In association with Iceland
Easy Cheesy Cheat’s Cottage Pie is a delicious and hassle-free version of this traditional British staple. Using frozen ingredients removes the need for any chopping or peeling so it’s much quicker and easier!!
I love Cottage Pie but I’ll admit that it’s a dish I never make.
After a day’s work, the last thing I want to do is spend ages chopping up vegetables and mashing potatoes!
So when Iceland and their #PowerofFrozen campaign challenged me to come up with a dish to “Cut the Hassle” I came up with this Easy Cheesy Cheat’s Cottage Pie.
I love finding quicker ways of making dishes that don’t compromise on quality. This dish is a total winner as it’s just as delicious as the more long-winded version.!
My family loved my Cottage Pie and hubby said it was much better than a shop-bought one (he has a long memory as I haven’t bought one for many years).
We were all amazed at the quality and taste of the frozen beef and I have to say that I was a little worried when I bought it.
I was going to buy the Minced Steak but as my local branch of Iceland is quite small this wasn’t something they stocked so I picked up the Beef Mince with Onions instead.
I hadn’t cooked with frozen mince in 25 years and after that brief encounter, I never ventured there again.
I’d just met my now hubby and remember having to cook a meal for my dad and him as my mum was away.
The supermarket had run out of fresh mince and I was forced to buy frozen to my Chilli con Carne.
Well, it was the worst meal I’d ever cooked due to the poor taste and quality of the mince; not a great way to impress your new boyfriend!
So I was very impressed with this mince as it tasted great and I also didn’t have to go to the bother of peeling any onions.
I thought that my pan would be swimming in fat after frying the mince but I have to say there wasn’t that much fat to drain off.
For £2.50 I think the Iceland Mince and Onions is a steal and I didn’t even use the whole pack!
I shall certainly be buying this again as it’s perfect to have in the freezer as a standby to knock up a quick meal!
The Iceland Mashed Potato is a great time saver in this Cottage Pie as are the Mixed Vegetables which I also served alongside.
Hubby is usually a bit sniffy about frozen mixed vegetables as am I, but even these got the thumbs up from hubby (as well as the rest of us)!
So I’d like to say a big “thank you” to Iceland for opening up my horizons to foods I would never have thought to buy before! They’re great quality, good value for money, and time-saving too! And boy do I need lots of the latter!
More Recipes Using Frozen Ingredients
For more recipes using frozen ingredients, you should also try these dishes:
- Grilled Seabass with Lemon Garlic Butter & Colcannon – Fab Food 4 All
- Quick & Spicy Prawn Curry – Fab Food 4 All
- Skinny Haddock, Bacon and Mushroom Chowder – Fab Food 4 All
- Spicy Beef and Bean Feast – A Glug of Oil
- BBQ Sardines with Wild Garlic Salsa Verdi – Foodie Quinne
- 15 Min Thai Red Prawn Curry – Recipes from a Pantry
- Lobster Mac and Cheese – Emily’s Recipes and Reviews
- Spicy One Pot Prawn Curry – Supergolden Bakes
Do try my Easy Cheesy Cheat’s Cottage Pie as I’m sure you’ll be impressed!
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NB: This is a commissioned post for Iceland, all views are those of myself and my family.
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
Easy Cheesy Cheat’s Cottage Pie
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 650 g Frozen minced beef with onion
- 2 tbsp Plain flour
- 2 Cups Frozen mixed vegetables
- 500 ml Beef stock
- 1 tbsp Creamed horseradish sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- Ground pepper
Topping
- 600 g Frozen mashed potato
- 15 g Unsalted butter (a knob)
- 75 ml Milk
- 75 g Grated mature Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil over a medium to high heat in a large non-stick pan/wok and fry the beef and onions until beef starts to brown (10 – 15 minutes).
- Drain the fat (a colander is the easiest way to do this).
- Stir in the flour and cook for a minute.
- Add the stock, horseradish sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, mixed vegetables and ground pepper (no need for salt as stock and cheese have plenty).
- Bring the pan to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes with a lid on removing it for the last 5 minutes until you have a meaty sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Meanwhile microwave the mashed potato according to the instructions (about 9 minutes in total) and then beat in the butter, milk and half the grated Cheddar.
- Put the meat sauce into a dish, spoon over the potato and then fluff up with a fork whilst filling in the gaps.
- Sprinkle on the rest of the grated Cheddar and place in the oven for about 25 minutes until top golden and meat bubbling.
- Serve with more mixed vegetables.
Linda Taylor
Can it be made without microwaving the mash? I am thinking about camp cooking for 50 people. We will have an oven but no microwave.
