Need a hearty meal that warms you up but doesn’t weigh you down? Keto Shepherd’s Pie coming right up! It has all the hallmarks of the classic dish but with a fraction of the carbs. That creamy smooth mashed cauliflower topping will make you forget all about those potatoes.
The term comfort food exists for a reason. When the weather turns chilly and wet, we all start craving hearty dinners like keto beef stew and slow cooker keto chili. They warm us up from the inside out. And this low carb shepherd’s pie brings that same cozy comfort to the table.
I grew up making Shepherd’s Pie with my mum, so I know my stuff when it comes to this classic Irish dish. I found it easy to adapt to a keto lifestyle by replacing the carrots with red peppers and the potatoes with cauliflower.
And I promise that even if you aren’t fan of cauliflower, you will enjoy this recipe. It has the same rich lamb flavor and creamy, airy topping. But it doesn’t fill you up nearly as much, so you don’t walk away feeling as if you just consumed a bowling ball.
Which means there is more room for dessert!
Reader’s Thoughts
“This turned out really well. It’s incredibly rich, so I was completely satisfied just eating a small portion which is great! Thank you for all your creative recipes. I have been inspired to cook again after a long hiatus and really motivated to stick with a low carb diet.” — Molly
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Cozy flavor: Just like the classic, this keto shepherds pie is full of comforting flavor.
- Wholesome ingredients: Plenty of protein and low-carb vegetables for a nourishing dinner.
- Straightforward method: It’s really no different than making a conventional meat pie. They take some time to assemble but each step is simple.
- Make ahead recipe: You can assemble the pie and freeze it unbaked, or you can freeze the baked pie and re-warm it.
- Low carb and gluten-free: There is no flour in the meat filling, so it’s entirely gluten- and grain-free.
Ingredient Notes
- Cauliflower: You need one pound of cauliflower florets, but you can use fresh or frozen. They both cook up the same way.
- Sour cream: Sour cream helps make the mashed cauliflower extra smooth and creamy. You can swap in 2 ounces of softened cream cheese, if you prefer.
- Ground lamb: Classic shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, but you can use ground beef if you prefer. Technically, that’s called a cottage pie.
- Dry red wine: Wine helps deglaze the pan and create a rich, flavorful sauce. If you do not want to use alcohol, swap with some beef or chicken broth.
- Fresh rosemary: I love the aroma and flavor from fresh rosemary. Dried rosemary isn’t quite the same but you can use it if it’s what you have.
- Glucomannan: Classic Shepherd’s Pie uses flour to thicken the meat filling. But a little glucomannan stirred into the sauce before baking helps achieve the proper texture.
- Cheddar cheese: A sharp Irish cheddar goes perfectly with this Irish casserole. But other cheeses, such as Gruyere or Swiss pair nicely as well.
- Kitchen staples: Onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
How to Make Keto Shepherd’s Pie
- Cook the cauliflower: Steam the cauliflower and garlic cloves until cauliflower is very tender. Transfer the cauliflower to a sieve and drain well.
- Purée the cauliflower: Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Cook the lamb: Brown the lamb until almost cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a large casserole dish.
- Sauté the veggies: Add the onion, red pepper, salt, and pepper to the hot pan and cook until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Make the sauce: Add the red wine and cook until reduced by about half. Stir in the chopped rosemary, then whisk in the glucomannan. Pour over the lamb in the pan and stir to combine.
- Assemble and bake: Spread the cauliflower mixture over the filling in the casserole dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
Tips for Success
Keto Shepherd’s Pie doesn’t take any more time or effort than the conventional version. Just make sure to drain your cauliflower very well so that it sets up properly. You can also add an egg yolk, if you want it to set even more.
If you don’t like lamb, feel free to use ground beef or a mixture of ground beef and turkey. Technically, that turns it into a Cottage Pie, but I won’t tell if you don’t. No matter what you do, this is a great meal.
Don’t skip the thickener in the sauce, as it helps hold the filling together better. Keep in mind that it will still be more loose than the original because it lacks gluten.
Keto Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Topping
- 1 lb (453.59 g) cauliflower florets
- 2 cloves (2) garlic
- 1/3 cup (57.5 g) sour cream
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) pepper
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) grated cheddar cheese
Filling
- 2 lbs (907.18 g) ground lamb
- 1/4 cup (40 g) chopped onion
- 1/2 medium red pepper, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (120 g) dry red wine, or broth
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tsp glucomannan, or xanthan gum
Instructions
Topping
- Set a steaming basket into a large stockpot and add water to the bottom. Add the cauliflower and garlic cloves and steam until cauliflower is very tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Drain the cauliflower well and transfer to a blender or food processor, along with the garlic cloves. Add the sour cream, salt, and pepper and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the lamb until almost cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a large casserole dish.
