The Boxed Pantry Staple That Turns Ground Beef Into A British Comfort Meal

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The simple act of buying a pack of ground beef can open up a whole world of culinary possibilities. You could mix it with breadcrumbs, eggs, and onions to shape into burger patties, or simmer up your own ragù for a rich, comforting pasta sauce. But one of our favorite ways to use ground beef is in a cozy cottage pie. This dish is a labor of love, though, and if you'd rather skip the time-consuming step of preparing the mashed potatoes, swap your fresh spuds for boxed scalloped potatoes instead.

For those unfamiliar, scalloped potatoes, not to be confused with au gratin potatoes, are a simple, comforting casserole made from thinly sliced potatoes baked in a creamy dairy-based sauce, often seasoned with herbs and spices. There are plenty of boxed options available, but we recommend going with Betty Crocker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, available on Amazon. The dried potato slices cook right in the oven alongside the pie, so there's no boiling, draining, or mashing to worry about. They also elevate the dish in a way plain mash can't, with the creamy, cheesy sauce bubbling down into the beef filling beneath it while the slices on top turn golden brown. 

To make it, start with your usual beef filling and spread it into a baking dish. Prepare the boxed potatoes with the liquid and other ingredients specified on the package, then spoon the whole mixture over the beef. Bake uncovered, and for extra-browned, crispy potatoes and cheese sauce, switch on your oven's broiler for the last few minutes of cooking.

Swapping in scalloped potatoes might sound like a cheat, but it's closer to tradition than you'd think. Cottage pie first appeared in print in 1791, when potatoes were becoming more affordable and working their way into people's everyday diets. In its earliest renditions, sliced potatoes are thought to have formed the topping, with mash only becoming the favorite years down the line.

Making scalloped potatoes the old-fashioned way, from scratch, will cost you time, but it makes up for it with deeper flavor and a silkier texture. It all starts with a good batch of potatoes. They need to hold their shape when cooked, and we can think of no better option than Yukon Golds. They sit comfortably in the medium-starch range, meaning they'll soak up those cream and beef flavors without completely falling apart. This matters even more here because cottage pie is a high-moisture dish. A starchy potato like a russet is another popular pick.

Even if you enjoy scalloped potatoes the traditional way, there's a strong case for breaking with tradition. Cheese isn't a historical ingredient in either scalloped potatoes or cottage pie, but it's now commonly paired with both. For a British touch, reach for a mature cheddar — trust us, no Brit will ever object to cheese in a cottage pie. Grate it and layer a handful between potato slices as you build, then scatter more over the top for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking, until the surface turns golden and bubbly.