Shepherd’s Pie with Mashed Cauliflower

An easy and healthy shepherd’s pie topped with a creamy, dairy-free mashed cauliflower. This comforting meal is a wonderful cold weather dish that’s simple to make. The recipe is free of gluten, grains, and dairy. It’s SCD legal and can easily be made paleo and whole 30 by omitting the peas! 

Hi friends! About ten years ago, my mom and I took a spectacular two week trip to Ireland. I loved everything about the country; the scenery was gorgeous, the villages were quaint and the people were so charming and friendly! I also really enjoyed their rustic, homey approach to cooking. My favorite meal from our trip was the shepherd’s pie but…

What is shepherd’s pie?

Shepherd’s pie, also known as cottage pie, is a mouthwatering casserole of meat and veggies topped with mounds of buttery mashed potatoes.

In the years since our trip, shepherd’s pie has been in regular rotation at my house but as my health deteriorated and dietary needs changed, my recipe for this tasty dish also changed.

I’ve done lots of experimenting, specifically with subbing out the potatoes, but I ALWAYS come back to topping the meat mixture with cauliflower. It gives a lightness to an otherwise rich dish, plus it tastes fantastic!

How do you make dairy free shepherd’s pie?

Begin by steaming the cauliflower. Once it’s tender, transfer it to a blender along with chicken stock, dried thyme, and salt. Blend until it’s smooth then set aside!

If your system can handle dairy, this cheesy smashed cauliflower recipe tastes equally amazing (if not better because…well…cheese!) in this dish!

Brown the ground beef then set aside. Saute the peas, carrots, and onions. Then add in the chicken stock, ground beef, and peas (if following paleo or whole 30, omit the peas).

Remove the skillet from the heat and top the meat mixture with the dairy free mashed cauliflower, making sure to spread the cauliflower so that it completely covers the meat!

Lightly drag a fork through the mashed cauliflower to make little ridges.

The whole skillet is then placed in to oven until the carrots are tender and the little ridges are lightly browned! Hope you enjoy!

Cooking tips!

• Chop the carrots into smaller pieces for a faster cooking time.
• If using frozen carrots, add them to the skillet at the same time as the peas.
• Use an oven safe skillet (like the one pictured) to keep you from washing an extra dish!
• This dish freezes beautifully. Store in an airtight container.

Leave a comment and star rating below if you made this recipe or have questions!

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Tag @alifeofhappenstance so I can see your creations!

Want some more comforting meals?! Try these:

• Turkey Filled Acorn Squash
• Noodle-less Butternut Squash Lasagna
• Cuban Picadillo

5 from 10 votes

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Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Cauliflower

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

An easy Shepherd's Pie (cottage pie) topped with a creamy, dairy-free mashed cauliflower. This healthy casserole follows the SCD diet and is gluten free, grain free, and dairy free. 

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Irish

Servings: 6

: 224 kcal

Author: Jennifer Brown of A Life of Happenstance

Ingredients

Mashed Cauliflower

• 1 medium to large head of cauliflower
• 1/4 cup beef or chicken stock
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Meat Mixture

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 medium carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup beef or chicken stock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (omit if following paleo or whole 30)

Instructions

Mashed Cauliflower

1. Cut the cauliflower florets off the stems. Place the florets into a colander and rinse. Steam cauliflower using a double boiler.  

2. If you don't have a double boiler, fill a pot with about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Fit the colander into the pot and place a lid on the colander. Steam until tender. 

3. Once tender, transfer cauliflower to a blender. Add the stock, thyme, and salt. Blend until smooth and set aside. 

Meat mixture

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat oil in a large, oven safe skillet over medium heat. Brown the ground beef. Drain any fat and transfer the meat to a plate. 

2. Using the same skillet, add the onions and carrots. Saute until the onions are translucent and the carrots have softened. 

3. Sprinkle the salt and thyme into the skillet and add the stock. Cook until the stock begins to bubble. 

4. Add ground beef and peas to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined. Remove from heat. 
   

5. Top with the mashed cauliflower. Drag a fork through the cauliflower to gently make little ridges. These little ridges will get nicely browned in the oven. 
   

6. Place the skillet on the top shelf in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, just until the cauliflower has browned and the carrots are tender. 

7. Allow the Shepard's Pie to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or it can be frozen. 

Recipe Notes

Cut the carrots into small pieces to make sure they soften and don't come out al dente. 

 

If frozen carrots are used, add them to the skillet at the same time as the peas. 

 

* The calories calculated in this recipe are just an estimate. 

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