This comforting cheese-and-potato pie is proper old-fashioned comfort food. Creamy mashed potatoes are mixed with mature cheddar, spring onions and a touch (or ton) of mustard, then baked until golden and bubbling. Easy to make, budget-friendly and perfect for a cosy family dinner, it works just as well as a main dish or a hearty side and something like sausages and beans.
Yes, I know it’s not a “real” pie because it hasn’t got pastry. By that logic, neither is cottage pie. Who cares?
Recipe Breakdown
- ✅ Recipe Name: Cheese and Potato Pie
- ⏱️Time: 45 minutes
- 🧑🍳Serves: 4 as a main course or 6-8 as a side dish.
- 💪Difficulty: Easy
- 🍴Ingredient Highlight: Cheesy mashed potato 💜
- 💛Why You’ll Love it: It’s giving total nostalgia.
Skip To
I remember eating this when I was a kid, with bread and butter, and to my shame, tomato ketchup! I skip the ketchup nowadays, but would never judge you for adding some.
Whether you serve this cheese and potato pie as a side with sausages and beans like I do or as the main character, it’s the ultimate in nostalgic comfort food. I could potentially eat the whole thing on a cold, rainy night.
Donna’s Notes
I get a lot of ‘isn’t that a lot of mustard?’ And yeah, it probably is. I generally use recipes as a guide; if you know you don’t love that much mustard, reduce it. I’ll never know. Likewise, you could skip the tomato top and add some onion if you wanted to.
Why You’ll Love it
- It’s an easy side dish or dinner. Perfect for midweek eats.
- Cheesy potatoes? What’s not to love?
- You can easily change the flavours to suit you.
- It’s super comfort food.
Ingredients For Cheesy Potatoes
When I make my cheesy potato pie, I use:
White Potatoes – Whatever you’d usually use to make mashed potatoes. Something like Maris Piper or King Edward’s is perfect.
Butter
Splash Milk – I use semi-skimmed, but any is fine. Even a splash of cream if you want to be decadent.
Egg
Salt and Black Pepper
English Mustard – Dijon Mustard is ok, too. Use less if you want a mild flavour. You could even skip it entirely.
Mature Cheddar Cheese – Try different cheeses if you prefer. Half cheddar, half mozzarella makes for a fab cheese pull.
Tomatoes – I love adding tomatoes, for colour and flavour, but you can skip them.
Spring Onions – I use a full bunch, usually 6-7.
Other things that you could try adding include cooked bacon bits, fried onions and fried leeks (just stir them through the mash).
You’ll Also Need
I use a large saucepan to cook my potatoes, a colander to drain them, a potato masher, and a baking dish. Mine is around 10 inches by 8 inches. I wouldn’t go any bigger than that, but smaller is fine—just pile it in!
Then you just need a cheese grater, a sharp knife, a wooden spoon or spatula, and a chopping board.
How to Make Cheese and Potato 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
Peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks.
Step Two
Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, just like you would if you were making mashed potatoes.
Step Three
Drain, return to the pan and dry, tossing constantly over very low heat for 30 seconds. You can even turn the heat off, and do this on the still-hot hob.
Step Four
Lightly grease a baking dish. This isn’t essential, but it does make it easier to serve neatly.
Step Five
In a jug, whisk the milk, egg, mustard, salt and pepper.
Step Six
Mash the potatoes with the egg mixture and butter. This is a pretty wet mixture, certainly runnier than the usual mashed potato mixture. It will stiffen when you add the cheese and then further when you bake it. Don’t worry.
Step Seven
Stir through the spring onions and most of the cheese.
Step Eight
Tip into the prepared dish and spread out evenly.
Step Nine
Top with sliced tomatoes and the rest of the grated cheese.
Step Ten
Bake at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Leftovers and Storage
Cheese and potato pie lasts up to 3 days if stored correctly – place in a clean, air-tight container and leave it to cool. Seal and pop in the fridge.
Reheat in the oven or microwave until the centre is piping hot before serving.
Can Cheese and Potato Pie Be Frozen?
Yes, cool and seal, and keep in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw fully in the fridge before reheating.
FAQ
I serve cheesy potatoes like this as a side dish, not a main course. So, usually with sausages and beans.
Rosemary and thyme, or Italian mixed herbs, are fine, but I prefer to use mustard.
If you are serving cheese and potato pie as a main course, bread and butter, and a side of vegetables or beans are nice.
Mature cheddar is perfect for mash.
No. Full of fat!
Yes. Cool completely and either wrap the baking dish tightly or remove and place in an airtight tub and freeze for up to two months, thawing in the fridge and reheating in the oven until piping hot.
Other Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like to try a few other comforting favourites. My Chicken, Bacon and Leek Pie is a great next option and uses the same creamy sauce I rely on in lots of my pie recipes, while Air Fryer Fish Pie is perfect if you want something hearty with minimal effort.
For cheesy comfort food, Chorizo Mac and Cheese or Air Fryer Mac and Cheese are both easy wins, and if you’re after something a bit more indulgent, Dirty Fries with Chorizo make a brilliant treat.
Cheese and Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 1 Kg White Potatoes (peeled and chopped into large chunks)
- 100 g Butter (+ extra to grease)
- Splash Milk
- 1 Egg
- Pinch Salt and Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons English Mustard
- 250 g Mature Cheddar Cheese (grated)
- 2 Salad Tomatoes (sliced)
- 1 Bunch Spring Onions (sliced)
Instructions
- Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Drain, return to the pan and dry, tossing constantly over very low heat for 30 seconds.
- Lightly grease a baking dish.
- In a jug, whisk the milk, egg, mustard and salt and pepper.
- Mash the potatoes with the egg mixture and butter.
- Stir through the spring onions and most of the cheese.
- Tip into the prepared dish and spread out evenly.
- Top with sliced tomatoes and the rest of the grated cheese.
- Bake at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Carefully remove and serve.
Video
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
2 Tbsp mustard??
Sounds a bit fiery?
Use less if you want.