- Add the onion, red pepper, salt ,and pepper to the pan. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
- Add the red wine and cook until reduced by about half. Stir in the chopped rosemary, then whisk in the glucomannan. Pour the mixture over the lamb and stir to combine well.
To assemble and bake
- Spread the cauliflower mixture over the filling in the casserole dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
- Turn the broiler on high and broil for 2 to 4 minutes to brown the cheese. Remove and let sit a few minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re looking for a lighter, lower carb Shepherd’s Pie, try topping it with mashed cauliflower rather than mashed potatoes. As long as you drain the cooked cauliflower well, it won’t be watery or runny. You can also try mixing in an egg yolk before baking to help it set even more.
You can prepare and assemble this Shepherd’s pie a day before and bake it the next day. Just cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight. Bring it to room temperature before baking.
This Keto Shepherd’s Pie recipe has 5g of carbs and 1.8g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.2g net carbs per serving.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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What can I use instead of red wine?
What can I use instead of Red Wine?
Broth.
Hi Carolyn! I would like to link back to this recipe in a “low carb” roundup on my favorite weeknight meals. Would it be okay if I include one of your images with a link back? I make this recipe at least once a week, so it’s definitely a favorite of mine and my boyfriend. 🙂
Sure, that’s fine.
Great idea! I love Shepherds Pie I have also made “Mashed Potatoes” with celeriac root, it has a milder taste than cauliflower. I would mash the CR up and add some sort of country mustard, butter, salt and pepper. I am so going to do this!
I really love your recipes! Is there any way you could set up the blog so you have a print button? It would make it so much easier to be able to just click ‘print’ and get a properly set up recipe for my files.
My recipes ARE printable, but ones I do for A Sweet Life may not be. I suggest you email them and ask so that you light a fire under them. I’ve mentioned it to them before!
This is an excellent recipe. I used a combination of ground turkey and turkey Italian sausage. Didn’t have arrowroot so subbed tomato paste. Followed the rest of the recipe exactly. Really great keto dinner and easy to reheat throughout the week. Thank you!
Your changes sound delicious!
Did you use equal amount of tomato paste?
This looks fabulous! I love lamb and can’t wait to try this. Thank you!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious. My family loved it. Thanks for this great recipe.
Awesome recipe! I made it tonight and absolutely loved it, I did substitute ground venison for the lamb and beef, will be making this again in the future.
Could I use xantham gum in place of the arrowroot starch? If so, would I use an heatequal amount? Also, is there a nonalcoholic sub for the wine? Thanks!!
No, you’d use a lot less. Like maybe 1/2 tsp.
I, too, love lamb. When we moved to Colorado in 1996, I was all aglow to learn that Coloado was the top lamb producing state in the U.S. My glow faded in a hurry when I found out that almost all of it was shipped elsewhere. I had some wonderful Colorado lamb: in Ithaca NY, Taos NM, Carmel CA …. just never in Colorado.
That’s funny…sort of!
Five Stars! I made this tonight and it is awesome. I substituted the lamb for pork because I don’t like lamb. Other then that, the recipe is perfect. I will be making this over and over. Thank you, Carolyn!!!!
Hi! I’m making this soon but using Gluccomannan to thicken instead of arrowroot. I follow Trim Healthy Mama plan and appreciate your recipes!
Please let me know how it turns out!
Before I started low carb, Shepherd’s Pie was one of my FAVORITES. I made this version last week and it was incredible. No cheating involved! Delicious!! (and lots of leftovers:)
Yay, so glad!
This was delicious! Thank you!
I’ve made this before and absolute LOVE it. My boyfriend requested it for tonight so I’ll be making it again. I’m doing all lamb this time because I am a fellow lamb lover! Also, I think I just left out the arrowroot starch last time, but this time I am thinking of subbing xanthan gum. Any idea how much I should use?
I am eating this as I type, and it’s an AWESOME. Of course, I’m a rebel at heart (makes Fist of Rock), so I used this as my inspirational guide to deliciousness and made a significant adjustments…
I bought ground lamb kafka at the local middle eastern market, so it came pre-seasoned, and at under $4/lb it was economical enough, too. I also roasted the cauliflower and