Camilla
If you have a fridge you could thaw the mash in there and then heat up on the hob and add the butter.
Amy Fidler
What a great idea to use up frozen food xx
Camilla
Thanks Amy, such a time saver:-)
A S,Edinburgh
Add me to the list of people who’d never considered frozen mash before. I’m impressed and will probably give it a go for anything like this in future. I love the look of your recipe; the sauces and seasoning sound delicious!
Camilla
Yes frozen mash is such a time saver, must remember to buy some more:-)
Richard Eldred Hawes
Cheese added to potatoes does help to improve an already excellent dish
Laura Tovey
Now this sound nice and easy as well as tasty
Laura Tovey
This sounds so easy and tasty
Hazel Rea
I would never have thought of using frozen mashed potato – what a great idea!
Camilla
Such a time saver:-)
joanne casey
Frozen food is so handy to have in, its such an easy way of still getting your 5 a day but saves so much time
Camilla
Love frozen ingredients from Iceland:-)
Maya Russell
I didn’t know you could get frozen mashed potato. I must get it. If you can’t find beef with onion you can still get frozen diced onion.
Camilla
Yes Maya, such a time saver:-)
Sandhya Hariharan
I am really loving the idea how much Frozen food can make life easier.. Recipe sounds delicious !!
Camilla
It’s such a time saver having a few pre-prepared ingredients in the freezer:-)
kate @veggie desserts
I love how easy using frozen ingredients is. Saves so much time. Lovely recipe. 🙂
Camilla
Thanks Kate:-)
Richard Eldred Hawes
Looks lovely and I do love cottage pie and cheese
Camilla
Thank you Richard:-)
Margaret Gallagher
Wow this is a great recipe do easy thankyou
christine
looks delicious. I love taking shortcuts with meals like this. I often use premade mashed potatoes but hadn’t seen that beef in the stores. Sounds like a comforting meal with little effort!
Camilla
Thanks Christine, do check out the beef and onions, so convenient:-)
KC the Kitchen Chopper
I’ll have to be on the look out for these products. Looks like a hearty and delicious easy meal to prepare.
Camilla
Thanks KC, it really is so easy and delicious:-)
Nayna Kanabar
Your cottage pie looks hearty and delicious.I am a big fan of Iceland frozen veggies.
Camilla
Thanks Nayna, they are so convenient and great quality:-)
Mayuri Patel
Sending the link to this easy recipe to my niece who loves to cook but hardly has the time. I’m sure she will be able to replace the beef with lentils or white meat. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Camilla
Great Mayuri or she could use quorn mince;-)
Laura Hartley
It’s amazing how something so simple could produce something so tasty! This is exactly the sort of recipe a lazy person like me needs as I love this dish on a cold winter’s day!
Camilla
Thanks Laura, hope you give it a try:-)
Helen at Casa Costello
Now this is interesting! I will admit I tend to walk past any frozen packs of mince due to my own encounter many moons ago at uni – Might be worth giving it another try a couple *cough* of years later.
Camilla
Yes Helen I can confirm it’s safe to get back into the water:-)
lisa prince
You’ve made me want to make this for tea now and I’m off to start lol , we all love easy foods like this!
Camilla
Brilliant Lisa, so glad to have inspired you:-)
Leanne
Great staples to have in the freezer just for those moments when you’re stuck on what to cook but some haven’t much time to prep!
Camilla
Exactly Leanne, so handy:-)
Natasha Mairs
this looks gorgeous!! I often cheat with mixed veg and my quorn mince but never thought of using frozen mash.
Camilla
Thanks Natash, well get some mash on that shopping list:-)
kellie@foodtoglow
Through the #PowerofFrozen campaign I’ve really been made aware of how much Iceland has changed for the better recently. They are constantly upping their culinary game, and I have genuinely been stopping in to help with my shopping. Your recipe shows how quality meals can be made from frozen ingredients. Lovely job, Camilla. 🙂
Camilla
Thank you so much Kellie and you’re so right about Iceland, fab all round!
Rebecca Smith
Yum this looks delicious! I would never have thought to use frozen stuff in a meal!
Camilla
Thanks Rebecca, frozen ingredients are so convenient:-)
Jessica
Instant mashed potato. I have to try it. I love this recipe. Every ingredient is worth craving for.
Camilla
Thank you Jessica:-)
Jan Bennett
Oh my goodness I’m loving all these easy meals! Iceland has some great products to make life easier in the kitchen.
Camilla
I know Janice, Iceland really are taking the hassle out of meal prep:-)
Anca
I like the convenience of frozen veggies, I use them a lot too. I didn’t try the mash potatoes, but it looks great, I think I’m going to add it to my shopping list.
