Cottage Pie (Shepherd’s Pie) with Mashed Butternut Squash is a delicious and comforting twist on a classic.
Hearty ground beef and “disappearing” veggies in a bubbling, savory gravy topped with just a sprinkle of Cheddar cheese and then luscious, mashed butternut squash — that’s my Autumn Cottage Pie recipe.
The squash is roasted in the shell for simplicity. The recipe is easy to make, and hands-on time is minimal, but you have to plan for roasting time and baking the casserole — about an hour and forty-five minutes from start to finish.
As you know, if you’ve been reading here for very long, my recipes are rarely “classic”. I always have a personal twist. And I encourage you to do the same, making every recipe your own and utilizing ingredients you have on hand.
My Shepherd’s Pie is a fall sensation substituting mashed butternut squash for the potatoes and making the veggies disappear into the bubbly meat and gravy mixture.
The combination of flavors works so well, and on a rainy autumn evening, Cottage Pie with Butternut Squash Mash is a filling and welcome sight on the dinner table.
What’s In a Name?
Shepherd’s Pie? Cottage Pie? That debate will outlast you and I, my friend.
There’s no clear-cut answer to where the recipes originated as different countries lay claim to their origins.
Purists will say that Shepherd’s Pie is only made with lamb and Cottage Pie is made with ground beef or other ground meats.
And cheese? Well, that’s a definite deviation from the “norm,” though it is very common to see it in Shepherd’s Pie recipes in the United States, where it’s really treated as just another hamburger casserole.
In other places worldwide, like here in the U.S., the two names are simply used synonymously. Whether someone says shepherd’s pie or cottage pie, they are usually referring to a lamb or ground beef casserole dish with a mashed vegetable topping. The vegetable is traditionally potatoes.
Whichever camp you live in, this scrumptious and hearty weeknight dinner recipe feeds eight and I believe Cottage Pie with Mashed Butternut Squash will be a welcome addition to your cold-weather meal rotation.
I’m excited for you to try this easy recipe!
FAQs
Yes. Mashed potatoes are definitely the more traditional ingredient.
I haven’t tried different varieties yet, but there are a few that should work. Keep the moisture content of your substitute in mind and the texture. Some squash varieties tend to be more fibrous and so won’t mash as well. Butternut, buttercup and honeynut squash are all very similar in texture, but vary in sweetness levels. You could also try acorn squash or delicata squash. Both should mash well though you may need to adjust the amount of milk and butter used as they have more water content than butternut squash.
Leftover Cottage Pie with Mashed Butternut Squash will keep in the fridge for up to four days. To freeze Shepherd’s Pie leftovers cool them completely. Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three months.
As long as you use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and gluten-free beef bouillon, it’s absolutely gluten-free.
Possible Variations and Recipe Tips
- Put more vegetables IN the casserole. I have a crew that loves the flavor veggies bring to a dish, but not always the texture of the cooked vegetables. There are onions, carrots and celery smothered into that tasty beef and gravy, but they never realize it because I use my food processor to mince them so finely that they disappear into the gravy as they cook. All the flavor and nutrition are retained but no one is left with chunks of mushy vegetables they don’t like the texture of. Zucchini is another excellent vegetable to prep this way and add to casseroles.
Pro Tip: Use a food processor or high-speed blender to mince vegetables very finely for casseroles. All the nutrition and flavor melt into the casserole without having larger chunks of veggies with unappealing textures.
- Use a different vegetable to make the mashed topping. Once you’re willing to step outside the box you realize that there are lots of options for making a dish your own. Of course Cottage Pie is delectable topped with mashed potatoes. But have you ever considered other savory veggies that mash really well? Sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, pumpkin, turnips, cauliflower and rutabaga all come to mind. You can mash any of them on their own or combine two or three favorites for a delicious, creamy mash loaded with fiber and nutrients.
- The peas. It’s very traditional to have peas in shepherd’s pie. I LOVE the fresh pop of sweetness peas add to savory casseroles like this one. But I don’t love their texture or color after they’ve been overbaked in a casserole for long periods of time. I prefer to do a batch of quickly steamed peas, toss them in a little butter and serve them on the side of my cottage pie. But that’s just me. You do you, and if you want them in your recipe, then most definitely add them.
