Low-Carb Shepherd’s Pie

This low carb easy shepherd’s pie uses cauliflower mash instead of mashed potato, making it friendly for those who are on the keto diet. This may be low in carbs, but it’s loaded with protein and veggies, as well as delicious flavor. You can make it in a large casserole dish, or feel free to portion it out into individual loaf pans or ramekins.

Shepherd’s pie is sometimes called cottage pie, depending on the protein source. Shepherd’s is with ground lamb while the cottage is made with ground beef. It is a meat pie that originates in the United Kingdom somewhere in the mid to late 1700s and was a way to use up leftover meats and vegetables while introducing the potato as a cheap source of food for the people. Here, I substitute the mashed potato in the classic shepherd’s pie recipe with mashed cauliflower, creating a healthier version of this hearty and beloved dish. It’s hot and savory comfort food that will warm you to your bones, perfect for chilly fall and winter nights. If you don’t have a potato masher or an immersion blender, you can place the cauliflower into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

It’s important to season the meat filling and juicy gravy that results from cooking it all together well. While I didn’t add it here, a dash of Worcestershire sauce will give some extra depth to the flavor. Make sure the cauliflower is cooked until tender, or else it may have a grainy texture. You can replace the Greek yogurt with sour cream instead, depending on what you have in your refrigerator. Some people add cheddar cheese as a topping which will melt during the baking process. You can use beef or lamb, and add some beef broth or beef bouillon to concentrate the flavors in the gravy. A little bit of tomato sauce or tomato paste will give it just a hint of acidity to cut through the creaminess of the mashed cauliflower topping.

This is a remixed version of an older Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie recipe.  Following a lower carbohydrate diet doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give up the food you enjoy; rather, you just need to be more creative and thoughtful when it comes to preparing them.  Here, I’ve swapped potatoes with cauliflower and removed the black beans without compromising the flavor, or the hearty, warm feeling you get when you eat shepherd’s pie.

Note: I use ground lamb in this recipe since original recipes include lamb, AND so that I can easily tweak this meal for my ketogenic diet; however, lamb is not required.  If you are following a lower fat diet, then feel free to use leaner ground meat.

I purchased all of the ingredients from my local Kroger grocery store.

This recipe reheats well in both the oven and the microwave, and it’s quite easy to make in bulk. Freezing portions of these in microwave safe containers means you have some tasty grab and go lunches. I hope you enjoyed making my version of a fit and healthy cauliflower cottage pie recipe. If so, I would love to hear all about it so please drop a comment below.