Easy Beef and Cabbage Shepherd’s Pie
This easy Beef and Cabbage Shepherd’s Pie is cozy comfort food at its best. Savory ground beef, crunchy cabbage, and a rich gravy all covered by creamy mashed potatoes. It’s the kind of hearty dinner you make when you want something warm, filling, and totally satisfying.
Our version of shepherd’s pie skips the peas (we just don’t like them) and replaces them with green cabbage cooked down with carrots, onions, and ground beef, which technically makes this a cottage pie. Everything gets coated in a rich gravy made with thyme, broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce, then topped with creamy mashed potatoes and a dusting of parmesan for a subtly toasty crust. It’s classic comfort food with a few updates that make it extra flavorful but still totally beginner-friendly.
Pull Up A Chair
Rachel: This is the kind of comfort meal that I want to enjoy while watching reruns of my favorite TV show and wearing my favorite sweatshirt.
Emily: It’s super cozy and doesn’t take itself seriously. It might look like it’s hard to make, but it’s actually super doable, even for beginner cooks.
Before You Start
- Read the recipe in full before you start cooking.
- Do all the prep first, then start on the cooking steps.
- Set timers for yourself! There are a couple of different parts to this recipe, and setting timers will keep you on track and organized, and ensure a good result.
- If you’re ever overwhelmed, break the recipe up into separate parts: mashed potatoes; beef, veggies, and gravy; assembly and baking.
Why You’ll Love This Beef and Cabbage Shepherd’s Pie
- No peas – maybe this is just a reason why we love this dish, but if you also don’t love peas, you’re safe here. And even if you’re a fan of peas, you’ll love the cabbage in this version! We happen to love cabbage in many dishes (like our Crunchy Cabbage Salad with Ramen), and this is no exception.
- Budget-friendly ingredients – aside from the ground beef, the rest of the ingredients are fairly inexpensive.
- Great for meal prep – you can make the mashed potatoes and the beef, veggie, and gravy mixture all ahead of time, then assemble and bake the casserole when you’re ready to eat.
- Makes amazing leftovers – this dish also makes for amazing leftovers, so go ahead and pack some up for work the next day!
- Cozy but not complicated – this recipe is hearty without being hard to make. It’s just lean beef, veggies, an easy gravy, and mashed potatoes. No complicated steps.
- Easily adaptable – we’ve tested this recipe using gluten-free 1:1 flour, cashew butter, soy milk, etc., and it’s turned out wonderfully each time. Feel free to adapt it to your needs.
What’s the Difference Between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?
The major difference between a shepherd’s pie and a cottage pie is the choice of meat. Shepherd’s pies traditionally use ground lamb, while cottage pies use ground beef. Both pies also include vegetables, such as onions, carrots, and peas, as well as a sauce or gravy to bind everything together. Both savory pies get topped with mashed potatoes.
Cumberland pies are another savory pie option that sometimes get thrown into the same group as the shepherd’s and cottage varieties. They typically have larger chunks of meat (beef, lamb, or both) instead of ground. These pies are also topped with a layer of toasted breadcrumbs and melted cheddar cheese (or the cheddar can be mixed into the mashed potatoes).
Ingredients in Beef and Cabbage Shepherd’s Pie
To make this shepherd’s pie with beef and cabbage, you’ll want to separate the recipe into three main parts: the mashed potatoes, the beef and veggies, and gravy.
- Mashed potatoes – you’ll need potatoes (russets work best because they’re starchier and sturdier), butter, milk, and salt and pepper (can use non-dairy milk butter too).
- Beef and vegetables – lean ground beef (we like 90/10), onions, carrots, green cabbage, fresh thyme, tomato paste, and salt and pepper.
- Gravy – butter + flour to make a roux (to thicken the gravy), beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce.
We also like to top the mashed potatoes with grated parmesan to help them brown a little and add a little texture.
How To Make Shepherd’s Pie Without Peas
Prepare the oven. Preheat your oven to 375F and grab a large baking dish.
Make the mashed potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until they’re fork tender. Mash the potatoes, then mix in the butter, then the milk and sour cream. Season with salt and set aside.
