Cottage Pie Potato Boats
Baked potato shells filled with a lean beef, carrot and pea mixture, topped with fluffy mashed potato and optional cheese — a fun individual take on cottage pie.
Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Total
50 min
Yield
4 potato boats
Nutrition note
Beef provides protein, iron and zinc; potato supplies energy and potassium. Vegetables add fiber.
Ingredients
- 14 medium baking potatoes
- 21 tablespoon olive oil
- 3300 g lean ground beef
- 41 small carrot, finely diced
- 51/2 cup (75 g) peas
- 61 tablespoon tomato paste
- 71/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium stock
- 81/2 cup (55 g) grated cheese, optional
Method
- 1
Bake or microwave potatoes until soft. Cool enough to handle.
- 2
Cook beef in oil until browned. Add carrot and cook 5 minutes. Add peas, tomato paste and stock; simmer until thick.
- 3
Cut potatoes lengthwise and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a sturdy shell. Mash the flesh.
- 4
Fill shells with beef mixture, top with mash and cheese if using.
- 5
Bake at 200°C/400°F for 15 minutes until hot.
Complete the Meal
Serve half to one potato boat with cucumber or fruit.
Allergens
Contains dairy if cheese is used. Check stock for allergens.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Use lentils instead of beef for a vegetarian version.
- Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.
- Omit cheese for dairy-free boats.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freezer Guidance
Freeze filled boats for up to 1 month.
Picky-Eater Strategy
Serve the potato shell, mash and filling separately before progressing to an assembled boat.
Little Helper Job
Let your child mash the potato and sprinkle cheese.
Evidence-informed draft; pending review by a licensed pediatric dietitian before public health claims are made.