There are few dishes as comforting as shepherd’s pie. This all-in-one dish has your meat, veggies, and starch in a single pan. But, if you ever wanted to make a less starchy version that doesn’t use mashed potatoes then this is your chance. This Cauliflower Shepherd’s Pie has a flavorful sauce surrounding the meat and veggies. But, the topping is a wonderfully creamy take on the traditional version with a lot fewer carbs. Another plus is that you get even more vegetables in every serving.
We’re cooking the meat first and then adding in the tomato paste so it can break down in the heat of the skillet. This gives the dish that hearty flavor. Since we’re using beef instead of lamb this is technically a cottage pie instead of a shepherd’s pie. But, I think many folks in this day and age use the term shepherd’s pie to mean both.
To make things extra simple for this dinner we’re using frozen mixed veggies but you can use fresh or canned if you like. And, you can mix it up to use whatever vegetables you love.
To make the topping we’re boiling an entire head of cauliflower that’s been cut up beforehand. Once it’s tender throw it in the food processor along with some garlic, butter, and sour cream. Purée it until you get a fine, creamy, smooth mixture that’s just like mashed potatoes.
Once you’ve got the filling in the baking dish cover the beef and vegetable mixture with the cauliflower purée. To get the distinctive design on top I did a sort of herringbone pattern in the cauliflower using a fork. You can pipe it on or make any kind of pattern you want here.
The pattern on top of the pie won’t be quite as golden brown as when you use potatoes, but the ridges will still darken a little during baking. And, ss the filling heats up during baking the top can get some sauce coming up around the edges.
There are many variations on this dish, but I can honestly say that in this one I didn’t miss the potatoes at all! Of course it also helps if you already love cauliflower, but overall the flavor and texture is perfect.
This filling dish hits the spot every time- with or without the potatoes!
Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie
Allergens: Milk
Diet: Gluten-Free Diabetic
For the topping:
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
For the filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cups frozen mixed frozen vegetables
For the topping:
- Add cauliflower to stockpot and fill with just enough water to cover the florets. Bring to low boil and cook for 12 minutes. Pour into colander and allow to drain for 2 minutes.
- In same pan add butter and heat over medium-low. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in cauliflower and stir to coat in butter.
- Add cauliflower mixture to food processor along with remaining topping ingredients. Pulse until totally smooth. Work in batches if needed.
For the filling and assembly:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. In clean stockpot or skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add beef, onion, and bell pepper and cook for 12 minutes or until no pink remains, breaking meat up as it cooks.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in vegetables and remove from heat.
- Spread beef mixture along the bottom of a deep 9”x9” (or 2-quart) baking dish. Level with back of spoon. Spread cauliflower mixture on top. Score top with back of fork to make a design. Or pipe cauliflower mixture on top of beef in decorative pattern.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until top is beginning to brown.
Recipe adapted from Gathered Nutrition.