Keto shepherd’s pie is a hearty and comforting low-carb dinner recipe.  Made with ground beef or lamb, keto shepherd’s pie is a meaty, savory dish that is perfect to make in autumn and winter.

If you are searching for an easy keto dinner recipe that as delicious as it is comforting, look no further!  I’m so excited to share this low-carb makeover of one of my favorite casserole recipes – Shepherd’s Pie.  This easy low-carb dinner is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket. You and your family will love this dish.

Keto shepherd’s pie is definitely a crowd-pleaser. Shepherd’s pie is so delicious, even non-keto eaters will ask for seconds!

Ingredients in Keto Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s pie is a traditional casserole-style dish with a bottom layer of ground meat and vegetables, covered with a layer of mashed potates. Although shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with lamb, I used ground beef in this recipe.  My family prefers ground beef, and it is far easier for me to find at my local grocery store. That said, if you love lamb, please feel free to substitute it for the ground beef.  You can even use ground turkey or venison in place of the ground beef.

To keep the carb count low, I also made a few substitutions to the traditional shepherd’s pie vegetables.  Instead of the traditional carrots and peas, I added chopped onions and diced zucchini.  If you aren’t eating keto — or have room in your macros for some extra carbs, go ahead and add back in the veggies of your choice.  

And then, instead of a mashed potato topping, I’ve used a mashed cauliflower topping instead. Mashed potatoes are not recommended for a low-carb diet. Mashed cauliflower, or “cauli mash”, is a perfect low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes — and tastes just as delicious.

Here are the ingredients you need for this recipe:

• ground beef, or ground lamb
• an onion
• a couple of cloves of garlic
• zucchini
• tomato paste
• beef stock
• thyme, salt, and pepper

And then, for the cauliflower topping, you’ll need:

• cauliflower
• butter
• cream
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• salt and pepper

How to Make Shepherd’s Pie

Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is a casserole made with a bottom layer of minced meat and diced vegetables in a savory sauce. Then, the meat mixture is topped with a layer of mashed potatoes and baked in the oven until golden brown.

To start, saute the onions and garlic until softened.  Add the beef to the pan, and cook until browned.  Add the stock, along with the tomato paste, thyme, salt and pepper. Then, simmer the mixture until it thickens a bit.  Set the meat mixture aside while you make the mashed cauliflower.

Tips for Smooth Cauliflower Mash

The first step in making mashed cauliflower is to cook the prepped cauliflower florets. To cook it, you can either steam the cauliflower florets for 15 minutes or boil them for 10 minutes. The cauliflower is cooked when you can easily pierce it with a fork.

Once the cauliflower is soft, drain it well.  You can return it to the pan and let it dry out a bit before adding the butter, cream, and cheese.

For the creamiest mashed cauliflower, I recommend using a large food processor or a high-powered blender to simultaneously mash the cauliflower and combine it with the other ingredients.

If you’d like to see a full recipe on cauliflower mash, check out Creamy Keto Mashed Cauliflower

Other Keto Ground Beef Recipes

I’m sure this low carb Shepherd’s Pie recipe will be a dish that you will want to add to your dinner rotation often. If you like cooking with ground beef, check out these other recipes:

Easy Keto Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

Easy Keto Chili without Beans (Instant Pot and Slow Cooker Recipes)

Keto Taco Salad Recipe

Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl (Crack Slaw)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #greenandketo on Instagram.

Keto Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Mash

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Keto shepherd's pie is a hearty and comforting low-carb dinner recipe.  Made with ground beef or lamb, keto shepherd's pie is an easy comfort food casserole that your family will love.

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Ingredients

Ground Beef mixture

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 large zucchini diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup low-sodium beef stock (or 1 cup water and bouillon cube)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mashed Cauliflower

• 1 small cauliflower cut into florets
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

For the beef

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté on medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 -2 minutes more.
3. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until it is browned and cooked through.
4. Add the diced zucchini, stock, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

For the cauliflower

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add cauliflower florets, and cook about 10 minutes, or until soft.
2. Drain the cauliflower well, allowing all steam to escape. You can also add the cauliflower back to the hot pan to drive even more water out.
3. Transfer the drained cauliflower to a food processor or blender.  Add the butter, cream, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
4. Spread the mashed cauliflower over the beef mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes and until the filling is bubbly and the topping is browned.

Notes

You can use a food processor, blender, or immersion (stick) blender to make mashed cauliflower. You can also mash it by hand, but the results with not be quite as smooth. Still tasty, though!

If you cauliflower mash isn't browning in the oven, you can run it under the broiler for a few minutes. Watch carefully!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 379Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 596mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 25g

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Carb count will vary with different ingredients and brands. It should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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