• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Living Healthy With Chocolate logo

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Sign up ✉️
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Sign up ✉️
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
  • ×
    Home | Recipes | Dinner

    Healthy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (low-carb, paleo, whole30)

    By Adriana Harlan | 99 Comments | Published: Sep 21, 2017 · Modified: Aug 31, 2020

    Recipe Video Reviews
    5 from 61 reviews

    I'm so excited to be sharing this Healthy Shepherd's Pie recipe with you! I've been super sick with a cold these last few days and it was hard to make, film, and edit the video for this recipe in time to publish it today. I did it and it feels really good! It took me a total of 5 days to get this post ready, but now you can finally see how I make one of my favorite dinner recipes.

    Shepherds pie in white serving dish sitting on wicker placemat with square section of pie removed

    This is one of the first recipes I posted here on the website when I started the blog back in late 2012 (see post here). I felt this recipe needed a much better explanation on how to make it, and it's so good, it deserves a full video tutorial so be sure to watch it above!

    Shepherd's Pie is easy to make and most commonly, the top layer you see in the pie is made with mashed potatoes. Yes, it tastes amazing but, there's a healthier vegetable we can use in place of the potatoes that has almost the identical taste and texture, and with a far superior nutritional value.

    Cauliflower interestingly enough, is the vegetable we will be using in place of the potatoes, and to top our pie we are going to transform the cauliflower into an amazingly delicious garlic roasted mashed cauliflower. What's most interesting though, is that even if you don't follow a healthy diet chances are you won't even be able to tell we are not using potatoes in this recipe.

    If you crave some kind of comfort food, this meals gives you that satiating feeling without guilt. Cauliflower is low in carbs, and it's nutritional value far exceeds that of potatoes. It is rich in vitamin B, C, K, as well as manganese, phosphorous, and potassium. It is also rich in phytochemicals which are now being studied for their anti-cancer properties. Cauliflower is also a sulfur-rich vegetable, an essential nutrient necessary for the production of hormones which helps keep our muscles, digestive, cardiovascular, and nervous systems healthy.

    As you can see, there are numerous health benefits to cauliflower, but we also want our food to taste good, and this meal does. I think you will love it, and it may become a favorite in your home like it is in mine. Be sure to watch the video above to see my method of making this pie, and when you're ready to make it, read the recipe card below for all of the measurements and step by step instructions.

    This Healthy Shepherd's Pie recipe is easy to make and takes me no longer than 30 minutes. Hope you try it, and please comment below letting me know how it goes. I also want to know what kind of dinner recipes you want me to teach you how to make, so let's chat in the comment section below.

    Check out my other favorite dinner recipes. I think you'll love them too!

    • Carrot-Apple Soup
    • Roasted Cinnamon Lemon Chicken

    🎥 Watch the recipe video

    Healthy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe (low-carb, paleo, whole30)

    Subscribe to my YouTube channel

    📖 Recipe

    SHARE THIS RECIPE
    Email
    WhatsApp
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Yum

    Healthy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (low-carb, whole30, paleo)

    Print
    Leave a Review
    Add Photo
    5 from 61 reviews
    Recipe by Adriana Harlan
    Servings :8
    Prep :30 minutes mins
    Cook :30 minutes mins
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1.25 lbs (610g) ground beef
    • ½ medium onion, chopped
    • 5 large garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 medium carrot, shredded
    • 1 medium zucchini, shredded
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil, or your preferred cooking oil
    • 1 ½ teaspoons fine Himalayan salt
    • 1 teaspoon chilli powder

    Mashed Cauliflower Recipe

    • 2 small cauliflower heads, 1026g
    • 7 large roasted garlic cloves*
    • 1 teaspoon fine Himalayan salt
    To see the brands I use, click each ingredient above or visit my Amazon shop.

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté the onion and garlic until tender. Add the carrot and zucchini, and cook until they start to soften. Add the ground beef, salt, and chili powder, and cook until the beef browns and all of the moisture begins to dry out.
    • Meanwhile prepare the mashed cauliflower. Chop the cauliflower heads into small chunks, and steam until they soften (a fork can easily pierce). Add the steamed cauliflower, roasted garlic and salt to a blender and blend until you have a smooth puree. Use the tamper to help blend the cauliflower if you have one.
    • To assemble the pie, distribute the ground beef evenly in the bottom of an 8-inch baking dish. Spread the mashed cauliflower over the top of the ground beef, and bake in a preheated oven to 350°F for 25 minutes. If you're adding cheese (I use mozzarella) to the top of your Shepherd's Pie like I show in the video, sprinkle the cheese on top after you bake it, and then broil it until the cheese browns (about 3 more minutes in the oven).

