Cooking often requires a lot of time and effort. The chopping, peeling, and waiting around for potatoes to cook for a cottage pie can take a while.
However, one budding cooking fan has found a way to make cottage pie without needing to peel and boil potatoes.
Amy Sheppard, also known as @amysheppardfood on TikTok, has shared her “midweek reminder” that “you don’t have to spend ages peeling, boiling and mashing potatoes…you can make cottage pie using frozen potato waffles!”
The TikTok user added in her post for the recipe: “I love this dinner – our whole house loves this dinner!
“Beef mince and veggies in a lovely sauce, topped with waffles and cheese and finished off under the grill. It could not be easier!
“I know it’s probably not everyone’s cup of tea! The recipe’s below, let me know what you think.”
Households can purchase a 12-pack of Aldi’s own frozen potato waffles for just £1.49, which works out at just 12p per waffle.
Throughout the video, the chef whips up a quick cottage pie filling with mince, onions, carrots and garlic before finishing it off on the grill with some frozen potato waffles and grated cheese.
Army added: “It is so comforting and so quick and means you can enjoy cottage pie in the middle of the week when you’re a little bit pushed for time.
“I’ve done this with quite a few different things. I love potato waffles on top of fish pie and I’ve also done it on a chicken and bacon pie. It just works so well.”
The viewers were very impressed with Amy’s hack with one person commenting: “Omg thank you I never thought of that. I’m disabled so I have trouble peeling potatoes so this is a great idea.”
Another said: “Haha my mind says no, but with a child who won’t touch mash! This is amazing.”
A third said: “This is so genius. Looks better than the original. You’ve improved the wheel.” The recipe for the cheesy waffle cottage pie can be found below.
Ingredients
Oil, for frying
One onion, finely chopped
Two carrots, peeled and finely chopped
500g beef mince
Two garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
Three teaspoons beef gravy granules
One tablespoon plain flour
400ml boiling water
One beef stock cube
80g frozen peas
Eight or nine frozen potato waffles
80g grated Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large non-stick pan and add the onion and carrots and fry on a medium heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the beef mince and garlic, and fry for five minutes until the beef is browned. Stir in the flour and fry for one minute.
Add three teaspoons of beef gravy granules and a beef stock cube to 400ml of boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Slowly add the beef stock to the pan a little at a time, bringing it to a boil before adding more and stirring continuously. Add the tinned tomatoes and frozen peas to the pan.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes until the beef and veg are cooked and the sauce has reduced a little. Season with salt and pepper. Around 10 minutes before the filling is cooked, heat the grill to medium/high. Place the potato waffles on a tray and put them under the grill. Grill on one side for five to seven minutes until golden brown.
Pour the filling into an oven-proof dish and remove the waffles from under the grill. Cover the filling with the waffles, placing them cooked side down. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and place back under the grill. Grill for five to seven minutes until the cheese has melted, the top of the waffles are cooked and the beef is still heated through.
