Keto Shepherd’s Pie Recipe | Family Favorite Meal Idea

Keto Shepherd's Pie

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 (or 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 to remove excess moisture)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 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 the meat mixture to a medium-sized casserole dish.

4

Heat up frozen cauliflower rice in the microwave according to package instructions, and drain any excess water.

5

Place cauliflower in a food processor (or blender). Add in cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, butter, and oregano. Process until the mixture has a "mashed potato" consistency.

6

Spread mixture on top of meat evenly.

7

Place in 350° oven for about 30 minutes, until top is golden brown.

8

Cut and serve warm.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1/6 of pie
Amount Per Serving: 589 Calories | 49.8g Fat | 8g Total Carbs | 2.7g Fiber | 4.2g Sugar | 0.1g Sugar Alcohol | 27.8g Protein | 5.2g Net Carbs

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More One Pot Meals
72 Comments
4.4 / 39 ratings
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Try making this simple keto shepherd’s pie for a warm and comforting dish.

spreading cauliflower on keto shepherd's pie

Love traditional Shepherd’s pie?

It’s the best, most delicious comfort food. It’s popular in the U.K. and typically features 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 instead of potatoes!

keto shepards pie

I recently tried this recipe using ground beef and thought it was delicious. More importantly, this keto 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 and family-friendly keto meal!

The best keto shepherd's pie we've tried starts with beef, onion, cauliflower, and heavy whipping cream.

mixing shepard's pie ingredients

best keto shepherds pie – combining ingredients

mixed cauliflower

shepherd's Pie keto recipe – cooking meat in the pan

spreading cauliflower mash on keto shepherd's pie

keto beef shepherd's pie – adding the topping and cooking until golden


Print

Keto Shepherd's Pie

yield: 6 SERVINGS

prep time: 25 MINUTES

cook time: 30 MINUTES

total time: 55 MINUTES

This delicious one-pan dish is an easy family-friendly meal idea!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1.5 pounds ground beef (or 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 to remove excess moisture)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 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 the meat mixture to a medium-sized casserole dish.

4

Heat up frozen cauliflower rice in the microwave according to package instructions, and drain any excess water.

5

Place cauliflower in a food processor (or blender). Add in cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, butter, and oregano. Process until the mixture has a "mashed potato" consistency.

6

Spread mixture on top of meat evenly.

7

Place in 350° oven for about 30 minutes, until top is golden brown.

8

Cut and serve warm.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1/6 of pie
Amount Per Serving: 589 Calories | 49.8g Fat | 8g Total Carbs | 2.7g Fiber | 4.2g Sugar | 0.1g Sugar Alcohol | 27.8g Protein | 5.2g Net Carbs

Brought to you by Hip2Keto.

Best keto Comfort Food Shepherds Pie Recipe - a large helping of shepherds pie on a plate

Hip tips for making the best keto shepherd’s pie:

  • You can use ground lamb, ground beef, turkey, or chicken! This recipe is that easy to adapt.
  • Want a convenient one-pan dish? Use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet to cook your meat and veggie mixture, top with mashed cauliflower, and bake in the oven as I did below.
  • For a shortcut on time, 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.
  • Cream cheese is the secret to thickened mashed cauliflower. It helps to prevent a watery shepherd’s pie!
  • If you’re a garlic lover, try adding a couple of cloves of minced garlic to your mashed cauliflower, too. It’s SO good!

keto shepherd's pie recipe – served on a plate

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 whole family will love!

three side-by-side photos of keto shepherd's pie in progress

Check out what Hip2Keto reader and recipe tester Kari had to say about our keto shepherd’s pie recipe:

“This was a really easy recipe to make. It has a milder flavor so the kiddos will love it as well as the adults. You could easily use whatever meat you prefer.

The hardest part of this recipe was mixing the mashed cauliflower. I used my immersion blender which worked fine—I just had to do it in batches. Using a food processor would probably make them silkier like mashed potatoes.

You could add a little garlic to the mashed cauliflower if you are a garlic lover like me! Overall it was good and I would make it again!”

Hooray! Thanks so much, Kari, for the great recipe review, the beautiful photos, and the helpful tips! We love hearing from readers to ensure we have the BEST and EASIEST keto recipes around!


 Make this delicious cheesy cauliflower chowder next!


About the writer:

Lina has a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Arizona University with 11 years of blogging and photography experience having work featured in Today.com, Martha Stewart, Country Living, Fox News, Buzzfeed, and HGTV.


Join The Discussion

Comments 72

  1. Carla

    What is the serving size? How many servings is this?

    • Amber (Hip2Keto Sidekick)

      Hi Carla! This makes 6 servings. 🙂

      • Jayna

        If I don’t have a food processor will the recipe not work?

        • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

          You could mash everything by hand or use a hand mixer instead.

  2. Dawn

    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?

    • Lina D

      No you can use fresh and just cook it first.

      • Dawn

        Thank you

    • Mary M Agostini

      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.

  3. Jennifer

    Hi, what size cast iron skillet did you use in these photos?

    • Amber (Hip2Keto Sidekick)

      Hi Jennifer! It is a 12″ cast iron skillet! 🙂

  4. Tlene

    What’s one serving ?

    • Amber (Hip2Keto Sidekick)

      Hi there! This recipe makes 6 servings. Be sure to divide your pie into 6 to grab just one serving! Hope that helps!

  5. Jean

    I don’t own cast iron. Would regular work as well??

    • Lina D

      Yes you can just cook meat mixture in whatever skillet and transfer to a small or medium casserole dish to cook in oven.

  6. Crystal

    Should the cream cheese be softened?

