I was walking the dogs in the campo that afternoon, crunching last season's dried olive leaves underfoot, when I decided I didn't want the beef stew I'd made in the slow cooker the night before. What I wanted was Dublin Coddle. The stew was perfectly good — diced beef, leek, sweet potato, carrot, celery, red wine, stock, a spoonful of Dijon mustard — but it wasn't what my stomach had decided it wanted.

So I did what you do when dinner has already made its own plans: I adapted. Instead of dumplings or a side of mash, I topped the whole thing with mashed potato and put it in the oven. A slow cooker beef stew cottage pie. Not what I intended.

The sweet potato in the stew was a use-it-up decision rather than a grand design, but it works well — it softens into the gravy and adds a faint sweetness that balances the Dijon and the red wine. I'd do it deliberately next time.

A note on the stew itself: I made it the night before and left it to stand overnight. This is not laziness — a slow-cooked beef stew is always better the next day, when the flavours have had time to settle. Spoon it cold into the casserole dish, top with the mash while it is still warm, and bake. The contrast in temperatures helps the topping hold its shape rather than sinking.

This slow cooker beef stew cottage pie is best made over two days — stew on day one, assembled and baked on day two.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew Cottage Pie — Ingredients

(serves 2–3)

For the stew:

• 500g diced beef, coated in seasoned flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1 sweet potato, cubed
• 2 sticks celery, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1–2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Small glass of red wine
• Beef or chicken stock, enough to cover
• 2 bay leaves
• Big pinch of dried mixed herbs
• Pinch of celery seeds
• Big pinch of dried chilli flakes
• Sea salt and black pepper

For the mash topping:

• 600g floury potatoes, boiled and mashed
• Knob of butter
• Splash of milk
• Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Sea salt and white pepper

Method

Bake at 190°C for 40 minutes until the top is golden. Serve straight from the dish.

Coat the diced beef in seasoned flour and brown in batches in a hot pan. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Add all remaining stew ingredients. Pour over the wine and enough stock to cover. Set to low and cook for 12 hours. Stir gently after 6–8 hours.

Leave the stew to stand overnight if possible — it improves considerably.

When ready to assemble, spoon the stew into a large casserole dish. Top with the mashed potato, spreading it to the edges. Season the top with a little sea salt and white pepper.

This recipe is part of my Beef & Veal Recipes collection — from slow braises to weeknight mince dishes and everything in between.

This recipe is also part of the Slow Cooker & Slow Cooking Recipes collection — every slow cooker recipe and slow-cooked dish from Casa Adora and the road, gathered in one place. Browse all recipes here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef