Classic cottage pie (meal or freezer prep) (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to freeze cottage pie before or after cooking? ›

Always freeze the pie on the day that you make it. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then cook as per the recipe. Alternatively, to cook from frozen, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, cover with foil and cook for 1½ hrs.

It will keep in the fridge for 4 days – assembled and ready to heat, or once cooked. You can also freeze Cottage Pie 100% perfectly. You can bake from frozen – though it does take around 1 hour (it's a formidable block of ice!!) or thaw then bake. Cooked leftovers also freeze well.

You can absolutely reheat a cottage pie straight from frozen and still get tasty results.

Making ahead and storing Cottage Pie

It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days so then all you have to do is heat it in the oven for approx. 30 minutes until the top is golden and the meat mixture is bubbling around the sides. You can also freeze cottage pie and it will keep in your freezer for up to one month.

Most pies will freeze well from a raw or cooked state. However, custard filled pies do not tend to freeze well. When freezing a fruit pie, you'll see the best results if you freeze a combination of cooked fruit filling in a raw pastry. Raw fruit filling can become watery on thawing and may require additional thickener.

It depends on your needs, if you want it to be ready super fast when you want it, cook first and then freeze, reheating will be quicker than cooking from frozen. If it doesn't matter, then go with whatever seems like a better option to you.

A make-ahead hack makes it even easier to enjoy this hearty classic any day of the week. The base of the pie can be made ahead and frozen in an easy-to-store container. To finish the dish, simply thaw, top with Betty Crocker™ creamy butter mashed potatoes, bake and serve!

The USDA says food that has been left out of the fridge for more than two hours should be thrown away. At room temperature, bacteria grows incredibly fast and can make you sick. Reheating something that has been sitting at room temperature for longer than two hours won't be safe from bacteria.

The best side dishes to serve with cottage pie are green beans, honey glazed carrots, Yorkshire pudding, cauliflower cheese, creamed spinach, arugula salad, butternut squash, roasted Brussels sprouts, sautéed mushrooms, blooming onion, avocado fries, Caesar salad, corn on the cob, and steamed broccoli.

While most food can be reheated more than once, it is better to only reheat food once which is why it's suggested that you split large portions into smaller ones. Each time you reheat and cool food it is likely that you will alter the food's taste/texture as well as increasing the chances of bacteria growing.

Can you freeze cottage pie in Pyrex dish? ›

The short answer is yes—but there are a few rules you should follow. When using Pyrex or any glass bakeware or cookware, you should avoid extreme temperature changes—very cold dishes shouldn't be placed in a hot oven, and vice versa. Sudden changes in temperature may cause the dishes to shatter or break.

If frozen, thaw… microwave for approx. 5 minutes or transfer to a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until heated through.

Cooked cottage pies will also keep fresh for 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. When reheating cottage pies, preheat the oven to 160ºC / 320ºF then place your pie in the oven for 20-30 mins.

Yes! In fact, mashed potatoes are of the most freezer-friendly potato preparations out there. The key is to coat your potatoes with plenty of butter and cream. The fat from the dairy will protect the potatoes in the freezer and help them retain their flavor.

Freshly baked shepherd's pie will keep for about 3 to 5 days in the fridge; refrigerate covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. To freeze: wrap shepherd's pie tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place in heavy-duty freezer bag.

Fruit pies freeze beautifully. A frozen crust also shrinks less when baked than a freshly rolled crust, so it holds its shape in the oven. In fact, filling and freezing a pie before baking it virtually eliminates the threat of a soggy bottom crust!

You can cook a pie from frozen right without thawing it out. In fact, it's better to bake frozen pie directly out of the freezer. You'll need to bake a frozen pie that's uncooked for about 55 minutes, while frozen pre-baked pie will take 30 to 35 minutes to reheat.

The answer is yes. But pay attention to the way you thaw and, conversely, the way you freeze. Most foods previously frozen, thawed and then cooked can be refrozen as long as they have not been sitting at room temperature for more than two hours.