Butternut Squash-Topped Cottage Pie
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 4 servings
 
Ingredients
Vegetable-Beef Filling:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 medium-large carrots, diced
  • ½ lb (225 g) button mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
  • 5 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 tablespoons (65 g) tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1¼ cups (300 ml) low-sodium beef stock
Butternut Topping:
  • 1 cup (250 g) butternut squash puree (or leftover mashed sweet potatoes; if they’re stiff, thin them out with a little milk)
  • 2 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Other:
  • Butter, to grease the dish
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a 1.5-liter casserole dish with butter.
  2. To make the filling, add the oil to a large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef, onion, carrot, and mushroom and cook (covered) 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic during the last 1 minute of cooking.
  3. Add the thyme, bay leaves, tomato paste, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook (uncovered) until the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir together all ingredients for the butternut topping.
  5. Once the vegetable-beef mixture is thickened, spread it in an even layer in the prepared casserole dish and spread the butternut topping evenly on top.
  6. Bake until the casserole is warm throughout and bubbling in the center, about 20 minutes.
  7. Let cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle the parsley on top and serve.
Notes
Make-Ahead: To make this dish up to 3 days ahead, prepare it up until the point where it’s ready to go into the oven. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, then cook it in a 400F oven until warm throughout, about 30 minutes. (It can go right from the fridge to the oven – there is no need to bring it to room temperature before baking it.)

To Stretch This Meal: Serve this meal with a green salad and some crusty bread, and you should be able to get another serving out of it.

Paleo Version: Omit the Worcestershire sauce in the filling and add additional salt to taste. Omit the cheese in the topping and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Recipe by An Edible Mosaic™ at https://www.anediblemosaic.com/butternut-squash-topped-cottage-pie/