What to Serve with Cottage Pie with Mashed Butternut Squash
The Ingredients
For the Mashed Butternut Squash:
- Butternut Squash – As you see from the picture below, butternut squash comes in an unpredictably wide variety of sizes. For this recipe, weigh them at the store and choose as many as you need to equal four to four and a half pounds of whole squash.
- Avocado Oil (or the cooking oil of your choice)
- Butter (I used salted butter. Unsalted will work.)
- Milk – I only ever buy whole milk. It creates creamier, silkier textures and richness of flavor that low fat versions don’t.
- Egg – For cottage pie, an egg is used in the mash as a binder to hold the topping together. This is helpful if you like to pipe the topping on in a pretty design. It also adds a silkiness to the texture of the mashed butternut squash that otherwise isn’t there.
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
For the Casserole Filling and Assembly:
- Ground Beef – Choose 80/20 or 85/15 for the best beefy flavor.
- The Veggies – Red Onion, Carrots, and Celery
- Seasoning – Tomato Paste, Minced Garlic, Italian Seasoning, Worcestershire Sauce and Apple Cider Vinegar
- Beef Broth
- Bouillon
- Corn Starch
- Cheddar Cheese – Definitely not traditional. You can leave it off if you prefer.
How to Make Cottage Pie (Shepherds Pie) with Mashed Butternut Squash
Roast the Butternut Squash
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut the ends off the butternut squash. Then stand the squash on a flat end on a cutting board and cut it down the center vertically.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes.
- Rub the cut surfaces of the butternut squash with avocado oil and salt and pepper them to get them ready for roasting.
- Roast the butternut squash halves, cut side up until they are fork tender. They will have golden brown caramelized spots on top when they are done, too. My four-and-one-half-pound butternut squash took a full hour to roast. If you’re roasting a two smaller ones, the time will probably be slightly shorter. You want the flesh to be soft enough to slide a fork into the center easily.
While the Squash is Roasting
- Grate four ounces of Cheddar cheese to make 1 cup if you’re going to use cheese in your recipe. Set aside.
- Mince the onion, carrots and celery very finely in a food processor or high-speed blender.
- Pour the beef broth into a liquid measuring cup and add the apple cider vinegar, bouillion and Worcestershire sauce.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the cold broth mixture and set aside.
- Brown the ground beef. Drain off the grease and return the beef to the skillet.
- Add the minced vegetables, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and minced garlic to the ground beef. Saute for one or two minutes to let the veggies start to soften.
- Pour the beef broth mixture into the skillet with the ground beef mixture. Simmer and stir over medium-low heat until the gravy begins to thicken. The gravy/sauce will be the consistency of roast beef gravy when it is ready.
- Set the filling mixture aside and check on the butternut squash to see if it’s done roasting.
Mash the Butternut Squash
- Remove the roasted squash from the oven when it is fork-tender.
- Turn the oven temperature down to 350°.
- Scoop the squash flesh out of the skins and put it into a mixing bowl. Discard the skins.
- Use a fork to mash the butternut squash. It will be more textured than mashed potatoes, but you do want to break down any large clumps and get it relatively smooth.
- Add butter and milk. Using the same fork, incorporate them into the mashed squash.
- Add the egg and stir to thoroughly combine it with your mashed butternut squash.
Assemble the Cottage Pie
- Lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan. Here’s the deep dish baking pan I love for 9×13 casseroles. [affiliate link]
- Pour the beef and gravy mixture into the bottom of the baking pan.
- Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese over the meat mixture if you’re using cheese.
- Add spoonfuls of the mashed butternut squash over the cheese and spread it in an even layer across the top of the casserole dish. I just use a fork to do this. Alternatively, you could put the mash into a piping bag and pipe a decorative top onto the cottage pie (shepherd’s pie).