    • Amber (Hip2Keto Sidekick)

      Yes! Thanks for the suggestion! We are adding that above!

  7. Jen

    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.

    • Lina D

      Awesome! That’s great news!

    • Paula

      I did the same.

  8. Kate

    Did you drain the meat once you cooked it on the skillet?

    • Amber (Hip2Keto Sidekick)

      Yes! You can drain the meat as needed.

  9. Sue

    Would this freeze well.

    • Amber (Hip2Keto Sidekick)

      Hi Sue! We haven’t tried freezing this dish, however it should freeze up well for you! Hope this helps!

  10. Suzanne

    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!

    • Amber (Hip2Keto Sidekick)

      Thanks for pointing that out! The post above should now match the MyFitnessPal results!

  11. Don

    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!

    • Lina D

      That’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing your tips. 🙂

  12. Birdy

    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.

    • Ruth Scott

      Thanks Birdy, my hubby is from UK and always informs folks when they call Cottage pie “Shepherds Pie” 🙂

  13. WenofSF

    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.

    • Lina D

      That’s so great! Thanks for letting us know!

  14. Tina

    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! 🙂

    • Lina D

      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

  15. Janelle H

    can any other veggies be added I’m so used to shepherds pie having more in it other than just celery?

    • Amber (Hip2Keto Sidekick)

      Hi there! You can for sure add green beans and/or some onion, but be sure to measure to keep those macros in check. 🙂

      • Christ D.

        What are macros

        • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

          Hi there! Great question! Macros are “nutrients that our body needs in large amounts consisting of carbs, fats, proteins—the three different sources of fuel for your body.” You can find more information on that over here –> https://hip2keto.com/tips/what-are-keto-macros/

          Hope this helps!

  16. Brandi

    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.

    • Lina D

      Thanks so much for sharing Brandi!

  17. Katy

    Do you think I could make it and then put in the fridge and warm it up for dinner.

    • Lina D

      Yes absolutely! Great question ?

  18. Sarah Adams

    Oh my god. Sooo good! I added a bit of aminos and some dry red wine to the meat. I’m in heaven.

    • Lina D

      That’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing your success ??

  19. joanne mccullough

    Wow just made this!! Delicious. I used the frozen mashed cauliflower from Trader Joe’s. Turned out great!! Thanks again!

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      YUM! You’re so very welcome! Super glad you enjoyed it!

  20. Suzi

    This was absolutely wonderful. I would have never known it was keto friendly………. will make it again and again.

    • Lina D

      Oh that is so great to hear!!

  21. Annette T.

    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!

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      Great – thanks for sharing!

  22. Sora

    Tried it. OMG it was delish. I ended up doubling all the ingredients up 3 lbs of grass fed 85%. These were my mods used avocado oil instead of olive and added carrots (1/2 cup – yes, I know they aren’t Keto but the mod request came from my son). I put it in the turkey roasting dish and it came out with 20 servings. Toasted the top in broiler to brown it. Calories 381, 3 net carbs, 21g protein, 30g of fat. It was beast. My son ate 3 servings who doesn’t do Keto.

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      That is so amazing!! How yummy! Great work. 👍

  23. stefanie

    I am an old school Sheperd’s pie maker (from the south), this looks good, we shall see. Will update y’all

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      ok yes- let us know if you enjoy 🙂 Thanks!

  24. Stefanie

    Do you guys think a blender will work I don’t have a good processor?

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      yes if it’s a strong one should, also a hand immersion blender if you have one. Thx!

      • stefanie6868

        ok, if this doesn’t come out good it will be my fault for not having a processor, lol

  25. Constance Colmer

    Great recipe – I added a can of peas/carrots
    I didn’t drain my meat enough, and, will use fresh cauliflower next time
    Thanks, grandmacc

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Oh good! You’re welcome! Thanks for taking a moment to share with us!

  26. Julie

    I added some all spice in the meat and it tastes like the one my mom used to make! Minus the corn, obviously 🙂 Delicious!

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      Yay- that’s such great news Julie! Thanks for sharing ❤️

  27. Tam

    Could you cook this in air fryer in place of oven

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Hi Tam! No, this wouldn’t cook well that way. There may be a way to make the Air Fryer work, however this recipe is optimized to be cooked in a skillet or casserole dish with a stove + oven method. Hope that helps!

  28. kimbates1978@gmail.c

    I just started my Keto Lifestyle today and made this for dinner. It was amazing! All the flavors put together just melted in your mouth. I totally recommend!

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      Oh hooray! I’m so glad – thanks for sharing!

  29. Connie Alberstett

    That looks so delicious!

    • Jennifer (Hip Sidekick)

      It is! I hope you can try it!

  30. melodie a gentry

    I did not have any cauliflower on hand so I substituted mashed turnips, wow, worked well with the slight peppery taste of turnip.

    • Jennifer (Hip Sidekick)

      What a great substitution! Thanks for letting us know how well that worked out.

  31. Ima

    I used fresh cauliflower and mashed it with a immersion blender. Used only cream cheese and forego the cheddar. I had left over turkey breast so I cubed it and added to my veggies. I also added mushrooms to my veggie sauté. Delicious. It’s a great meat and veggie pie.

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      Awesome! Thanks for sharing how you made yours, Ima! Sounds delicious!

  32. Beth Davis

    Excellent! I think next time I’ll add green beans as suggested. I also added a little soy sauce. Very tasty! Thanks so much for sharing.

    • Jessica (Hip Sidekick)

      You’re welcome, Beth! So happy to hear how well you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing what you added to yours! 🥰

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