Mini Cottage Pies

Mini Single Portion Cottage Pies! These savoury delights boast a golden potato topping that's as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. Beneath that inviting layer lies a rich and hearty minced beef filling.

What is Cottage Pie?

Cottage pie is a traditional British dish consisting of minced beef, cooked with vegetables and a rich gravy. It is topped with mashed potatoes, which are then baked until golden and crispy.

These mini cottage pies are perfect for indulging in your own cozy portion of this classic goodness, making them an ideal addition to any meal or a standalone treat for when you crave a taste of homey delight.

Calories in Mini Cottage Pies

These delicious mini cottage pies serves four people and has 461 calories per serving (no sides).

If you're looking for more recipes within the same calorie range, you'll find an abundance of options in my dedicated collection of 400+ calorie recipes.

If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie intake using a reliable calorie calculator. Please note that the calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and serving sizes. Personalizing your calculations is essential to meet your individual needs. By using a calorie calculator, you can make informed choices and stay on track with your dietary goals.

Ingredients for Mini Cottage Pies

To prepare these mini cottage pies, here are some notes on the ingredients used:

1. Onions: a mixture of both red and white onions are used in this recipe
2. Sugar: only a little is used and helps with the caramelization, for this reason I don't recommend using a sweetener.
3. Garlic: fresh garlic minced, but lazy or jarred mince garlic is fine also.
4. Tomato Paste (Puree) - this is concentrated tomato paste
5. Balsamic Vinegar: use a good quality brand for the best taste
6. Dried herbs: sage, thyme and rosemary impart of delicious flavour to the gravy
7. Stock: It's crucial to use the right ratio of stock cubes for the required amount of stock. Not all stock cubes are the same, and using the wrong amount can result in either a bland and watery broth or an overly salty stock.
8. Beef Mince (Ground Beef): use extra lean 5% fat to keep the calories low.
9. Carrots - medium sized, finely chopped
10. Celery - medium stalks, finely chopped
11. Potatoes - I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes, these are a semi waxy potato. These work best as they create a lovely buttery flavoured mash without the need to use any butter or milk. Look for Elfe potatoes in the UK or a similar type of semi waxy potato.
12. Egg yolks - don't skip on these as an ingredient, they create a lovely smooth and creamy mashed potato.
13. Salt and Pepper: These essential flavour enhancers play a crucial role in elevating the taste of your dishes. We use them to season the steak bites and recommend using them to season the final dish to taste as well. They ensure your food is never bland when used appropriately.
14. Low Calorie Spray: use your preferred brand. I like to opt for one without any emulsifiers, such as a avocado or olive oil spray.

Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.

See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions

Rich Homemade Onion Gravy

To create the rich and delicious gravy for these mini cottage pies, we start by making a flavourful base sauce. This sauce includes onions, garlic, dried herbs, and a few additional ingredients such as sugar, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste, which enhance caramelization and flavour.

After caramelizing and simmering these ingredients in stock until their flavours meld, they are blended into a smooth sauce, which serves as the delectable rich gravy for the mini cottage pies. No need for a fancy blender; a simple stick immersion blender right in the saucepan works perfectly.

It's important not to rush or skip this step, as it significantly contributes to the overall taste. If preferred, you can prepare the gravy portion a day in advance.

Pro tip: Consider doubling or tripling the gravy ingredients to make a larger batch. This is great if you enjoy extra gravy to drizzle over your cottage pies after baking or if you want to freeze portions for future meals.

Making Perfect Mashed Potatoes without Butter and Milk

If you're calorie-conscious but dislike dry, non-creamy mashed potatoes, the secret to creating the best low-calorie version is to opt for semi-waxy golden potatoes. These varieties avoid excessive dryness in the absence of butter.

Cooking them in stock instead of water, just enough to cover them, enhances flavour as the potatoes absorb the stock during cooking. Afterward, mash the potatoes and incorporate two egg yolks, which lend creaminess and promote a lovely golden finish when baked atop the meaty cottage pie filling. Don't forget to taste and season your mash too with some salt and black pepper.

Sides for Mini Cottage Pies

Here are some side dishes that pair well with mini cottage pies:

1. Steamed Vegetables: A medley of steamed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and green beans provides a healthy and colorful complement to the rich flavors of cottage pies.
2. Garden Peas or Corn: We love frozen garden peas or corn alongside our cottage pies, they are nice and quick to cook to and require minimal effort.
3. Cabbage or Kale - sauteed cabbage or kale adds a hearty iron rich side to the cottage pies and is delicious with some additional gravy if you make extra.
4. Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli, Green Beans or Asparagus - simple roasted with salt, black pepper a little garlic powder and coated in some olive oil spray.

More Low Calorie Pie Recipes

Are you in search of more low calorie pie recipes? Look no further! Here are some great choices below:

• Epic Steak and Vegetable Pie with Filo Pastry
• Chicken and Asparagus No Pastry Pie
• Cheesy Cauliflower Topped Pie
• Potato Topped Creamy Chicken and Spinach Pie
• Crispy Potato Topped Meat Pie (Minced Beef Hotpot)
• Dairy Free Fish Pie
• Chicken and Leek Pie

or if you would like more recipe ideas or sides to make with this recipe - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more.

All recipes on Slimming Eats have estimated nutritional information for your convenience.

FAQ for Mini Cottage Pies