This Cheesy Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie is just like traditional shepherd's pie, but made keto! It has so much delicious flavor and is perfect for a cozy night in! Your family is going to love this classic dish for St. Patrick's Day or really any occasion!
Prep Time: 10 minutesmins
Cook Time: 45 minutesmins
Servings: 6servings
Ingredients
Cheesy Cauliflower Mash
1medium head cauliflowercut into florets
1Tbspbutter or ghee
2clovesgarlicminced or pressed
1/2tspfine sea salt
1/4tspfreshly ground black pepper
2egg yolks
5ozKerrygold Dubliner Cheeseshredded, divided
Meat Filling
1.5Tbspbutter or gheedivided
1lbground lamb or beef
1large carrotdiced
1medium oniondiced
4large cloves garlicminced or pressed
1tspfine sea salt
1/2tspfreshly ground black pepper
1TbspWorcestershire sauce
1Tbsptomato paste
1/2cupdry red wine*
1Tbspfinely chopped rosemary
1tspfinely chopped thyme
1/2cupchicken stock or broth
1/2cuppeas
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Boil cauliflower. Place cauliflower florets in a large pot and cover with water. Cover with lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until cauliflower is very tender. Drain well.
Brown the meat. While cauliflower is boiling, start making the meat filling by melting 1/2 Tbsp butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 lb lamb or beef and cook until it's no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Break up with a potato masher or meat chopper while cooking to make fine crumbles. To get some nice seared bits (better flavor), don't stir too often in the beginning and use a large enough pot. Once meat is cooked through, drain well and set aside.
Cook the veggies. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in the pot that you used for the meat over medium-high heat Once it's hot, add 1 diced onion and and 1 diced carrot and sauté for 5 minutes. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add meat back in and season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Season and cook the filling. Add 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 cup wine, 1 Tbsp rosemary, and 1 tsp thyme. Cook until wine has evaporated (about 1 minute).
Add chicken stock and peas. Add chicken stock and cook for about 4 minutes to cook out some of the liquid. There should still be some juices on the bottom, but not too much. Add in peas and stir gently.
Pour meat filling into a baking dish (I use an 11" oval baking dish) and spread into even layer.
Finish making cauliflower mash. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in the pot used for the cauliflower over medium heat. When it's hot, add 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté for about 45 seconds. Turn off the heat, add in cauliflower, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 2 egg yolks, and use an immersion blender to blend it all up. You can also do this in a large food processor or even a blender with a tamper. It doesn't have to be completely smooth, just mostly smooth. Mix in 1 cup of the shredded cheese by hand.
Place cauliflower mash on top of the meat filling, spread it out (I use a silicon spatula), and seal the edges to prevent it from bubbling over. It's customary to fork the top to fluffy it up and create some texture. Then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes, then broil on high for 5 minutes for a golden top.
Allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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Notes
*Can substitute 1/2 cup beef broth + 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar if needed