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.
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.