by Diana Rattray
Mince and tatties is a Scottish favorite, and one bite will tell you why. It is a comforting savory meal that your family will love. It’s similar to a cottage pie, but all the cooking is done on the stovetop.
Mince and tatties is an easy preparation, too. Since the potatoes cook while the ground beef cooks, the meal is ready in 1 hour or less, making it a great mealtime option for any night of the week. It’s easy on the budget, too!
Feel free to add peas to the mince or leave them out, and if you don’t like carrots, make it with another vegetable, such as corn or parsnips. A flavorful beef stock is best. I add a bouillon cube or some beef base to the beef stock. The “tatties,” or mashed potatoes don’t have to be mashed. It’s great with plain boiled potatoes as well.
How To Prepare Mince and Tatties
Sauté the diced vegetables in oil and butter over medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until no longer pink. Stir the flour into the beef and vegetables, cook for 2 minutes, then add the Worcestershire sauce, broth, and bouillon; cook, stirring, until thickened.
Prepare the mashed potatoes with milk, butter, and seasonings.
Serve the mince with the tatties. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- For the smoothest mash, put the potatoes through a ricer. It makes all the difference.
- Add 4 chopped cloves of garlic to the pot with the potatoes. Cook and mash as directed.
What is the difference between beef mince and ground beef?
British beef mince goes through a mincer, and ground beef goes through the holes in a grinder. Coarseness can differ, but the texture or beef mince is essentially the same as American ground beef.
What are tatties?
Potatoes are called tatties in Scotland.
How To Store Leftover Tatties and Mince
- Refrigerate the beef mince and mashed potatoes in separate airtight containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat leftover mashed potatoes in the microwave or on the stovetop with a small amount of butter.
- Reheat the mince on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Mince and Tatties
Treat your family to mince and tatties, a popular Scottish comfort food. This is a recipe you’ll want to put on repeat!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: British Food, Ground Beef, Mashed Potatoes
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups beef broth, or more as needed
- 1 cube beef bouillon
- 1 cup peas, steamed, optional
For the Tatties
- 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 teaspoons salt, for the cooking water, plus more to taste
- 3/4 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, and celery. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the pan and cook, stirring and breaking up the beef, for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the beef is no longer pink.
- Stir the flour into the beef and vegetable mixture and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, beef broth; stir to blend and bouillon and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. If too thick, add a bit more broth. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper, if needed. Add the steamed peas, if using, and heat through.
- While the mince is cooking, prepare the tatties.
- Put the chunks of potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add 2 teaspoons of salt; place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a saucepan or in the microwave until the butter is melted.
- Drain the potatoes and put them in a bowl (put them through a ricer if you have one). Add the hot milk and butter mixture to the potatoes along with 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and mash until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed.
- Serve the mince alongside the mashed potatoes along with butter for the potatoes and a garnish of chopped parsley, if desired.
