Of all the traditionally carb-heavy recipes to keto-fy, pie crust is one of the trickiest. Fortunately for us, we managed to find a pie recipe that doesn’t use any crust at all – and it’s savory! That’s right, we’ve taken a delicious traditional dish and amped it up a couple of notches to create this flavorful Keto Shepherd’s Pie recipe. Who said pies had to be sweet, anyway?
With just a few simple swaps, you can indulge in this hearty keto dish that’s great for meal prep all week long. Feel free to have fun with it as we did by changing up the meat and veggies used in this classic recipe. It’s the ultimate low-carb comfort meal!
A Low-Carb Shepherd’s Pie Made With Ground Beef
Traditional Shepherd’s Pie is an English recipe made with ground lamb – hence the name. A truly hearty meal, it usually contains chopped vegetables such as carrot, peas and celery.
And instead of a classic crust, it’s topped with a thick layer of mashed potatoes covered in melted cheddar cheese. Are you drooling yet?
Despite the namesake, we swapped out the ground lamb for some 80/20 ground beef in our low-carb version of this English classic. We already had the ground beef on hand, and we wanted a higher fat content, so we worked with what we had – and the results were just as delicious!
Technically, Shepherds Pie made with beef is Cottage Pie. However, this keto recipe provides the option of using either meat – so you can choose Shepherd’s or Cottage Pie depending on your preference!
Feel free to stick to ground lamb for a more classic preparation – or if you’re a total Cottage Pie purist.
A Savory Pie Packed With Low-Carb Vegetables
This low-carb Shepherd’s Pie recipe is all about breaking rules. We made Shepherd’s Pie keto-friendly by switching the mashed potatoes for a low-carb, healthier mashed cauliflower topping with no sacrifice on taste.
We also left out the peas and swapped in some other lower-carb veggies to give it the same hearty feel. This keto recipe has a real cozy English pub feel to it!
Are Carrots Keto?
Don’t be put off by the carrot in this delicious Keto Shepherd’s Pie recipe. Yes, carrots are high in carbs. But this recipe only uses one carrot across eight whole servings.
In our opinion, the carrot is essential for that signature Shepherds Pie experience. Plus, it adds a nice pop of color. We’re never afraid to use carrots in our delicious keto-friendly recipes.
We’ve added plenty of low-carb celery in there so you can still enjoy this classically veggie-loaded dish without feeling like you’re missing out. It’s a real meat-and-three-veg experience!
What You’ll Need for This Keto Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
This is one pie recipe that doesn’t require a pie tin at all! You will, however, need a few kitchen staples. Here’s what we used:
- A large frying pan
- A wooden spoon
- A food processor or blender
- A 2-quart baking or casserole dish
- A cheese grater (unless using pre-shredded cheese)
You may be able to get by without the processor or blender, but your mashed cauliflower topping might not turn out as smooth as mashed potatoes. A handheld immersion blender (“stick mix”) will also work fine.
We also recommend a spatula for scraping the mashed cauliflower while both puréeing and spreading across your meat mixture.
How to Make Keto Shepherd’s Pie
Not only is this low-carb keto shepherd’s pie recipe delicious, but it’s incredibly easy to make. Seriously – you pretty much can’t mess it up!
If you love your family and friends as much as I do ( and I know you do), you’ll make this delicious, hearty, low-carb recipe for them sometime this week – no matter if they follow a keto diet or not!
Place your frying pan over medium-high heat and add in the oil. Once heated, add in your ground beef or lamb, stirring frequently and breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
Once the ground beef or lamb is cooked (after around five minutes), add in your seasonings and all the vegetables except for the cauliflower.
Stir occasionally for about five minutes as the vegetables cook until softened.
Add in the broth, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine and dissolve into your meat and vegetable mixture.
Once mixed through, lower the heat slightly and leave the mixture to simmer for about fifteen minutes to thicken.
Once the sauce has thickened – this should take about 15 minutes – turn off the heat. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the steamed cauliflower, cream cheese, cream, butter, garlic, salt, pepper and half a cup of cheese into your blender or food processor.
Purée until your cauliflower mash has reached a smooth consistency, scraping down the sides with a spatula as you go.
Pour your meat and vegetable mixture into your 2-quart baking or casserole dish. Spread in an even layer.
Spoon your cauliflower mash on top, making sure to spread evenly across the meat mixture.
Sprinkle the mashed cauliflower with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The peaks of your mashed cauliflower topping should be browned from the melted cheese.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy immediately.
How to Store Your Keto Shepherd’s Pie
This Keto Shepherd’s Pie is seriously filling, so you’ll no doubt have leftovers to enjoy again and again!
Once your pie has cooled, simply store in a covered container in the fridge and eat within three to five days for optimal freshness. Trust us – this keto dish only tastes better the next day.
You can also freeze your Keto Shepherd’s Pie. We recommend dividing into portions first to make the defrosting process easier.
More Keto Pie Recipes
When you hear the word pie you aren’t normally thinking savory. Personally, my mind goes to pecan or apple. However, if you think outside of the box you can easily get on board with savory keto pies – just like our Keto Pot Pie!
But if you just can’t get sweet keto pies out of your mind, we’ve got you covered. Check out these keto recipes – or better yet, make one for dessert tonight:
- Keto Pumpkin Pie – None of the unwanted net carbs and all of the spice. Why wait for Thanksgiving?
- Low-Carb Keto Pecan Pie – The kind of recipe that’s so good it could convert anyone to a low-carb keto diet.
- Low-Carb Eggnog Pie – A fun take on a classic Christmas flavor.
- Low-Carb Coconut Cream Pie – Our definition of a keto dessert.
- Low Carb Peanut Butter Pie – This recipe uses a rich chocolate crust for a perfect flavor combination.
Feeling creative? Check out our Keto Pie Crusts recipe and create your very own filling. We’ve provided both a sweet and savory option so you can let your imagination run wild with your own keto recipes!
Homemade Keto Shepherds Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
Filling
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1.5 lbs ground beef/lamb
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1.5 tsp pink himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Mashed Cauliflower Topping
- 1 large cauliflower head, cut into small florets, steamed (see video above on how to steam cauliflower)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp pink himalayan salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- fresh parsley, garnish
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef (or lamb) and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Add diced onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and seasonings to the pan. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce to the pan, stirring until the paste dissolves. Reduce heat slightly and let it continue to simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes, before turning off the heat.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place steamed cauliflower to a food processor or blender. Add ½ cup cheddar cheese, cream cheese, cream, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth consistency, scraping the sides as necessary (See video above for steps on how to steam the cauliflower).
- Transfer meat and veggie mixture to a 2-quart baking dish, spreading it in an even layer.
- Spread the mashed cauliflower evenly over the meat, then top with remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peaks of the mashed cauliflower are browned. Remove from oven and cool slightly, then garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
