Shepherd’s Pie is a traditional English dish. In Britain it is generally made with lamb or mutton; in this recipe I have made a simple ground beef shepherd’s pie and added bacon for extra flavor.
Shepard’s pie is often referred to as “cottage pie,” by the English; it is a casserole made of cooked meat and vegetables that is then topped with mashed potatoes and baked. I have made this dish into a Paleo casserole by using Mashed Cauliflower for the topping. This reduces the glycemic index of the dish and increases the nutritional content, since cauliflower is a super food.
I based my recipe for ground beef Shepherd’s Pie, on this Shepherd’s Pie recipe from functionalfoodie.com. As you can see, I made some adjustments. First, I eliminated the tomato sauce, as research from Dr. Loren Cordain points to the possibility that tomatoes contain immune disrupting lectins (I have therefore eliminated them from my diet as I have MS). I also did not use coconut milk in the mashed cauliflower topping, and skipped the Worcester sauce (since I’m too lazy to read ingredients and prefer to use the simple spices in my spice rack).
I hope you enjoy this gluten free comfort food as much as I have!
Paleo Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 pound turkey or pork bacon, cut into ½-inch slices
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 2 cups diced celery
- 1 pound organic grass fed ground beef
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup Chicken Stock or Kettle & Fire Bone Broth
- 2 large heads cauliflower, trimmed, chopped and steamed until very soft
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a very large frying pan
- Sauté onion for 15 minutes until soft
- Add bacon pieces to pan and sauté until cooked, about 10 minutes
- Add carrots and celery to pan and sauté in bacon fat for 10 minutes until soft
- Add ground beef to pan and sauté until brown, just a few minutes
- Season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika
- Add chicken broth and cook down broth until 60% evaporated
- Place cauliflower in food processor and puree with olive oil until smooth
- Pour ground beef mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish
- Pour mashed cauliflower over beef mixture
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes
- Serve
I found that in my fridge this Shepard’s Pie kept for close to a week. I ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
What is your favorite gluten free comfort food?
Christina says
Can I ask why you eliminated coconut milk? Just curious. Taste preferences or health reasons?
Hope says
Thanks for the recipe Elana. Looks great. Since you mentioned having MS, I just wanted to urge you to look into heavy metal toxicity. Andrew Hall Cutler Phd has some great info on this. It has been a long time since I have checked his website, but it’s based on his book, “No Amalgam Illness”. I have been researching many years due to my son’s Autism, and have frequently come across MS causitive factors similar to those of Autism. Those being viral in nature and also heavy metal toxicity.
Shalom,
Hope
Sara says
I love a good shepard’s pie! I can’t wait to try this. I’m with you in that I don’t want to use something like Worcestershire sauce that is filled with who knows what, so I have found a great alternative (in case you want to put it back into the recipe). I use equal parts low sodium tamari, cider vinegar, and a splash of tabasco, to total the amount of Worcestershire sauce needed- for example for 1 tbs. W.S. I use 1/2 tbs. tamari, 1/2 tbs. vinegar, and a splash of tabasco. Hope this helps!
Judith says
Thank you for the suggestion. When I served this to my hubby, he thought it was rather bland. I shall try your “tamari, vinegar, tabasco” seasoning.
Debi Ziemer says
Agree, thanks for such great recipes, as I get more and more into this great way to eat it is getting easier to adjust all of our favorite “old” recipes. Susan, try parsnips puréed for the potatoes, I don’t have it in front of me right now but u can googleJulia Childs puréed parsnips, substitute the heavy cream if needed, imperative that you do the last step of this recipe, these are really good and my family lives them, kids and all!
Susan Clark says
I love the recipe, but am looking for an alternative to the mashed cauliflower? My husband and I love it, my boys..not so much. Any other non potato suggestions?
Thanks
andrea says
Maybe mashed turnips or carrot and parsnip puree? Sweet potatoes work great as well!
carly says
I have found that adding one potato to a head of cauliflower helps my picky eaters and ratio favors the cauliflower anyways!
