Pampas Sunflower, Beef and Braised Cabbage Pie with Potato and Cheese Topping

Name: Pampas Sunflower, Beef and Braised Cabbage Pie with Potato and Cheese Topping
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Argentina
Ingredients: 18 oz ground beef; 1.75 lb potatoes; 10.5 oz green cabbage; 1.25 cups onion; 4 oz criollo or tybo cheese; 1/2 cup milk; 2 tbsp butter; 1/3 cup hulled sunflower seeds; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/2 cup beef stock or water; 2 tbsp sunflower or corn oil; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1 leaf bay leaf; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh parsley

An original Argentine-inspired savory pie that combines sautéed beef with onion, garlic, paprika, and cumin, mixed with braised cabbage and toasted sunflower seeds for a distinctly Pampas touch. It is topped with rustic mashed potatoes and melted criollo cheese, then baked until golden.

30 minPrep

55 minCook

85 minTotal

4Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g ground beef (preferentemente with 10-15% of grasa)
800 g potatoes (peladas and cut diced)
300 g green cabbage (cut fino)
180 g onion (chopped)
120 g criollo or tybo cheese (grated or en hebras)
120 ml milk (for the puree)
30 g butter (divided)
40 g hulled sunflower seeds (tostadas lightly)
10 g garlic (chopped)
30 g tomato paste
120 ml beef stock or water (for brasear the repollo)
30 ml sunflower or corn oil (divided)
4 g sweet paprika
2 g ground cumin
1 g dried oregano
1 g bay leaf
8 g salt (or a taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
10 g fresh parsley (chopped)

Nutrition facts

per serving

585 kcal

Calories

33 g

Protein

29 g

Carbs

37 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

25 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with a little of the oil.
2
2. Place the potatoes in a pot with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender. Drain well.
3
3. While the potatoes cook, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the sunflower seeds. Toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
4
4. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and sauté the onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
5
5. Add the cabbage, bay leaf, a pinch of salt, and the beef stock or water. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and the liquid has mostly reduced. Remove the bay leaf and set aside.
6
6. In another skillet, or the same one once cleared, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned.
7
7. Add the tomato paste, sweet paprika, cumin, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes so the spices blend in.
8
8. Stir the braised cabbage and toasted sunflower seeds into the beef. Mix well, cook 1 minute more, then turn off the heat. Add the chopped parsley and adjust salt if needed.
9
9. Mash the hot potatoes with the milk, half of the butter, and a pinch of salt until you have a rustic but creamy mash.
10
10. Spread the beef and cabbage filling in the baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, smoothing with a spoon. Dot with the remaining butter and then sprinkle the grated criollo cheese over the top.
11
11. Bake at 220 °C / 425 °F for 18 to 22 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned in spots. If you want deeper color, broil for 2 to 3 more minutes, watching closely.
12
12. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving so the pie firms up and slices more neatly.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, let the beef develop good browning before mixing it with the cabbage. Toasting the sunflower seeds just until fragrant greatly improves the final dish.

Substitutions

You can replace criollo cheese with low-moisture mozzarella or pategrás cheese. Green cabbage can be swapped for red cabbage, though it will give a bolder color and flavor. If you do not have sunflower seeds, use toasted hulled pumpkin seeds instead.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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