Air Fryer Cottage Pie

Enjoy a delicious twist on the classic cottage pie with our air fryer cottage pie recipe. A hearty dish with savoury mince and creamy mashed potatoes, all cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Try this easy and satisfying recipe for a comforting meal the whole family will love.

When I make air fryer recipes, I often try to make the whole thing, or as much as possible, in one basket inside the air fryer. 

This means there’s less to wash up, and you use less power. 

It works well for some things but not for others. Mac and Cheese and chilli work well.

I don’t recommend cooking the filling for this easy air fryer cottage pie in the air fryer. 

You can try; it will undoubtedly be faster. But personally, I think a cottage pie filling needs to simmer slowly on the hob to get that delicious rich gravy and nice soft carrots. 

So I cook the filling on the hob and brown it all in the air fryer instead of in the oven.

It still saves time and money, and you get a perfect air fryer cottage pie with a wonderfully golden and crispy cheesy top. 

Ingredients For Air Fryer Cottage Pie

Cooking Spray – Olive oil, vegetable oil, or other cooking oils are fine, too.

Onion 

Garlic Puree – You can swap for fresh garlic cloves, but I love a puree!

Minced Beef

Carrots 

Frozen Peas

Beef Stock

Tomato Puree

Henderson’s Relish – Other, similar relishes are also available. 

Mixed Herbs 

Salt and Pepper

Beef Gravy Granules – You can skip this, but it will take longer for your sauce to thicken, and I think it loses some of the lovely, rich, beefy flavours. 

White Potatoes – Something like Maris Piper of King Edwards that mash well. 

Butter – Or margarine.

Milk – I use semi-skimmed.

Salt and Pepper

Mature Cheddar Cheese 

You’ll Also Need

To make an air fryer cottage pie, you need a chopping board and a sharp knife to prepare your ingredients. 

Then you need a large, non-stick, flameproof pan and a spatula to cook the filling, and a potato peeler, saucepan and colander for the mash. 

You’ll also need a grater for the cheesy top. 

Then, to bake your cottage pie, you’ll need an air fryer and an appropriate dish. 

I use these silicon baskets (Affiliate Link), which I absolutely love. Silicon means that they are easy to clean, and these particular ones are deep enough for full meals.

They also have firm bottoms and long handles, so your meals hold their shape when you lift them out of the air fryer basket. 

I also recommend a food thermometer when cooking in an air fryer, to make sure the middle is a safe temperature.

I use one like this (affiliate link).

You can see all of my favourite air fryer cooking essentials here. (Affiliate link.)

How to Air Fry Cottage Pie – Step-by-Step Instructions

Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One

Mist a non-stick flameproof pan liberally with cooking spray and warm over medium heat on the hob.

I use a large frying pan, but any flameproof dish or pan is fine.

Step Two

Add the onions and fry for 10 minutes, stirring often. You want them really soft, so don’t be tempted to rush this bit. 

Step Three

Stir through the garlic puree.

If you use puree, you can stir it in and move on to the next step. If you are using fresh garlic, cook it for a few minutes, stirring often, before adding the mince. 

Step Four

Add the mince and break it apart using your spatula or a fork. I use my spatula. 

Step Five 

Fry for 5 minutes until browned, stirring often.

This might take a little longer, depending on how big your pan is and how thin the layer of beef is. Just make sure it’s nice and brown. 

Step Six

Stir in the peas and carrots. I always add my peas now and massively overcook them. We like it like this! 

However, if you prefer your peas to have a little bite, you can add them for the last five minutes. 

Step Seven

Pour in the stock and Henderson’s Relish, and add the tomato puree, mixed herbs, salt and pepper and gravy. 

Step Eight

Stir well. 

Step Nine

Bring to a simmer and reduce the temperature if necessary. You want a nice, steady simmer, not a violent bubble. 

Step Ten 

Simmer for around 45 minutes, stirring often until the gravy is thick and the carrots soft.

Again, this might take longer or less, depending on the pan. 

Step Eleven

While your filling is cooking, prepare your mash. You can do this your own way if you prefer. This is just how I make mash. 

Step Twelve

Peel and dice the potatoes. They should be in 2cm chunks. 

Step Thirteen

Add to a pan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, carefully skimming off any foam that rises to the top with a spoon. 

Step Fourteen

Drain well, and return to the saucepan. 

Step Fifteen

Place over a very low heat and shake to toss for 1-2 minutes to remove excess water.

I actually turn the heat off and toss them on the still-warm hob; it’s enough. 

Step Sixteen

Remove from the heat. 

Step Seventeen

Add the milk, butter, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

You can skip the salt and pepper, but I love that bit of flavour. 

Step Eighteen 

Mash until smooth. Add a splash more milk or a little more butter if needed. 

Step Nineteen – How Long to Cook Cottage Pie in Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 180 Degrees C and set for 10 minutes.

Step Twenty – Back to the Filling

When the mixture is done, remove it from the heat and carefully spoon it into a silicon air fryer basket or a casserole dish that fits and is appropriate for your air fryer. 

I use a basket with long handles that’s easy to get in and out. It’s also reasonably deep for a nice big pie.

What you use will depend on your air fryer’s size, but I recommend something deep for this particular recipe. It’s a thick layer of mash!

Step Twenty-One

Spoon on the mashed potato and spread evenly. If you want, you can pipe it on nice and neat, but I spoon it on. 

Step Twenty-Two

Sprinkle over the grated cheese. I use quite a bit.

You can use less if you want, just a nice layer on top. 

Step Twenty-Three

Add to the preheated air fryer drawer and air fry for 10 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Everything is cooked and warm, so you just need to brown the top. You can air fry for a little longer if needed. 

Other Air Fryer Recipes 

Other air fryer recipes you might enjoy include:

• Golden Halloumi Cheese
• Perfect Baked Potatoes
• Easy Fish Finger Sandwiches
• Chicken Pasta Bake
• Air Fryer Chilli Con Carne
• Easy Air Fryer Beef Burgers
• Crispy Air Fryer Wedges 
• Air Fryer Katsu Curry
• Chocolate Cake
• Crispy Chicken Burgers
• Easy Air Fryer Fish Pie

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