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Home › Recipes
17 Comments

Southern Cottage Pie (Meat & Potatoes Pot Pie)

Stacey Pirtle

by Stacey Published: Jan 30, 2025

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This post may contain affiliate links.

A double crust dinner pie loaded with savory ground beef, tender new potatoes and a melt-y cheddar cheese sauce, Southern Cottage Pie is the epitome of hearty family comfort food. It’s way easier than you think!

You also must try Meat & Potatoes Ranch Au Gratin! Similar to this recipe, but no crust!

A slice of double crusted cottage pie with ground beef, red potatoes and cheese sauce on a brown plate with purple napkins.


Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Imagine if Shepherd’s Pie and Pot Pie got together and lost their vegetables. This southern-style cottage pie would totally be the result!
  • Seasoned ground beef, tender new potatoes + a tempting, creamy cheese sauce, wrapped up top and bottom in crisp, golden crust. Everybody loves it! Need I say more?
  • Add a simple green salad with my easy mayo vinaigrette, and you’ve easily got a whole meal!
  • Prep it ahead of time by browning the meat and boiling the potatoes so there’s all but the assembling left when it comes meal time.
  • This is an ideal meal to take to a friend or neighbor who needs a hand or just an extra kindness.
A meat and potatoes pie baked in a double crust with several slice already served and one pie wedge ready to serve.
Don’t you just love ​the purple latticework dinner napkins in the recipe photos​? I love their weight and that they’re a simple wash + dry at home. They’re ideal for lining bread baskets and trays too. You gotta have them for Mardi Gras (especially with 20% off using discount code SOUTHERNDISCOURSE ! ) You can see them in ​my #1 Louisiana Dirty Rice recipe video​ also. I really do use them!

I ate this ground beef pot pie growing up. We called it “meat pie,” and it was one of my absolute favorites.  A yummy morsel in a crust that deserved a perfect little name like a parcel or a pocket.  It said comfort food like nothing else. A family meal, Southern Cottage Pie felt like home.

When I got married, I took up the mantle of making “meat pie” for my own family.  It’s one of those dishes that, as soon as it hits the oven, everyone seems to wander in, peek in the oven full of hop, and ask “Are you making that pie for dinner?” 

Recipe Ingredients & Overview

The simple ingredients to make southern cottage meat pie, including ground beef and potatoes, with text overlays for easy identification.

I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in these next sections along with helpful tips!

Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.

  • lean ground beef
  • new red potatoes, quartered, boiled until tender and drained
  • sharp cheddar cheese
  • half + half cream
  • green onions
  • pre-prepared pie crusts (refrigrated, roll out pie crusts)
  • salt + pepper
  • minced garlic

Recipe Variations: Combine equal parts ground beef and ground sausage for even more savory flavor.

Want to add some veggies? Go ahead and throw in those peas and carrots for good measure.

How to Southern Cottage Pie

A four part collage showing the main steps to making a southern meat and potatoes cottage-style shepherd's pie.

Boil the Potatoes. Quarter your potatoes and put them on the stove top to boil in generously salted water.  While the potatoes are boiling, it’s good time to brown the ground beef and make the cheese sauce so that all of your ingredients are prepared when it’s time to assemble and bake your pie.

Brown the Meat. Use a large skillet to brown the meat.  Add salt, pepper, and garlic to season to taste.  Chop the green onions and add to the meat as it is browning.  When browned, set aside to cool. (If you use lean ground beef, there shouldn’t be any grease to drain away.)

Make the Easy Cheese Sauce. In a medium sauce pan, over low heat, slowly warm the cream.  Add ¼ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and garlic.  When the cream is warm, add the cheese ½ cup at a time, stirring until melted each time.  When all of the cheese is completely melted, remove from heat and set aside.

Assemble the Pie. Spray the bottom and sides of your skillet with no-stick cooking spray so your crust doesn’t stick.  Line the bottom of the skillet with one of the pre-made crusts. 

Fill the bottom of the crust with the browned meat, then cover with the potatoes.  Then pour your cheese sauce over the top. Finish with the second crust, sealing with the 2 crusts together and crimping.

Bake. Cut some slits in the center of the pie to vent the air as it is baking.  Pop it in the oven, and let bake for 45 min- 1 hour.  Let cool 10-15 min before slicing and serving.

A double-crusted southern cottage, filled with meat and potatoes pulled fresh from the oven to show the golden brown crust.

Tips for Making the BEST Cottage Pie

  • Be careful not to over brown the ground meat or over boil the potatoes as all of the ingredients will continue to cook as the pie bakes. So “just browned” and “fork tender,” but not falling apart is the way to go.
  • I use this 10 inch cast iron skillet by Lodge to bake this pot pie-style pie. I think it works SO MUCH better than a 9 inch deep dish pie plate when it comes to holding all the the ingredients. (For storing my cast iron and other skillets, this storage rack is a true space saver for me.)
  • Sealing and crimping the pie crusts can get messy or start to seem like a disaster because the pie is so full, but don’t give up!  It will all turn out in the end! This step simply takes a little patience. 
A wedge of ground beef pot pie in a skillet ready to serve to show how to slice and serve.

Storing & Freezing

Leftover Southern Cottage Pie should last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days if tightly covered. To reheat single servings, simply use the microwave. The air fryer is perfection if you like a crisp reheated crust (like me)!

This cottage pie recipe makes a great freezer meal. Bake pie and let it cool completely before covering tightly and freezing. Your pie can last up to 2 months in the freezer.

To reheat, let your pie sit out for 30 minutes. Then bake covered for 25 minutes at 425 degrees. Lower oven temp to 400 and continue to bake for another 30-45 minutes. Use a kitchen thermometer to check readiness. When pie reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, it is ready to serve!

More Savory Pies to Love

  • Classic Chicken Pot Pie
  • Wild Rice & Sausage Casserole with Puff Pastry Crust
  • Easy Taco Hand Pies
  • Sausage & Cream Cheese Hand Pies
  • Louisiana Natchitoches Meat Pies
  • Air Fryer Natchitoches Meat Pies

 

A slice of double crusted cottage pie with ground beef, red potatoes and cheese sauce on a brown plate with purple napkins.

Southern Cottage Pie

A savory, double crust, dinner pie filled with meat, potatoes, and cheese- the perfect family comfort meal.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: comfort food
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 807kcal
Author: Stacey | SouthernDiscourse.com

Equipment

  • 10-11 inch cast skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds mini red potatoes quartered, boiled until tender, and drained
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 4-5 green onions chopped
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic (+ ¼ teaspoon for cheese sauce)
  • salt & pepper to taste (+ ¼ teaspoon each for cheese sauce)
  • 1 pint half and half cream
  • 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 deep-dish, refrigerated pie crusts
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a large skillet, brown the meat. While browning, add chopped green onions. Add salt, pepper, and minced garlic & season to taste. When browned, set aside to cool.
  • In a medium sauce pan, over low heat, slowly warm the cream. Add ¼ tsp. each of salt, pepper, and minced garlic. When the cream is warm, add the cheese ½ C at a time, stirring until melted each time. When all of the cheese is completely melted, remove from heat and set aside.
  • Grease the bottom and sides of skillet. Line the bottom of the skillet with one of the pre-made crusts.
  • Fill the crust with the browned meat. Cover with the boiled potatoes. Pour cheese sauce over potatoes.
  • Place the second crust over the top of the pie. Seal the edges of the top and bottom crust together and crimp. Cut slits in the center of the pie to vent air while baking.
  • Bake for 45 min. to 1 hour.
  • Let cool 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

  • Be careful not to over brown the ground meat or over boil the potatoes as all of the ingredients will continue to cook as the pie bakes. So “just browned” and “fork tender,” but not falling apart is the way to go.
  • I use this 10 inch cast iron skillet by Lodge to bake this pot pie-style pie. I think it works SO MUCH better than a 9 inch deep dish pie plate when it comes to holding all the the ingredients. (For storing my cast iron and other skillets, this storage rack is a true space saver for me.)
  • Sealing and crimping the pie crusts can get messy or start to seem like a disaster because the pie is so full, but don’t give up!  It will all turn out in the end! This step simply takes a little patience. 

Nutrition

Calories: 807kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 55g | Sodium: 513mg | Sugar: 4g
A slice of double crusted cottage pie with ground beef, red potatoes and cheese sauce on a brown plate with purple napkins.
Did you make my Southern Cottage Pie?Show me how it went! Share on Instagram, tag @southerndiscourse, and use the hashtag #SouthernDiscourse!
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Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: beef, comfort food

Meet Stacey

Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Avatar photoKristen

    October 6, 2017 at 4:41 pm

    Oh, yum! Going on my list! 😉 And YES…I not-so-secretly love the Great British Bake-Off! Jeremy and I have watched all of them! =)

    Reply
    • Stacey Pirtlestacey

      October 8, 2017 at 4:02 pm

      Kristen,

      I should have known that you watched that show too! I think you and Jeremy will love this pie!

      Reply
      • Avatar photoSue

        October 16, 2017 at 11:28 am

        I watch it, too! Can’t get to Great Britain so it comes to me!

        Reply
        • Stacey Pirtlestacey

          October 17, 2017 at 4:18 pm

          Isn’t it great?! I love the way they bake all those pies and pastries!! They are all so talented and know so MUCH about baking!

          Reply
  2. Avatar photoKathryn Hardesty

    August 22, 2019 at 6:28 pm

    Can this be made ahead of time?

    Reply
    • Stacey Pirtlestacey

      August 23, 2019 at 9:05 am

      Hi, Kathryn!

      The meat, potatoes and cheese sauce can be made ahead of time, but pie crusts need to baked when they are made (or unboxed!). So, for make ahead, I recommend making the filling ahead of time, then putting it all together and baking the day of. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. Avatar photoLen Cook

    November 9, 2020 at 9:53 pm

    Stacey;

    Your recipe for Southern Cottage Pie calls for 1 pt. cream. Would that be 1/2 1/2 cream or heavy cream?

    Thank you.

    Len

    Reply
    • Stacey Pirtlestacey

      November 9, 2020 at 11:27 pm

      Hi, Len! Either works and makes a scrumptious dinner pie, but personally I prefer half & half. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

      Reply
  4. Avatar photoVictoria

    May 12, 2022 at 9:55 pm

    Hey Stacey! This recipe sounds scrumptious!
    Do you drain your meat after it is browned or keep some of the grease?
    Do you typically cook with 80/20 or a higher percentage?
    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Stacey Pirtlestacey

      May 18, 2022 at 2:34 pm

      Hi, Victoria! I do drain the meat after browning it. I usually use a 90/10 fat to ground beef ratio (sometimes with that ratio there isn’t much to drain off). I am so glad you are making this recipe! It’s such a yummy comfort dish!

      Reply
  5. Avatar photoLon

    February 23, 2024 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    A most excellent recipe. My wife loved it. I am a novice at cooking and found the directions clear and easy to follow. Thank You for your creative work in developing recipes.

    Reply
    • Stacey PirtleStacey

      March 13, 2024 at 2:34 pm

      Hi, Lon!

      Thank you so very much! This is a recipe we love at my house when good comfort is what’s needed. I am just tickled that you made it, and my mom would be too!

      Reply

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Meet Stacey

Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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