For those wondering what on earth a cowboy pie is, it’s essentially a sausage and baked bean filling underneath mashed potato. It’s the most comforting of comfort foods and I’m so excited to share my take! As for the waffles on top? We’ll get to that in a sec. Follow me…
Sausage Cowboy Pie
Sausages are one of the key ingredients in a cowboy pie, so I recommend investing in some good pork quality sausages. I also recommend getting plain sausages (i.e. not packed with different flavour combos). My favourites are Cumberland Sausages! Once you’ve fried the sausages, remove them from the pan and leave the fat in the pan. Don’t waste the flavour! Process shots: add sausages to pan (photo 1), fry then remove (photo 2).
Cowboy Pie Filling
The filling is a really hearty mixture of bacon, kidney beans and sausage, alongside pepper, onion and garlic for a boost of flavour. The sauce is tomato based, but it’s also got a deep, rich & smoky flavour with help from beef stock, BBQ sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Did I mention ‘hearty’?!
Simmering the filling
Simmering the filling for around 25 minutes is important not only to reduce and thicken the liquids but also to marry and deepen the flavours. Don’t skip this step! Process shots: fry bacon (photo 1), fry onion and pepper (photo 2), fry garlic (photo 3), fry tomato puree (photo 4), add chopped tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, kidney beans and sausages (photo 5), stir then simmer (photo 6).
Waffle Cowboy Pie
I once saw a creator friend of mine, Amy Sheppard, top a cottage pie with waffles and it blew my mind. How had I never thought of that before?! And trust me, I’m a sucker for Mashed Potato, but the waffle topping is just too good (and convenient!).
What can I use instead of waffles?
The obvious substitute is mashed potato. If you’re in the US I’m not sure if you’ll have frozen potato waffles, but I imagine waffle fries would work just as well! Or tater tots, or even hash browns.
Cheesy cowboy pie
This recipe invites itself so well to the addition of cheese. Originally when I tested this I grated the cheese straight on top of the frozen waffles and baked everything. However, the cheese prevented the waffles from crisping up and the topping ended up a little chewy. Instead, you’ll want to bake without the cheese, then add it on at the end and grill until it melts.
Serving a Cowboy Pie
This is a pretty hearty pie, especially with the beans and waffles, so I don’t tend to serve this with any sides. Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this cowboy pie shall we?!
How to make a Waffle Cowboy Pie (Full Recipe & Video)
For another waffle recipe check out my Waffle Loaded Cheeseburger Fries! For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Sausage and Mash Pie Chicken and Bacon Pie Chicken and Mushroom Pie Cottage Pie Baked Potatoes Chilli Hotpot Chicken and Chorizo Potato Bake Steak & Potato Pie
