Keto & Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie Heaven
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Shepherd's Pie is sometimes called Cottage Pie which makes me want to live in a cottage and pretend I'm Sleeping Beauty. This is a meaty, savory dish that is baked in the oven and comes out all lovely and delicious. Make this and you can live happily ever after!
Usually it is made with meats and veggies and is then topped with a mashed potato crust or topping.
However Nick and I have been eating Keto in an effort to curve our blood sugars and to overall eat healthier. We have had the children basically trying to avoid gluten to see if going gluten-free would perhaps help with behaviors and moods (that is still yet to be determined!).
Instead of making it with carrots and peas, I used zucchini and tomatoes but don't worry! It isn't a sweet dish if the thought of that combo kind of grosses you out. It isn't gross at all but in fact was fed to our small group at church and they all loved it! I also used mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes and it was delish. I hope you enjoy it too!
Instructions
To begin I preheated my oven to 350 degrees. I diced 1/2 of a large onion, set them aside and turned a large pan on with 1 tbsp olive oil to heat on medium.
I then minced 3 garlic cloves and put those aside.
With the pan warm enough I slid the onions in to begin to wilt and turn translucent (about 3 minutes).
Once the onions started to jive a little bit I places 1 pound of ground beef into the pan, broke up the pieces and let them hang out to brown.
While that was browning I got a pot of water onto the stove on high to bring to a boil.
While I waited I occassionally stirred the beef, and otherwise, while I was waiting, I chopped 1 medium sized zucchini. You can use a small zucchini too, but I would not recommend using much more than a medium sized squash.
Once the beef was brown I mixed 1 cup of crushed canned tomatoes into the pan (I have yet to learn about the differences of all the tomato varieties but I will one day!) along with all of the zucchini goodness. I used a spoon to scrape all of the brown bits of loveliness off the bottom of the pan, then I let it simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. *Sidenote, if you are looking for a can opener that will last your whole long life (maybe) then is your gal. We've had her for 17 years now and she's still trucking with no end in sight. Love!*
When the water started boiling I threw the cauliflower rice into the water and let it boil for about 8 minutes. Make sure you check it. You want it soft...not mushy and not too firm.
After the 10 minutes I took the beef/veggie concoction off the heat and stirred in 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese. I also added 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. of black pepper.
I drained the cauliflower into a colander and just drained the heck out of them. By this I mean I drained it and then when no more water was coming out I shook them up and let them drain some more. It's amazing how much water can come out of those little boogers. Morale of the story is that you want to drain as much water out as you can so you don't end up with mushy mashed cauliflower. Blech.
While the riced cauliflower was draining its little heart out, I got out my food processor. I used the food processor attachment to our Ninja but you could totally use a food processor. I also have this one and like it a lot. I then threw in 2 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup of cream.
I added the cauliflower to the processor and then sprinkled 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the top of the mixture along with a pinch of salt.
Then I blended the little mix to death. Blend it like you mean it. I let it run for about 30 seconds, scraped down the sides and checked consistency. I then blended it like no ones business on crazy high for about a minute. And then it was a nice creamy consistency.
I got out a nice ceramic deep-dish pie plate and was ready to assemble. I slid the meat mixture into the dish, smoothed it out, and then repeated with the mashed cauliflower.
The last thing I had to do was top the pie with 1 tablespoon of parmesan and oh my Lordy, heaven! This gave the dish a nice nutty smell and turned it a nice brown color.
I slid that puppy into the oven and cooked it for 30 minutes. You can bake it for 25-30 minutes or until it is nice and golden brown.
Let it set for about 20 minutes before you eat it to allow the dish to cool off and firm up a bit. It's never any fun to break into dinner and have it slide all over the place, you know?
I don't have any pretty plate pictures for ya because, like I said, I took this to small group bible study and everyone ate it. Yeah!
I hope you like this dish! I know you'll want to make this soon for your family. Our kiddos loved it and it is highly approved by this keto momma and daddy.
Enjoy!
The Recipe
Keto & Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie
A family favorite without the carbs and gluten!
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 medium zucchini (diced)
1 cup canned tomatoes (crushed)
1 bag cauliflower rice
2 tbsp grated parmesan (divided)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup shredded cheese (any kind)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 350°.
Dice onion. Heat large pan on medium heat with 1 tbsp. Olive Oil. Mince garlic cloves and set aside. Place onions in heated pan and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring often.
In a separate saucepan, bring water to a boil for the riced cauliflower.
Add ground beef and break into small chunks. Brown beef, stirring often. Once beef is almost cooked, add minced garlic, salt and pepper, and continue browning. While meat is browning dice zucchini and set aside.
Once meat is browned, add tomatoes and zucchini. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered. Be sure to scrape brown bits off of bottom of pan.
When water is boiling, add entire bag of riced cauliflower. Simmer for about 8 minutes, checking on doneness of cauliflower. Drain Cauliflower and allow to sit until as much liquid as possible has drained.
After 10 minutes, remove meat mixture from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. of Parmesan.
In food processor, place the butter and cream. Add drained cauliflower and top with shredded cheese. Add pinches of salt and pepper to taste.
Process for 30 second intervals, scraping down the sides of processor as periodically and checking on consistency. You want a nice mashed potato feel.
In empty casserole dish or deep pie pan, scoop all of the meat mixture and smooth out on bottom of pan. Top with cauliflower mash and smooth with spatula.
Top Shepherd's Pie with remaining 1 tbsp. of Parmesan to add a nice nuttiness and brownness.
Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and top has a nice golden brown to it.
Take out of the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!