Beef Shepherds Pie Cauliflower (Printable)

Savory ground beef and vegetables topped with smooth cauliflower mash for a lighter main dish.

# 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 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 2 pounds), 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)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook until very tender, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced celery. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until fully browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.
06 - Stir in frozen peas. Season with salt and black pepper, then simmer for 2 additional minutes. Remove from heat.
07 - In a food processor or with a hand masher, blend cooked cauliflower with butter and milk until very smooth. Season with salt and white pepper.
08 - Spread the beef mixture evenly into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with the cauliflower mash, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
09 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top, if using.
10 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the topping is lightly golden and the filling is bubbling. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It delivers all the cozy, stick-to-your-ribs satisfaction of traditional shepherd's pie without the carb-heavy potato topping.
  • The cauliflower mash becomes impossibly creamy when you don't skip the butter and milk, turning skeptics into believers.
  • One dish, real vegetables, protein-packed beef, and something that tastes like home but won't leave you feeling sluggish afterward.
02 -
  • Draining the cauliflower thoroughly is the difference between silky mash and watery disappointment—take an extra minute with this step.
  • Don't skip browning the beef properly; that caramelized color is flavor, and it matters more than rushing through.
  • The mash needs enough butter and milk to feel luxurious, or it tastes like sad cauliflower instead of the indulgent topping it should be.
03 -
  • Keep the diced vegetables relatively uniform in size so everything cooks evenly and your filling doesn't have mushy carrots with crunchy celery.
  • Use white pepper in the cauliflower mash if you care about keeping it pale and elegant-looking, but regular pepper tastes just as good.

Go Back