Cook the beef and vegetables. While the potatoes are boiling, add the beef to a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook the beef for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the vegetables and thyme and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, then make a well (empty space) in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste to it. Toss the tomato paste with the veggies and meat to distribute it.
Make the gravy. Move the beef and veggies to the edges of the pan to make a well, then add the butter to the well and melt it. Add the flour to the melted butter and cook for a minute before mixing it with the meat and veg. Add the broth and mix it in, cooking until the liquid thickens up into a gravy. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and taste for seasoning.
Assemble and bake the pie. Transfer the beef and veggies and gravy to the baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes.
Spread the potatoes into an even layer and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown. Garnish with chives, if desired.
Our Tips for Making Beef and Cabbage Shepherd’s Pie
How To Serve and Store This Easy Ground Beef Shepherd’s Pie (No Peas)
- Serving suggestions: this is a meal in itself, so you don’t need much on the side. You can serve it with a fresh salad or simple veg, like our Roasted Broccoli with Lemon. Or make it for St. Patrick’s Day and follow it up with our Irish Cream Chocolate Cupcakes for a festive dessert!
- Storage ideas: this beef and cabbage shepherd’s pie makes a lot, but that’s okay because it makes for amazing leftovers! Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a low oven.
FAQs: Shepherd’s Pie with Cabbage and Beef
Easy Beef and Cabbage Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cubed (3 medium)
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Water + 1 tbsp salt for potatoes
Beef & Veggies
- 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10)
- 1 cup diced carrots diced (about 2 medium)
- ½ green cabbage chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 sweet or yellow onion diced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves from 8-10 sprigs
- 2 tbsp butter divided
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour or can substitute with 1:1 gluten-free flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Additional Toppings & Garnishes
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ½ tbsp fresh chives minced
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Making the Potatoes
- Add the potatoes to a pot of cold salted water.2 pounds russet potatoes, Water + 1 tbsp salt for potatoes
- Bring water to a boil and cook the potatoes for about 20 to 25 minutes more, or until tender.
- Drain the potatoes, then mash with butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste.4 tbsp butter, ½ cup milk, ½ tsp sea salt
Making the Beef and Veggies
- Add the beef to a large sauté pan set over medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.1 pound lean ground beef (90/10)
- Add the vegetables and thyme and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.1 cup diced carrots, ½ green cabbage, 1 sweet or yellow onion, Salt and pepper, 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and mix it with the beef and veggies.2 tbsp tomato paste
- Make a well in the center of the pan and add 2 tbsp of butter, then mix in the flour and cook for 1 minute.2 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Pour in the beef broth and mix it with the meat and vegetables. Then stir in the Worcestershire sauce.1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 cups beef broth
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a couple minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes more of a gravy.
Assembling and Baking
- Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a large baking dish.
- Top the meat and vegetables with the prepared mashed potatoes. Run the tines of a fork all over the mashed potatoes to give them some texture and spread them to the edges of the dish. Top the mashed potatoes with parmesan.¼ cup grated parmesan
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Optional: broil on high for 2-3 minutes until the parmesan on top is golden brown. Garnish with chives.½ tbsp fresh chives
Notes
- Set timers! This will help you stay on track.
- Don’t skip the cabbage. The cabbage gives this shepherd’s pie so much texture and flavor and oomph.
- Cook the beef first. Even lean beef has some fat in it, which will come out when it’s cooking, meaning you don’t have to add as much oil to the pan.
- Cook the beef while the potatoes are boiling. The beef takes about 8 to 10 minutes to cook, which is just under the time it takes to cook the potatoes
- Don’t overcook the potatoes. If you cook them too long, they’ll soak up too much water and won’t have enough structure to rest on top of the meat and veg in the baking dish.
Final Thoughts
We love this dish, like seriously love it. It’s hearty and flavorful, but the lean beef and extra vegetables make it feel less heavy than many other shepherd’s pies. If you approach this recipe in parts, it’ll be simple and easy to put together, even if you’re just starting out on your cooking journey!
This was delicious! I’ve tried a couple of Shepherd’s Pie recipes and this one tops them all!!!
What a wonderful looking pie recipe. Love to try it this weekend.