Turkey cottage pie recipe

An easy a delicious meaty pie in a rich tomato sauce, topped with an extra healthy mash. 

This turkey cottage pie is easy to make. There's no need to fry off the turkey mince, you simple add it into the sauce and bubble it all up together. It's a really nice, healthy option. Firstly turkey is a really lean protein. Secondly the mash is bulked up with carrots. As well as being one of the cheapest ingredients you can buy, carrots are lower carb than potatoes, so they're a great choice if you're trying to watch your weight. Plus, they're one of your five a day. This recipe serves two, but you can just double everything if you're making it for four. Leftovers keep really well too. In fact, sometimes this dish is even better on the second day. If you're looking for something a bit more classic, try our easy cottage pie recipe for a hearty alternative. 

This recipe is part of our cheap family meals collection – under £1 a head

Ingredients

• 400g can tomatoes
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 200g turkey mince
• 75g frozen peas
• Salt and black pepper
• Dash Worcestershire sauce

For the mash:

• 1 large potato (about 175g), peeled and cubed
• 2 carrots (300g), peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp skimmed milk

Method

1. Set the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Pour the can of tomatoes and 300ml (½ pint) water into a pan, add the celery and onion and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins.
2. Add the turkey to the pan and simmer for a further 10 mins, stirring occasionally. If the mixture is very runny, increase the heat and boil off some of the excess liquid. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peas, seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon into an ovenproof dish.
3. To make the mash, cook the potatoes and carrots in boiling water for about 15 mins or until tender, then drain well. Return the veg to the pan, add the milk and mash until smooth. Season, then spoon on top of the base.
4. Bake the pie for 30-40 mins, or until the topping starts to turn golden. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Top tips for making turkey cottage pie

Swap the potato for swede or carrot for sweet potato for different mash. It’s a great way of using up any leftover vegetables in the fridge too.

You might also like...

• Cottage pie
• Shepherd's pie
• Basic mince