Comfort Food
Best Keto Shepherd’s Pie
The Best Keto Shepherd's Pie Recipe
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 25 MINUTES
cook time: 30 MINUTES
total time: 55 MINUTES
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 pounds ground beef (you can use ground lamb, chicken, or turkey)
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 10 oz. bags of frozen riced cauliflower (cook and drain as to remove excess moisture)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350.
2
Heat oil in a skillet on the stove and cook meat, onion, celery, and garlic. Stir in tomato paste, and season with salt & pepper to taste.
3
If not using an oven-safe skillet, transfer meat mixture to a medium-sized casserole dish.
4
Heat up cauliflower in microwave according to package instructions, and drain if any excess water.
5
Place cauliflower in a food processor. Add in cheeses, cream, butter, and oregano. Process until mixture has a "mashed potato" consistency.
6
Spread mixture on top of meat evenly.
7
Place in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until top is golden brown.
8
Cut and serve warm.
Nutritional Information
Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1/6 of pie
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 509, Total Carbohydrates: 7g, Fiber: 2g, Net Carbohydrates: 5g, Total Fat: 40g, Protein: 32g
Love traditional Shepherd’s pie?
It’s the best, most delicious comfort food, popular in the U.K. typically featuring ground meat with veggies and mashed potatoes on top. Luckily, for those following a Keto lifestyle, there’s a yummy and easy way to make a lower carb version using creamy mashed cauliflower!
I recently tried this recipe using ground beef and thought it was creative and delicious. More importantly, this shepherd’s pie is definitely EASY to prepare. Just cook the meat filling on the stove, whip up a cheesy cauliflower mash, and bake in the oven for a delicious family friendly meal!
Hip Tip: You can use ground lamb, ground beef, turkey or chicken! It’s that easy to adapt.
For a shortcut on time that’s well worth it, I used two bags of frozen cauliflower rice. I first cooked them in the microwave and then whipped up my cheesy “mashed potatoes” to top the beef mixture.
Hip Tip: Want a convenient one-pan dish? Use a 12-inch cast iron pan to cook your meat and veggie mixture, top with mashed cauliflower, and bake in the oven as I did below!
My secret? It’s in the cream cheese!
The gums in the cream cheese thicken up the mashed cauliflower, which helps prevent the watery shepherd’s pie so many keto cooks, unfortunately, end up with.
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The Best Keto Shepherd's Pie Recipe
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 25 MINUTES
cook time: 30 MINUTES
total time: 55 MINUTES
This delicious one-pan dish is an easy family-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 pounds ground beef (you can use ground lamb, chicken, or turkey)
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 10 oz. bags of frozen riced cauliflower (cook and drain as to remove excess moisture)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350.
2
Heat oil in a skillet on the stove and cook meat, onion, celery, and garlic. Stir in tomato paste, and season with salt & pepper to taste.
3
If not using an oven-safe skillet, transfer meat mixture to a medium-sized casserole dish.
4
Heat up cauliflower in microwave according to package instructions, and drain if any excess water.
5
Place cauliflower in a food processor. Add in cheeses, cream, butter, and oregano. Process until mixture has a "mashed potato" consistency.
6
Spread mixture on top of meat evenly.
7
Place in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until top is golden brown.
8
Cut and serve warm.
Nutritional Information
Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1/6 of pie
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 509, Total Carbohydrates: 7g, Fiber: 2g, Net Carbohydrates: 5g, Total Fat: 40g, Protein: 32g
The cauliflower puffs up nicely and gets an amazing golden brown crust!
Mashed cauliflower paired with the flavorful ground meat filling is a deliciously satisfying meal that the family will LOVE! We enjoyed it and thought it was a great meal.
I’m guessing that the tomato paste get added to the meat and vegetables? I didn’t see anything about it in the recipe steps.
Thanks for catching Nancy! You are correct – just stir in with meat mixture. I updated!
Thanks! That’s what I did, and it’s in the oven as I type!
It’s in step 2… ?
This was absolutely wonderful. I would have never known it was keto friendly………. will make it again and again.
Oh that is so great to hear! ???
What is the serving size? How many servings is this?
Hi Carla! This makes 6 servings. 🙂
Hi, very excited about making this recipe but I’m wondering, I would prefer to use fresh cauliflower instead of frozen, is there any change to the recipe if I choose to do that?
