Keto shepherd’s pie is alternative to a favorite casserole dish with beef or lamb topped with the best cheddar cauliflower mash topping. Loaded with original flavors this low carb twist is sure to please family and friends!
Do you remember the first time you had a shepherd’s pie? Now, you’re doing the keto diet and will a keto shepherd’s pie be just is good? How does the topping work, do you still get all the veggies inside. After all carrots have carbs right, can I still use those?
Yes, and yes to all those questions. This shepherd’s pie recipe is amazing and packed with a ton of flavor. The cauliflower mash topping works perfectly. Not only is the minced or ground meat packing but even the topping has the traditional cheesy flavors with it. It’s easy to make and great for the holidays or simply those cold winter months. Keto casserole dishes can be tricky but this one is so easy to follow and there isn’t much difference from the classic version.
How To Make A Keto Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef or Lamb
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrots (optional)
- Tomato Paste
- Beef Broth
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Cauliflower
- Eggs
Preparing & Baking The Pie
To start, chop and boil cauliflower florets until tender. You’ll need a food processor or blender to get the mash smooth. I personally have not been able to get cauliflower lump free any other way. Once mash is tender, place in food processor and add in egg while it’s spinning. Mix until smooth then add in freshly grated parmesan cheese. You can sub for cheddar cheese as well.
In a large pot, add in lean ground meat. Grate garlic cloves, carrots and shred onions over ground meat. Cook until ground meat has browned. Next, spread the meat around the edges to reveal the bottom of your pan. Then, add in tomato paste and give it a little mix in the middle before combining into the ground meat.
Next, pour in beef broth or stock. Allow the broth to reduce until have a thick, smooth meat layer ready to add into the casserole dish.
In a 8×8 casserole dish, add the ground meat layer, then top with the cauliflower mash you prepared earlier. Spread out flat and even and place in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until top is browned to your liking.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Casserole dish or cast iron pan, you can use either! I see it’s popular to use either but using a casserole dish makes servings easier in my personal opinion.
- Ground beef, turkey or lamb, I honestly think the recipe just works the best with a red meat source. Maybe I’m wrong, I have never had a lamb version but I do enjoy lamb for what it’s worth. However, there are people whom like to used ground turkey in the recipe and you will just sub the red meat one to one.
- Cauliflower heads, in the recipe I recommend two cauliflower heads because one large doesn’t seem to produce a thick enough top layer. Now, if you’d like a thinner layer then a large head should be fine.
How To Store
Casserole dishes freeze very well and can keep for months in the freezer. This is no different here! For refrigeration, the keto shepherd’s pie will last 3-5 days in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many carbs in this keto shepherd’s pie?
Even with using carrots with an 8×8 baking dish this shepherd’s pie is only 6g net carbs per serving. That’s well below what you would see in a shepherd’s pie that used a bunch of starchy potatoes for the topping. That’s why normal shepherd’s pie isn’t keto friendly due to the topping but we have you covered here!
Can I use ground turkey in my shepherd’s pie?
Traditionally, ground beef or lamb are used but turkey is a great option. To do this you can swap out the beef or lamb for turkey using the exact same measurements.
Can you use almond flour in a shepherd’s pie?
I am assuming you’d like to use almond flour in the cauliflower portion to replace the flour. However, in this recipe I use cheese and egg as a binder and it works great. If you were to use almond flour the shepherd’s pie topping would be gritty and the almond flour would not act as if it had gluten in it.
What are some good holiday recipes?
Keto Shepherd’s Pie You’ll Love: This is How To Make It
Ingredients
Cauliflower Topping
- 2 small heads of cauliflower
- 2 ounce grated parmesan cheese (sub for cheddar)
- 2 large egg
- salt to taste
Ground Meat Layer
- 1.5 pound 90/10 ground beef (sub for ground lamb)
- 1 medium onion
- 4 clove garlic
- 1 cup carrots
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Cauliflower Topping
- Remove green leaves and cut heads of cauliflower into florets. Place Ia pot of boiling water until fork tender.
- Once tender allow to cool a bit then add to a food processor. Turn on and add in eggs, allow to mix until smooth and free of lumps.
- Remove and grate fresh parmesan cheese into mash. Then salt to taste.
Ground Meat Layer
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Before starting, grate your veggies to make the cook fast and smooth. Shred your onion, grate the garlic and carrots.
- In a large pot add in ground meat on medium high heat. Add in shredded and grated veggies. Cook until browned.
- Once brown push the meat to the edges to reveal the bottom of the pan. Now add in tomato paste and give it a little mix on the direct heat before mixing into the ground meat. Immediately, pour in the beef broth then reduce until ground meat is thick and ready for the casserole dish.
- Layer the meat first then top with cauliflower mash you made earlier. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until desired browning of the topping. Allow to cool a bit then serve.
Loved this! I used aged white cheddar in the cauliflower as an option he suggests. You can’t tell that it’s not fluffy mashed potatoes on top. Perfect comfort food!