Beef Shepherds Pie with Cauliflower Mash (Printable)

Comforting ground beef and vegetables topped with creamy cauliflower mash for a lighter, low-carb British classic.

# What You 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 celery stalk, diced
06 - 1 pound lean ground beef
07 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
08 - 1 cup beef broth, gluten-free if needed
09 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, gluten-free if needed
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
12 - 1 cup frozen peas
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cauliflower Mash

14 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 - 1/4 cup milk or cream
17 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook until tender, 10–12 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Add ground beef to skillet. Cook, breaking up with spoon, until browned, about 6–8 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Simmer 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Add peas, season with salt and pepper, cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Using food processor or potato masher, blend cooked cauliflower with butter, milk, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
07 - Spread beef mixture evenly in 2-quart baking dish. Top with cauliflower mash, smoothing with spatula.
08 - Bake 20 minutes until top is lightly golden. For extra browning, broil 2–3 minutes at end. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cauliflower mash is so creamy nobody will miss the extra carbs
  • Everything cooks in one skillet plus the baking dish means less cleanup
  • This reheats beautifully and somehow tastes even better the next day
02 -
  • Make sure to drain the cauliflower thoroughly or your mash will be watery
  • The filling needs to be thicker than you think since the cauliflower releases some moisture while baking
  • Letting the pie rest for those 5 minutes is the difference between a neat slice and a sloppy mess
03 -
  • Use a box grater to make quick work of dicing the carrots and celery into small, even pieces
  • Create decorative peaks on the cauliflower mash with a fork for extra crispy golden bits

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