No you can use fresh and just cook it first.
Thank you
I used fresh and it was great! I also added some worcestershire sauce and cream cheese to the meat mixture for added flavor and moisture.
Hi, what size cast iron skillet did you use in these photos?
Hi Jennifer! It is a 12″ cast iron skillet! 🙂
What’s one serving ?
Hi there! This recipe makes 6 servings. Be sure to divide your pie into 6 to grab just one serving! Hope that helps!
I don’t own cast iron. Would regular work as well??
Yes you can just cook meat mixture in whatever skillet and transfer to a small or medium casserole dish to cook in oven.
Should the cream cheese be softened?
Yes! Thanks for the suggestion! We are adding that above!
Well, it’s a hit!!! My 2 very apprehensive teenagers loved it! I used the Green Giant Mashed Cauliflower (with olive oil and sea salt) in place of the frozen cauliflower. Just used the hand mixer to add all the cheeses, cream, oregano, and butter. Super convenient.
Awesome! That’s great news ??
Did you drain the meat once you cooked it on the skillet?
Yes! You can drain the meat as needed.
Would this freeze well.
Hi Sue! We haven’t tried freezing this dish, however it should freeze up well for you! Hope this helps!
This is delicious! My family didn’t even know it was cauliflower until I told them. I am trying to log this in myfitnesspal, and it keeps coming up as more net carbs than stated here. Do you our do any of your followers have this in the database so I can search for an accurate entry? Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for pointing that out! The post above should now match the MyFitnessPal results!
Just made and ate. So Delicious! A couple notes – I would use the leanest ground beef possible as I used 80/20 and there was quite a bit of grease/fat at the end. I didn’t have a food processor and mashed by hand. Still kind of ricey texture but still worked great in case you don’t have a food processor. I also subbed peas and carrots for the celery. A few more carbs but taste more like a classic shepherds pie. GREAT RECIPIE WILL BE EATING AGAIN!
That’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing your tips. ?
I really wish people would understand that there is a difference between Shepherds pie and Cottage pie. Shepherds pie is made with LAMB (as in the shepard herds sheep) . Cottage pie is made with BEEF. Cottage pie has been around a lot longer than shepherds pie and were generally made with a pastry crust before they changed to potatoes.
Thanks Birdy, my hubby is from UK and always informs folks when they call Cottage pie “Shepherds Pie” 🙂
I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS! My 7 year old, who hates everything I make, loved it. My husband, who grumbles to himself when the food is too healthy, loved it and had three servings! This dish really hit the spot for me as well since I am a die hard potato lover and am mourning the loss of my spud friend. 🙂 Adding this to the list of usual recipe suspects!
Thanks so much creating this awesome dish.
That’s so great! Thanks for letting us know!
About how many ounces would you say is in one serving? I need to know to report on my Keto Manager chart for dinner. I didn’t use celery and I made my cauliflower rice from scratch. This recipe was Delicious!!! Will be a new favorite. Thank you! 🙂
Thanks Tina – I would guess about a cup – but will admit I didn’t measure out each serving. Will keep this in mind moving forward on casserole type dishes. Thanks
can any other veggies be added I’m so used to shepherds pie having more in it other than just celery?
Hi there! You can for sure add green beans and/or some onion, but be sure to measure to keep those macros in check. 🙂
This is delicious! Cream cheese added to the cauliflower rice to make “mashed potatoes” is a genius idea. It tastes almost like the real thing! I’ve already made this a couple of times and it is definitely going to be one of my go to recipes. Bonus, my husband loves it as well.
Thanks so much for sharing Brandi!
Do you think I could make it and then put in the fridge and warm it up for dinner.
Yes absolutely! Great question ?
Oh my god. Sooo good! I added a bit of aminos and some dry red wine to the meat. I’m in heaven.
That’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing your success ??
Wow just made this!! Delicious. I used the frozen mashed cauliflower from Trader Joe’s. Turned out great!! Thanks again ?
YUM! You’re so very welcome! Super glad you enjoyed it!
Added 2 Carrots, diced, along with the celery and onion. Also added Italian seasoning to the mashed cauliflower in place of oregano. Forgot to add butter in the processor so about halfway through cooking, I drizzled melted butter on top. This was amazing and will make again!
Great – thanks for sharing!