CAULIFLOWER SHEPHERD’S PIE

by | Sep 19, 2019 | FAMILY RECIPES

I have to admit that this recipe is a bit involved and takes some work. However, it’s so easy to prepare, just not something I would recommend on a rushed workday. It’s more of a weekend dish, especially because it’s fantastic for dinner, lunch and warms up so good as a leftover. I also would recommend doing double the batch and freezing one for a future date.

This is one of my favorite dishes as it fits with so many dietary restrictions. If you are looking for something low carb, on a Keto diet, need gluten-free, dairy-free, or something with a alot of hidden vegetables for the kids, this is your dish!

I’m not kidding when I say it’s so delicious! It’s not often you find a dish that everyone loves in the family, especially kids! Give it a try, I can almost guarantee it will end up on your dinner menu rotation list 🙂

Topping

  • 1 large head of cauliflower
  • 2-3 tbsp butter (coconut oil if you are going dairy-free)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tbsp parsley
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • salt & pepper to taste

Base

  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3 large garlic cloves minced
  • 1 finely chopped small onion
  • 1-2 carrots, chopped
  • 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh mushrooms, diced
  • 1-1.5 pounds ground beef
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 tsp soy sauce ( make sure you have a g-free brand if you are admitting gluten)
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup canned or frozen corn
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1  tsp rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Finishings

  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded ( optional if you want dairy-free)
  • a sprinkle of parmesan cheese ( use nutritional yeast if you want dairy-free)
  • a sprinkle of paprika spice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cook the cauliflower by placing florets in a large pot of water over med-high heat. Bring to a gentle boil for about 8-10 minutes. You want the cauliflower to be tender but not mushy. Drain well. Place cauliflower back in the pod, lid, and let stand for 5-8 minutes. This will make sure any extra water is removed and the cauliflower won’t be too watery.
  3. Make the topping by adding cooked cauliflower along with all other ingredients called in the toppings. Use a food processor, stand mixer or hand blender until it becomes a whipped consistency like mashed potatoes. Sometimes you need to do this in two batches depending on what machine you are using and its size. Set aside. 
  4. Start by preparing the base by browning the ground beef over medium heat.
  5. In a separate pan continue to work on the base by frying the garlic, onions, and carrots over medium heat in the oil. Add the celery and mushrooms after about 5 minutes and cook until softened (a few minutes). Add the browned ground beef, salt, Worcestershire, broth, soy sauce, tomato paste and parsley to the mix. Simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes until cooked through and not so runny. Add the frozen peas and corn in for the last 10 minutes.
  6. Start assembling the pie by spreading the beef mixture into a 9 X 13 casserole dish or something similar. Top with mashed cauliflower and smooth it down with the back of a spoon.
  7. Add the finishings by sprinkling the cheese and paprika. The finishing you can really use as much or as little as you like on top of your pie. If you want to keep it dairy-free, leave the cheese out and instead sprinkle the top with paprika and nutritional yeast.
  8. Bake for approximately 45 minutes then let stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

XO

B