Description
Hearty Cheesy Mince and Mashed Potato Bake brings comfort straight from Irish kitchens to dinner tables worldwide. Layers of savory ground meat and creamy potatoes promise a delicious meal that satisfies deep hunger and warms souls completely.
Ingredients
Scale
Mashed Potatoes:
- 4 medium potatoes
- 30 grams (1 tablespoon) butter
- 100 grams grated cheddar cheese
Spices:
- Black Pepper
- Mint
- Salt
Mince Layer:
- 500 grams (1.1 pounds) minced meat
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 4 green peppers, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
- 30 milliliters (3 tablespoons) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (25 grams) tomato paste
- 200 milliliters (6.8 fluid ounces) water
Spices:
- Black Pepper
- Cumin
- Thyme
- Paprika
- Salt
Topping:
- 150 grams (5.3 ounces) grated cheddar cheese
- 1–2 sprigs parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the mashed potato foundation by peeling and boiling potatoes until tender. Thoroughly mash the potatoes, incorporating butter, cheddar cheese, and selected seasonings until smooth and creamy.
- Create the robust meat layer by heating olive oil in a skillet over medium temperature. Sauté finely chopped onions and minced garlic until translucent and fragrant.
- Add ground meat to the skillet, cooking until completely browned and no pink remains. Introduce diced red and green peppers, ripe tomatoes, and tomato paste, stirring to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Pour a measured amount of water into the meat mixture, allowing it to simmer gently. Reduce liquid while softening vegetables and developing rich flavor profiles. Season with preferred herbs and spices.
- Select a suitable baking dish and construct the initial layer using the prepared mashed potatoes, spreading evenly across the bottom surface.
- Carefully distribute the seasoned meat mixture over the potato base, ensuring complete and uniform coverage.
- Generously sprinkle additional grated cheddar cheese across the top layer, creating a potential golden crust.
- Transfer the assembled dish to a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until cheese melts completely and develops a beautiful golden-brown appearance.
- Optional: Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving for added visual appeal and herbal freshness.
Notes
- Swap ground beef for ground turkey or plant-based mince to create a lighter, leaner version of this comforting dish.
- Add grated zucchini or finely chopped spinach into the mashed potatoes for extra vegetable nutrition and a vibrant green color.
- Enhance the flavor profile by incorporating fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary into the meat mixture for deeper, more complex taste notes.
- Make this dish gluten-free by ensuring all ingredients like tomato paste are certified gluten-free and checking seasoning blends for potential wheat-based additives.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg