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.
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!