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.
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 – click for recipe
Roasted Cinnamon Lemon Chicken – click for recipe
- 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)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 2 small cauliflower heads (1026g)
- 7 large roasted garlic cloves*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 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).
Total carbs 12.1g; Fiber 3.2g; Net carbs 8.9g; Protein 13.7g; fat 23.4g; Calories 308 kcal
*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.
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Cottage pie or shepherd’s pie is a type of savory pie. It is made with minced meat, with mashed potato on top. It comes from the United Kingdom and Ireland. The dish is now popular worldwide.
The name “cottage pie” was first used at the end of the 18th century. It was around that time that the poorer people of Britain, people who lived in cottages in the country, started using potatoes as an everyday food. Originally, a pie made with any kind of meat and mashed potato was called a “cottage pie”.
In modern British English, the dish is usually called “cottage pie” if it is made with beef. If it is made with lamb it is usually called “shepherd’s pie” (because a shepherd looks after sheep).
One of the first dishes that I had when I moved to New England 24 years ago was Shepherd’s Pie. A neighbor shared her grandmother’s recipe with me because she was delighted that I enjoyed it so much. When I saw your version I printed a copy immediately and will make it for a special friend and fellow weaver who loves anything traditional…and healthy. Thank you. (PS – I’m rating this five stars just for the memory of my friend’s Shepherd Pie!)
Always enjoy your videos thanks. I’m more of a savory person so love the dinner recipes 👍
I usually prefer simple meals, and open to whatever you like to cook.
I love the baking dish you used for this. Can you tell us what brand it is and where to get it? Can’t wait to try this dish; looks like a wonderful fall dinner!
Hi Edie, I bought that baking dish at Ross and there’s I can’t find it online. Here’s a photo of the brand name printed on the bottom.
I enjoy all your recipes. Yes, more dinner ideas would be great.
Can’t wait to try this recipe!! Perfect addition for my Fall dinner list.
Hi Adriana! We have a special family favorite Thanksgiving recipe with sweet potatoes, brown sugar, butter, corn flakes, and pecans. (The cereal and pecans are a crunchy topping.) I’d love if you have an adaptation for a healthier version with these flavors. (I did not try making the Shepherd’s pie yet, but boy does it look good!!)
Hi Jessica, is your sweet potato recipe baked in the oven? Maybe omit the brown sugar and corn flakes to make it healthier.
Here it is…what could replace the crunch aspect of the baked corn flakes?
I always cut the sugar and butter when making this, in general!
2 C. mashed sweet potatoes (fresh are the best)
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 stick melted butter or margarine
2 eggs beaten
1 C. milk (1/2 C. if canned potatoes are used)
1 scant teaspoon salt
Mix all ingredients well and pour into a greased 7 x 11” dish.
Bake in 400° F oven for 20 minutes.
While the casserole is baking, make the topping:
1/4 Cup crushed corn flakes
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup pecans [broken]
1/4 stick melted butter or margarine
MIX WELL
At the 20 minute timer, remove the casserole from the oven.
Spread the topping evenly over the baked casserole.
Return the casserole to oven for an additional 10 minutes at 400° F.
Corn flakes have a unique crunch and it’ll be hard to replace it. I find that sliced almonds also give a good crunch so maybe you can try that. But I bet the meal is just as good without the crunch and I wouldn’t worry about it 🙂
Love your Shepards pie with cauliflower. Please share more healthy dinner recipes.
I made this Shepherds Pie tonight for dinner and everyone wanted seconds! No one knew that the topping was cauliflower and not potatoes. It’s amazing. I did do the egg and cheese on top and left it under the broiler just to get brown.
I love this Rita, thank you! You’re so far the first one who sent me some feedback and I love it. Thanks again, looks amazing 🙂
Just a quick note that if you cook your ground beef until it dries out more, you won’t get that ‘water’ in your pie. Not sure it this bothers you, but you can do this if it does 🙂
I tried this recipe tonight and both my husband and son (and I) loved it! I thought I had cooked my meat mixture enough, but also had the extra liquid in my casserole dish. I will try cooking it longer next time. My son is getting married in a few months and I have been collecting recipes for him when he seems to particularly like something I’ve made. This Shepherd’s Pie has made the cut! Thank you for continuing to share your “healthified” recipes! 🙂
🙂 Thank you so much for your message and feedback Becky!
This was super yummy and easy to make! Will definatley be making this again!
Thank you Melissa! 🙂
I made this for Canadian Thanksgiving with family visiting for the weekend, and it was a major hit with everyone! The roasted garlic made the mashed cauliflower extra special, and the shredded veggies in the meat made it lighter (and inspired me to sneak extra servings of veggies into other recipes, no one knew!). Great recipe, very easy to put together!
Thank you so much Katie 💛