Camilla
Great Anca, glad to have inspired you:-)
Candace
Oh this is a great cheat! I cook our meals from scratch, we don’t eat ready meals but making home cooking easier is a big plus to me
Camilla
Thanks, yes I cook most of our meals from scratch too but avoid dishes like this due to the time they take but now there’s no excuse:-)
Kira C
Seems simple enough even my boyfriend could do it! I think he needs this recipe for uni! Maybe he’ll make himself some good food for a change!! haha 😀
Camilla
Funnily enough I was thinking similar, it really is like painting by numbers, so easy:-)
Melanie Edjourian
It’s always good to have quick cheats for weekday meals. I do use frozen foods when I’m in arush.
Camilla
Exactly right Melanie:-)
Lucy
What a great recipe, I will have to look for the frozen mince and onions and mash as I think they would really help save time on a busy night for the family after work and school.
Camilla
Thank you Lucy, yes they’re fabulous products as well as the mixed veg:-)
Stuart Vettese
I’m all for using frozen items when I can – they are just as good as fresh, locking in all the nutrients especially with the veg. Must try the mince out though – looks delicious!
Camilla
Thanks Stuart, yes I was very impressed with the mince:-)
Valentina
Great recipe Camilla! I will try to cook it for my boyfriend, who loves these kind of pies 🙂
Camilla
Thanks Valentine, do let me know what your boyfriend thought:-)
Hananh
This looks delicious, I haven’t had cottage pie in years – I need to change that!
Camilla
Me neither Hannah, it’s just such a lot of work usually!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
This looks so easy! I haven’t had cottage pie in years but I always enjoyed it as a kid. Love the idea of using cheesy mash too – cheese takes everything to the next level 😉
Camilla
Thanks Becca, yes cheesy mash rocks:-)
Rachel
I havent made cottage pie in absolutely ages and ages, I always opt for Shepherds pie, but this looks so good x
Camilla
Thanks Rachel, Shepherds Pie is great too:-)
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs
This recipe is pure genius! I had no idea frozen mash was even a thing! You’ve taken all of the long prep and hard work out of this classic dish. Looks like we’ll all be eating cottage pie mid-week now 😀 thanks a bunch!
Camilla
Thanks Emma, yes frozen mash has only recently come onto my radar and I need to use it more often, especially as a pie topping, so very quick and easy!
Sarah Maison Cupcake
That looks fantastic, my son and husband’s type of dinner!!
Camilla
Thanks Sarah:-)
Emily
What a fantastic and convenient meal! Shows how great frozen products can be – and yummy too! x
Camilla
Thanks Emily, yes it really does:-)
Elizabeth
Mmmm proper comfort food, this! Frozen foods can be so useful!
Camilla
Yes, can’t beat the classics especially made easy:-)
WhatLauraLoves
I can’t believe how nice that mashed potato looks. I’ve always stayed away from frozen mash but I’ll give it a try now xxx
Camilla
Oh do Laura, such a time saver!
Heather Haigh
I’ve only recently started shopping at Iceland and I was looking at the frozen mash and wondering if it was good. Your cottage pie certianly looks delicious.
Camilla
Thanks! Well know you know Heather:-)
Fashion and Style Police
I am loving this cottage pie recipe. Looks yummy.
Camilla
Thanks Stella:-)
Rhian Westbury
It is nice to cook things from scratch but it isn’t always practical when you’re so busy! x
Camilla
Exactly Rhian:-)
StressedMum
I made a cottage pie the other day, and while it is a favourite in our house, I hate preparing it, I am all for a bit of cheating and might have to try this cheat next time I make one x
Camilla
Fab, glad to have inspired you:-)
Harriet from Toby & Roo
Delectable Camilla! That looks absolutely amazing – I do love a good cottage pie and it is one of few things that Edie with trough away! H x
Camilla
Thank you so much Harriet:-)
Charli Bruce
Just like Lisa said I would have never have thought about making this with frozen food, I would have been slaving away for ages peeling potatoes boiling them, chopping carrots etc… This just means you can have something as delicious and hearty as cottage pie when you aren’t really feeling like putting in the effort! x
Camilla
Exactly Charli, it makes so much difference making this dish with pre-prepared frozen ingredients, like having your own sous chef:-)
Sarah Bailey
Oh my goodness this looks amazing – I have to admit it has been ages since I had a good cottage pie. x
Camilla
Thanks Sarah:-)
lisa
This is so cool! I would never have thought to create such a hearty meal with Icelands frozen food! Seriously changing my idea of them x
Camilla
Thank you so much Lisa:-) Yes we’re learning more about frozen food quality all the time and I used to work for Birds Eye Walls!