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Beef and lentil cottage pie recipe

Beef and lentil cottage pie recipe

3 ratings

Everything you love about cottage pie, but with plenty of hidden veg and the addition of green lentils to make this family favourite more nutritious and just as delicious! Prep this in advance and freeze, then you'll have a brilliantly balanced midweek meal for busy days, just add fresh spring greens to serve. See method

  • Serves 4
  • 5 mins to prepare and 40 mins to cook
  • 553 calories / serving
  • Freezable

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g pack Meat & Veg beef mince
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 reduced-salt beef stock cube, made up to 250ml
  • 390g tin green lentils
  • 850g floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • ½ red cabbage, finely sliced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 3 tbsp 50% less fat crème fraîche
  • 250g fresh greens, washed and sliced, tough stalks removed
If you don't have mince, cut open some sausages instead

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2325kj
    553kcal     28%

  • Fat

    16g 23%

  • Saturates

    6g 31%

  • Sugars

    15g 17%

  • Salt

    1.6g 27%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 62.5g Protein 33.2g Fibre 14.6g

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish or deep frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the mince for 6-8 mins until golden. Add the garlic, onions and carrot, and fry for 6-8 mins until lightly caramelised. Sprinkle over the flour and season with black pepper. Add the stock and lentils along with their liquid, then simmer, stirring regularly, for 10-15 mins until the sauce has thickened. If using a frying pan, tip into an ovenproof dish.
  2. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 10-15 mins until very tender. Drain well and leave to steam-dry for 2 mins.
  3. While the mince and potatoes are cooking, put the cabbage in a bowl, add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Toss well and massage with clean hands to wilt the cabbage and coat everything in the lemon juice. Set aside to pickle until ready to serve.
  4. Heat the grill to high. Add the crème fraîche and some black pepper to the potatoes and mash until smooth. Spoon over the mince mixture, using a fork to smooth. Transfer to the grill for 6-8 mins until golden, bubbling and crispy on top
  5. Meanwhile, boil the greens for 3-4 mins until tender. Drain well. Serve the pie with the pickled red cabbage and the greens alongside.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Freeze pie only. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

See more Comfort food recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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