Cottage Pie has everything you need for a delicious and comforting family meal.
This post is sponsored by FoodSaver®. All opinions are my own.
It’s been almost a year since I last wrote about the FoodSaver® brand and how its products have helped me minimize food waste and increase the time my food stays fresh. I’ve consistently used the FoodSaver® FM5000 Series Food Preservation System in conjuction with the FoodSaver® Fresh Containers and Vacuum Zipper Quart Bags.
So how do I use this product to maximize my time while minimizing food waste? I’ve started prepping my fresh foods on Sundays then storing them in theVacuum Zipper Quart Bags and FoodSaver® Fresh Containers for fast, fresh meals throughout the week. To give you an example of how this works for me, I’ll show you my process for making this delicious Cottage Pie with Parmesan Potatoes.
This Cottage Pie uses fresh vegetables with beef, a hearty, rich sauce and then gets topped with creamy mashed potatoes, melted butter and parmesan. It’s a hearty dish that my family loves and it freezes really well, too.
The resealable bags make it so easy to store my green beans and carrots that I have prepped and ready to go when it’s time to prepare dinner. FoodSaver also has bags to store the leftovers in our freezer, which I love for quick individual meals.
I start with prepping the green beans and carrots, snapping the beans, peeling the carrots and chopping them all. Then I grab a couple of the resealable bags and pop my veggies inside, sealing and vacuuming out all the air so they stay incredibly fresh until I need them. It couldn’t be simpler.
The accessory button and automatic stop simplifies the vacuum sealing process and by using the FoodSaver® FM5000 Series Food Preservation System, our food stays fresh up to 5x longer compared to ordinary storage methods with an air-tight seal.
I go through this process with all the foods I’m prepping for my meals for the week. Getting all that washing, chopping and assembling out of the way makes my weeknight meals a BREEZE. I especially love that the bags are clear and save space in my fridge so I can easily find what I’m looking for.
Before I started this FoodSaver® Sunday process, I asked myself which meals are the most difficult or time-consuming for me to prep. Dinners can be tricky with after-school activities, homework and shorter winter nights. By prepping the vegetables well in advance, I save lots of time and dinner isn’t stressful anymore.
I also picked up some great tips on how to reduce food waste from this Facebook Live “FoodSaver® Sundays With Jonathan Bloom“. Be sure to check it out as he has some great tips!
See below for the easy recipe for this healthy, fresh and delicious Cottage Pie with Parmesan Potatoes!
Cottage Pie with Parmesan Potatoes
I make my mashed potatoes in my Instant Pot. To make them the traditional way, simply boil your potatoes in water covered by an inch until soft. Drain then mash with stock and remaining ingredients.
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 3 pounds red potatoes, cut into quarters or sixths, depending on size
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1-2 cups milk, room temperature
- 1 t coarse salt
Filling
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 pound sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 T tomato paste
- 3 T flour
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 3 cups beef stock or broth
- 2 T worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 t coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Topping for potatoes
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make the potatoes: Pour chicken broth into pot, then place trivet on top of broth. Carefully place potatoes on trivet (it’s fine if a few fall through).
- Close and lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Press “Manual” and immediately adjust the timer to 8 minutes. Check that the cooking pressure is on “high” and that the release valve is set to “Sealing”.
- When time is up, open the IP using “Quick Pressure Release”. Remove the trivet from the pot, leaving behind the potatoes and broth. Add butter and 1 cup of milk. Mash with potato masher until smooth, adding more milk if necessary. Set aside while you make the filling.
- Make the filling: Brown ground beef in a large skillet until no pink remains. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain most of the fat from the pan.
- Add onions, carrots, mushrooms and green beans to skillet, cooking for 4-5 minutes or until onions are soft. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1-2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Stir in tomato paste. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well for one more minute.
- Add red wine and stir to combine. Whisk in beef stock and worcestershire sauce until smooth. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Pour filling into a large baking dish (13x9). Carefully spread mashed potatoes over the filling, taking care to cover completely. Drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle with parmesan.
- Bake at 375F for 30 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and top is browned (place under broiler for an additional few minutes if necessary).
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 681Saturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 134mgSodium: 1334mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 31g
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