    Notes

    *Roasted Garlic - Using a sharp knife, cut ¼ inch from the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, and bake in a preheated oven to 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed. Watch the video above to see how I do it.
    Tip: In the video above you see me adding cheese and egg on top of my Shepherd's Pie. Both these ingredients are optional. If you are not adding cheese to your pie, and you want it to brown during baking, brush an egg over the top of the mashed cauliflower before you bake it. The nutritional values you see above were calculated without adding cheese or egg.
    Use all organic ingredients if you can. For the ground beef, be sure it is grass-fed, and for the salt I prefer using finely ground pink Himalayan salt.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 248kcalProtein: 15gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gSugar: 4gFiber: 3gCarbohydrates: 10gNet Carbs: 7g

    *This post may contain affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.

    Made this recipe?Please leave a review and photo in the comments below.
    Email
    WhatsApp
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Yum

    More Healthy Dinner Recipes

    • white bowl of carrot apple soup garnished with a leaf of parsley
      Carrot Apple Soup
    • raw cauliflower florets on left and cauliflower rice in a bowl on right
      How to Cut Cauliflower Into Florets and Make Cauliflower Rice
    • plate of cracked pepper shrimp and salad on wooden table with fork
      Black Pepper Shrimp
    • cast iron pan filled with roasted cinnamon lemon chicken topped with slices of lemon and caramelized onion
      Roasted Cinnamon Lemon Chicken
    Add a comment & photo -Ask questions, share your feedback and photos!
    guest
    Rate this recipe




    YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED

    guest
    Rate this recipe




    YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED

    99 Comments
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments

    Primary Sidebar

    About Adriana Harlan
    Hi I'm Adriana, a chocoholic who recreates classic desserts using clean, wholefood ingredients so you can indulge more healthfully. Meet Adriana →

    *Gluten-free, Paleo, Vegan dessert recipes*

    Summer Favorites

    • round wooden bowl filled with acai and topped with fresh banana blueberries and strawberries on a bamboo placemat
      How to Make Brazilian Açaí Bowl (3 ingredients)
    • three coconut popsicles stacked on a square white plate with a coconut bowl behind it on a tan placemat
      Coconut Popsicles (Paleo, Egg-free)
    • two glasses of strawberry milkshake with red straws served on white glass tray with a few loose strawberries.
      Strawberry Milkshake (Without Ice Cream or Milk)
    • large cup of healthy paleo copy cat Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino topped with whipped cream chocolate and caramel
      Mocha Frappuccino (Vegan, Paleo)

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Shepherds pie in white serving dish sitting on wicker placemat with square section of pie removed
      Healthy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (low-carb, paleo, whole30)
    • large slice of paleo chocolate cake in foreground with two forks on napkin and full cake in background
      Paleo Chocolate Cake
    • basket of Brazilian cheese bread on wooden table
      Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe (Pão de Queijo)
    • Glass of mango smoothie with two blue straws, plate of mango and pineapple behind the glass
      Mango Smoothie | Easy 3-Ingredients (without yogurt)

    Latest Recipes

    • wooden bowl filled with chocolate granola sprinkled with large chocolate chips and a spoon next to it.
      Dark Chocolate Granola (Grain-Free)
    • blue plate full of flourless chocolate chip cookies stacked on top of each other
      Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • orange cake on stand with a slice in the middle showing the inside
      Orange Cake (GF, Paleo, Keto)
    • six banana muffins with crumb topping on a table and green plate around some yellow bananas
      Almond Flour Banana Muffins

    My Cookbook

    Paleo Desserts for Dummies cookbook cover

    As seen on

    As featured on living healthy with chocolate

    Explore Recipes

    • All Desserts
    • Healthy snacks
    • Savory
    • Cakes / Pies

    By diet: Paleo | Gluten free | Dairy free | Egg free | Nut free | Low carb & Keto | Vegan | Vegetarian | Whole30

    Footer

    Featured on:

    featured on banner living healthy with chocolate

    ↑ back to top

    • About Adriana | About the blog
    • Contact
    • Brand Partnerships
    • Affiliates
    • Instagram | Facebook | Youtube | Pinterest

    ✉️ Newsletter

    Get my best recipes and tips in your inbox.

    Sign up now

    ☕️ Buy me a tea

    Donate a tip so I can keep creating great recipes.

    Donate

    Copyright © 2023 Living Healthy With Chocolate. Privacy Policy | Disclosure | Accessibility

    Website designed and developed by Adriana Harlan ♥