge and shred it myself, because it melts to much easier than pre-shredded cheese. If you can't find vegan Parmesan, vegan cheddar cheese would work too. If you're not dairy free, use your favorite type of cheese.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- No onions - use ½ teaspoon of onion powder added along with the garlic.
- Lean Meat - replace the 85/15 ground beef with lean beef, ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Not gluten free - Use all purpose flour in place of gluten free flour.
- No gluten free flour - Use 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch or tapioca starch in place of the flour.
- No gluten free Worcestershire sauce - Use coconut aminos as a substitute.
- Not dairy free - use whole milk, unsalted butter and regular Parmesan cheese in place of the dairy free products. The measurements are the same.
- No mashed potatoes - You can top your cottage pie with tater tots for a quicker preparation.
How to Make a Cottage Pie
The beef filling will support the mashed potatoes better if it has a few minutes to cool, so I usually make the mashed potatoes after I prepare the beef. However, this does make the preparation take longer. If you're pressed for time, cook the potatoes at the same time as you are making the beef filling.
I use a 10-inch enameled cast iron skillet, which can transition from stove to oven. If you don't have an oven safe skillet, transfer the beef filling to a casserole dish or deep pie dish before topping with mashed potatoes.
STEP 1: Add the olive oil to a large oven safe skillet over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and carrots. Cook them for about 7 minutes until the onions begin to soften.
STEP 2: Add the ground beef, salt and pepper to the skillet with the vegetables. Break the meat up and cook until it's browned, about 10 minutes.
Drain all but 2 Tablespoons of the fat from the pan.
STEP 3: Add the gluten free flour, minced garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and celery seed to the pan and stir well. Cook while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until a thick paste forms.
STEP 4: Pour the beef broth into the pan and stir it well. Bring the meat mixture to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for about 15 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened.
STEP 5: Remove the pan from heat and stir the frozen peas into the ground beef mixture. Set aside to cool while you prepare the mashed potatoes.
STEP 6: Add the potatoes to a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the water and mash the cooked potatoes with a potato ricer.
STEP 7: Once the potatoes are mashed, add the milk, butter, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir well until everything is combined and smooth.
STEP 8: Spread the mashed potatoes in an even layer on top of the beef filling.
Use the bottom side of a fork to drag lines in the top of the potatoes. Making little peaks in the potatoes lets them get more crispy. Now you're ready to bake!
Expert Tip
Place your pan on a baking tray before placing it in the oven. This will prevent any oven messes from possible overflow.
Storage
Once the pie has cooled, I use a spatula to transfer the remaining cottage pie to an airtight container to maintain the layering. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
If you prefer you can simply cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator that way.
More gluten free dinner ideas to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Gluten Free Cottage Pie
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Carrots cut into ¼” thick coins
- ½ Cup Yellow Onion diced
- 1 ½ pounds Ground Beef 85/15
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce or Coconut Aminos
- ¼ teaspoon Rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ¼ teaspoon Celery Seed
- 2 Cups Gluten Free Beef Broth
- 1 Cup Frozen Peas
For the mashed potatoes:
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ Cup Non Dairy Milk warmed
- ¼ Cup Vegan Butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons Salt divided
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ Cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large oven safe skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the carrots and onions to the pan. Saute for about 7 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Stir occasionally.1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Cup Carrots, ½ Cup Yellow Onion
- Add the ground beef, salt and pepper to the skillet with the vegetables. Break the meat up and cook until it’s browned, about 7-10 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the meat.1 ½ pounds Ground Beef, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Add the minced garlic, gluten free flour, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and celery seed to the skillet. Cook while stirring continuously for about 2-3 minutes. It should form a thick paste.3 cloves Garlic, ¼ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, ¼ teaspoon Rosemary, ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme, ¼ teaspoon Celery Seed
- Pour the beef broth into the skillet and stir it into the dish until well combined. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.2 Cups Gluten Free Beef Broth
- Remove from heat and stir in the frozen peas.1 Cup Frozen Peas
- Set the beef aside to cool while you prepare the mashed potatoes. Note: you can prepare the potatoes at the same time as you are cooking the meat filling, but it layers better if the meat is cooled before adding the potatoes on top.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with cool water. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
- Remove the pot from heat and drain the water. Use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes.
- Add the warmed milk, butter, remaining salt, black pepper, garlic pepper and Parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Mix well.¼ Cup Non Dairy Milk, ¼ Cup Vegan Butter, ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ½ Cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to the top of the beef filling. Spread it into an even layer covering all of the meat. Use a fork to drag lines in the potato topping. If you want, you can sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top.
- Place the pan on a baking sheet to prevent spills in the oven. Bake the cottage pie in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the topping is beginning to have golden brown spots. You can broil it for 2 minutes at the end to make the top nice and crisp.
Notes
- No onions - use ½ teaspoon of onion powder added along with the garlic.
- Lean Meat - replace the 85/15 ground beef with lean beef, ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Not gluten free - Use all purpose flour in place of gluten free flour.
- No gluten free flour - Use 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch or tapioca starch in place of the flour.
- No gluten free worcestershire sauce - Use coconut aminos as a substitute.
- Not dairy free - use whole milk, unsalted butter and regular Parmesan cheese in place of the dairy free products. The measurements are the same.
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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