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Carrot and Beef Pie is a savory pie that’s made of two simple layers, and no extra ingredients: deliciously seasoned ground beef on the bottom, and a lovely carrot top — a bit like a shepherd’s pie, but much simpler and with a different charm.
This recipe is Paleo, AIP, Whole30, Low FODMAP, VAD, GAPS and Gluten-free.
My family loves when dinner is baked in a pie plate. Somehow it makes the presentation, serving and eating of it more exciting.
Savory pies are always special. When the crust/cobbler top is really just a comfort-food veggie purée — one that’s super inexpensive — an easy and affordable weeknight meal is born.
Add a simple green salad, and this dinner will feed four people, all for about $10 to $15, with leftovers for a second meal.
Ingredients in Carrot and Beef Pie
Simple everyday (Low FODMAP) ingredients make this pie easy to pull together at the last minute, if you have carrots in the fridge (or garden) and beef in the fridge or freezer.
All of the gentle and healthful ingredients used in this recipe are:
- ground beef
- carrots — Use white carrots for VAD.
- tapioca starch/flour — Just a small amount is used in both layers for subtle thickening. This ingredient is even fine for VAD. Let me know in the comments if you need an alternative. (Omit for GAPS.)
- sea salt and herbs
- apple cider vinegar — This ingredient reacts with the baking soda and creates a light fluffy rise to the carrot topping.
- baking soda
How to make Carrot and Beef Pie
The two layers are prepared thus:
- Steam carrots, then purée or smash them with the remaining 5 topping ingredients.
- Cook up the ground beef, seasoning it with the 4 remaining meat ingredients.
- Layer into pie plate with meat on the bottom, carrot purée on the top.
- Bake until browned around the edges and cracked in places, about 45 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly, if you have the time, and then serve.
Carrot and Beef Pie (Paleo, AIP, Low FODMAP, GF)
Equipment
- saute pan
- saucepan with steamer or similar
- veggie smasher, fork or food processor
Ingredients
Ground beef layer
- 2 lbs ground beef preferably pasture-raised
- 1 Tablespoon tapioca starch /flour, or use rice flour for VAD/GF if preferred (Omit for GAPS.)
- 1-¾ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon herbs dried: 1 teaspoon each: dill, mint and rosemary, or use another blend you love like Herbs de Provence.
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
Carrot topping
- 2 lbs carrots white carrots for VAD
- 1 Tablespoon tapioca starch /flour, or use rice flour for VAD/GF if preferred (Omit for GAPS.)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ginger dried
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Grease pie plate. Preheat oven to 375℉.
The beef (bottom) layer
- Cook meat and salt in large skillet over medium heat, breaking up chunks into smaller pieces. Cook until no longer pink, about 8 to 10 minutes. When about 2 minutes remain, add tapioca flour, herbs and ginger. Cook final 2 minutes, moving herbs around with meat so they become heated and fragrant.
- Pour meat into pie plate, pressing it into a flat even layer. Set aside.
The carrot topping
- While meat is cooking, steam chopped carrots until very tender. Remove and allow them to cool slightly.
- Purée in food processor, or smash by hand with smasher or fork. Add apple cider vinegar. In small bowl, stir together tapioca flour, herbs and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to smashed carrots, and stir in well.
- Pour and scrape carrots onto beef in pie plate.
- Spread carrots evenly over meat. Bake in preheated oven until puffed, cracked in places and browned around the edges, about 40 minutes.
- Cool slightly, or up to an hour. Slice into wedges, and serve.
Nutrition
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Renee Kohley says
This is so great (and great on the budget!) – I will be putting this on my menu this week! Thank you!
Megan Stevens says
Great, Renee! So glad!! 🙂
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
What a fun + creative idea! I’m sure this will be a family favorite for many.
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Emily!! 🙂
Simple Pure Beauty says
Sounds super easy to make! Can’t wait to try this!
Megan Stevens says
Great. 🙂
Ravenous Venus says
This looks divine! can’t wait to make 🙂
Megan Stevens says
So glad! Thanks!
linda spiker says
Fabulous! I need to use white pepper more often!
Megan Stevens says
It really is a favorite!
Anna @GreenTalk says
Love that you used ginger. How does this affect the taste of the dish?
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Anna, it tastes very similarly to pepper when used as it is in this recipe.
Michelle@SunshineDayReviews says
Megan, I modified this recipe for my stage of the GAPS diet and it was sOOOOO good! I wrote a post about it on my new blog SunshineDayReviews.wordpress.com and hopefully sent more people your way. Please feel free to check out the blog and let me know if there is anything incorrect I need to fix or any way I did not give you enough credit. Because this yumminess deserves credit!
Megan says
I’m so glad, Michelle! Love your post! I just commented on it over on your site. 🙂 Blessings as you continue to heal!! Thanks for sharing!
Andrew H says
Would this work with turnips instead of carrots? Also what size pie plate do you use? Looks like a brilliant recipe and I’d love to give it a shot!
Megan Stevens says
Yes, turnips would work well. It is a traditional 9″ pie plate. 🙂 Enjoy!
Dorothy says
This looks like one I’ll want to try. I don’t normally see white carrots in the store where we usually shop, but they look nice, and would be an interesting alternative to regular carrots.
Megan says
Yes, Dorothy, they are so sweet and so good. I’m going to see if any of my local markets can get them in bulk for me. I have also grown them, but I can’t reliably grow enough.
Dorothy says
I hope you’re able to get them in bulk. :-).
Megan says
Thank you, that would be lovely!
Eliza Hooks says
Can I use almond flour as a substitute?
Megan says
Hi Eliza, no, I don’t think almond flour would work well here, as it has really different qualities than tapioca flour. Sorry.
Eliza Hooks says
Can cassava flour be used as a substitute?
Megan says
Yes, I’m not sure for sure, but it is likely to work well as a sub for tapioca. 🙂
Eliza Hooks says
thank you for your quick reply!
Megan says
My pleasure!