Leigh says
For a mashed potato substitute in any dish, I use a combination of roughly equal parts cauliflower and white beans or navy beans. The cauliflower brings some lightness, and the beans add a smooth, silkiness that you couldn’t get from cauliflower alone. I drop both in the food processor with some garlic, sea salt, black pepper, and skim or almond milk just until it will blend. I bet if you didn’t tell your boys, they wouldn’t even know it wasn’t potato! :-)
1derwoman says
Sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) are a great sub for mashed potatoes or cauliflower. When mashed they have a nice creamy texture with a slight artichoke flavor.
Ruth Hirsch says
Hi, I have made this with Butternut Squash, similar method– as topping.
Great flavor, and esp these greyer days, great color.
and yum!!
I realize this is way delayed– just reading the comments.
maria says
I am new to this way of eating. I am a diabetic that has been instructed by my doctor to cut all grain from my daily diet.
It is a bit confusing, but I am thankful for your willingness to share so many recipes. They are not daunting nor are the ingredients hard to find. Like you, I like to use the spices that are currently in my pantry.
I am making this dish tonight. What an easy way to enjoy so much goodness! I do not have a favorite gluten free comfort food, since I am still discovering my likes and dislikes in eating in this manner.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe…
Peace be with you today,
Maria
Angelfeathers says
Agree with the comment above: shepherd’s pie is minced lamb, cottage pie is minced beef. :-)
I made shepherd’s pie recently with mashed parsnip and cauliflower for the topping (with butter and milk as I’m not dairy free and that’s how I’d normally make mash) and it was absolutely delicious – far nicer than potatoes! If only other veggies were as cheap as potatoes…
Ah well. I am growing both caulis and parsnips in my garden so hopefully come summer I will be able to make mash for nothing! :-)
Kimberley says
Hiya,
As an English person I feel compelled to tell you that I’ve always thought Cottage pie and Shepherds pie are different. This would definitely be a Cottage pie as it uses beef and vegetables “grown close to the cottage” and like you say a Shepherds pie would use lamb but with vegetables grown out in the fields. But that’s just me being finicky! Loving the addition of paprika.. I must try!
Best wishes and keep blogging!
Rosie Slosek says
Seconded. Cottage pie is with beef, shepherd’s with lamb (or lamb’s tails if you are a shepherd living last century or earlier).
I’ve used lots of kinds of mash for the top – sweet potato, parsnip, carrot, swede, carrot and swede, colcannon….
Gaynor Connelly says
3rd. Whilst similar, that is the main (important!) difference :o)
Rachel @ The Health Revival says
Didn’t know of the cottage pie and shepherd’s pie difference. So, what is it if you use ground turkey? :)
Bev says
Gobble pie???? Lol
Karen Pellow says
Hi
I am also English and I also thought that! Cottage pie is made from beef and shepherds pie is made from leftover roast lamb (that’s the way mum taught me anyway!)
Either way, glad to have this wonderful web site to help incorporate old favourites :-)
susan Nickason says
I was just going to post the same thing but some how posted to a different comment. Oh well, you are 100% correct about the differences between cottage and Shepard’s pie.
Jenny Archer says
..as a fellow Brit,I have to back Kimberley in her observations that Shepherds pie,is just that, from sheep herder days,Cottage pie is a totally different animal,always Beef,but either are delicious on cold,winter days,when hot food is the only menu…the addition of cauli.is a great idea for those who can eat it and a lot lighter than the usual dollop of potato topping.
Barbara says
Thank you for clarifying! It is always fun to know a bit about the history of a recipe.
Leanne says
Such a good idea! I’ve been using cauliflower as mashed potatoes for years, but have never made a pie with it! I’m gonna try this some day soon!
My gluten free comfort food must be either ice cream (in summertime), or home made bread rolls… Oh actually I love – love – love a coconut protein & chocolate pudding as well! ;-)
Love, Leanne
Patty says
One day I was thinking about the Greek caserole Moussaka, and how I missed it (I am gluten, dairy and grain free) so I decided to try to make it. I thought of paleo shepard’s pie, I broiled some eggplant, cooked up some ground lamb with cinnamon, garlic and tomato paste and put it all in the pan with mashed cauliflower on top. Oh my was it delicious and good. It made me so happy.
Emerald England says
Please share a recipe for this- That sounds incredible!
susan Nickason says
You are correct!!! I was just going to post the same thing.
Lisa R says
Yes please share!! The sound of this made my mouth water!!
leeann says
Only problem I had was that the bacon was not cooked long enough. Other than that…delicious!