- Bake in a 350° oven for 35 to 45 minutes until the gravy is bubbling through the squash in places around the top of the casserole and around the edges. All casseroles should have an internal temperature of at least 165° before serving.
My Cottage Pie with Mashed Butternut Squash is savory, hearty comfort food that can make any dreary cold day feel a little warmer. It’s my personal twist on a classic Shepherd’s or Cottage Pie, loaded with veggies and nutrients that no one will ever even see. If you buy gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, this dish is also gluten-free.
I think your whole family will love this one and I hope you get a chance to share it with them soon.
The Recipe
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Cottage Pie with Mashed Butternut Squash
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Cottage Pie (Shepherd’s Pie) with Mashed Butternut Squash is a savory, comforting dish that draws everyone to the table. Hearty ground beef and “disappearing” veggies in a bubbling, savory gravy topped with just a sprinkle of Cheddar cheese and then luscious, mashed butternut squash — that’s my Autumn Cottage Pie recipe.
Ingredients
For the Squash:
- 1 (4 to 4.5 lb) butternut squash, roasted
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Filling:
- 2 lbs. ground beef (80/20 or 85/15)
- 1/2 lg. (7.5 o/213g) red onion, minced or grated
- 1/2 lb (236g) carrots, minced or grated
- 1 celery stalk, minced or grated
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons homemade beef bouillon powder (or your favorite beef bouillon, to taste)
- optional: 1 cup (4 oz.) Cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
Roast the Butternut Squash
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut the ends off the butternut squash. Then stand the squash on a flat end on a cutting board and cut it down the center vertically.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes.
- Rub the cut surfaces of the butternut squash with avocado oil and salt and pepper them to get them ready for roasting.
- Roast the butternut squash halves, cut side up until they are fork tender. They will have golden brown caramelized spots on top when they are done, too. My four and one half pound butternut squash took a full hour to roast. If you have a couple of smaller ones that you’re roasting the time may be less. You want the flesh to be soft enough to easily slide a fork into the center.
While the Squash is Roasting
- Grate four ounces of Cheddar cheese to make 1 cup, if you’re going to use cheese in your recipe. Set aside.
- Mince the onion, carrots and celery very finely in a food processor or high speed blender.
- Pour the beef broth into a liquid measuring cup and add the apple cider vinegar, beef bouillon and Worcestershire sauce.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the cold broth mixture and set aside.
- Brown the ground beef. Drain off the grease and return the beef to the skillet.
- Add the minced vegetables, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and minced garlic to the ground beef. Saute for one or two minutes to let the veggies start to soften.
- Pour the beef broth mixture into the skillet with the ground beef mixture. Simmer and stir over medium-low heat until the gravy begins to thicken. The gravy/sauce will be the consistency of roast beef gravy when it is ready.
- Set the filling mixture aside and check on the butternut squash to see if it’s done roasting.
Mash the Butternut Squash
- Remove the roasted squash from the oven when it is fork-tender.
- Turn the oven temperature down to 350°.
- Scoop the squash flesh out of the skins and put it into a mixing bowl. Discard the skins.
- Use a fork to mash the butternut squash. It will be more textured than mashed potatoes, but you do want to break down any large clumps and get it relatively smooth.
- Add butter and milk. Using the same fork, incorporate them into the mashed squash.
- Add the egg and stir to thoroughly combine it with your mashed butternut squash.
Assemble the Cottage Pie
- Lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan.
- Pour the beef and gravy mixture into the bottom of the baking pan.
- Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese over the meat mixture if you’re using cheese.
- Add spoonfuls of the mashed butternut squash over the cheese and spread it in an even layer across the top of the casserole dish. I just use a fork to do this. Alternatively, you could put the mash into a piping bag and pipe a decorative top onto the cottage pie (shepherd’s pie).
- Bake in a 350° oven for 35 to 45 minutes until the gravy is bubbling through the squash in places around the top of the casserole and around the edges. All casseroles should have an internal temperature of at least 165° before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Time for roasting squash: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Category: Main Dish, Beef, Casserole
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Multiple
About Glenda
I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...
