Beef Shepherds Pie Cauliflower (Printable)

A hearty mix of ground beef and vegetables topped with smooth cauliflower mash for a light, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 stalk celery, diced
06 - 1 pound lean ground beef
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 cup beef broth
09 - 1 teaspoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
12 - 1 cup frozen peas
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Cauliflower Mash

14 - 1 large head cauliflower (about 4.5 lb), cut into florets
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 - 1/4 cup milk or dairy-free alternative
17 - Salt and white pepper to taste

→ Topping

18 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Boil salted water in a large pot, add cauliflower florets and cook until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, garlic, carrots, and celery, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes.
04 - In the same skillet, add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
05 - Incorporate tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Stir frozen peas into the beef mixture and season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for an additional 2 minutes then remove from heat.
07 - Blend the cooked cauliflower with butter and milk using a food processor or hand masher until smooth. Season with salt and white pepper.
08 - Evenly spread the beef mixture in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Smooth the cauliflower mash atop the beef layer.
09 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the cauliflower mash if desired.
10 - Bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is lightly golden and the filling bubbles. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the comfort food you crave without the heavy feeling afterward, which honestly changes everything about enjoying it.
  • The cauliflower mash is so creamy and rich that no one at the table will miss the potatoes, even if you don't tell them what they're eating.
  • One dish, six servings, and your kitchen smells like a proper home-cooked meal for hours.
  • You can make it ahead and bake it fresh when people arrive, which feels like a small miracle on busy nights.
02 -
  • If your cauliflower mash comes out watery or grainy, you either didn't drain the cauliflower well enough or your heat was too high when you blended it—I've made both mistakes and learned to be more patient.
  • The texture of the beef filling matters just as much as the flavor; if you let it simmer too long, it dries out and tastes stringy instead of tender and rich.
  • Parmesan on top isn't actually optional if you want that crispy, golden, satisfying crust that makes the whole thing feel restaurant-quality.
03 -
  • Make the entire dish a few hours ahead and refrigerate it, then bake it fresh right before serving—the flavors actually deepen as they sit, and you eliminate half the last-minute stress.
  • If your beef filling looks too thin after simmering, let it bubble for another few minutes; the flour in the tomato paste will naturally thicken it as the liquid reduces.

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