Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Topping
Low Carb Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower is a lightened up version with ground meat, sauce, veggies and cheesy cauliflower mash on top.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 279kcal
Ingredients
Mashed Cauliflower Crust:
- 1 large cauliflower head
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
Filling:
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 lb ground meat I used turkey (beef or lamb is OK too)
- 1 tbsp oil for frying
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock low sodium
- 1 1/2 cups any milk I used almond milk
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 14 oz can chickpeas low sodium, drained & rinsed
- 2 cups corn frozen or fresh
- 2 cups peas frozen or fresh
Instructions
- Separate cauliflower into florets and cut in smaller chunks.
- In a medium pot, combine cauliflower, garlic and enough cold water to cover. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Drain.
- While cauliflower is cooking, preheat large deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven on medium heat and swirl 1 tbsp of oil to coat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add ground meat and cook for 8-10 minutes or until brown, breaking into small pieces with spatula.
- In a small bowl, whisk together stock and cold milk, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Pour over meat, stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until thickened.
- While meat sauce is cooking, to a pot with cauliflower add butter or olive oil, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Using an immersion blender, process until very smooth consistency. Set aside.
- To the meat sauce, add chickpeas, corn and peas and stir well.
- Place dollops of mashed cauliflower on top and level with spatula. It might not cover entire skillet. Sprinkle with cheese and place under broiler for 5 minutes (rotating if necessary) or until cheese has melted. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate for up to 3-5 days. Reheat in small baking dish and bake at 375 degrees F until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
- Freeze: Cook, cool, divide between containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To make ahead: Cook cauliflower mash and filling. Refrigerate separately for up to 2 days. When ready, you will have to bake the casserole because ingredients will be cold straight from the fridge. Assemble in a casserole dish or cast iron skillet and bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Then sprinkle with cheese and broil until golden brown.
- If you don’t own any cast iron skillet, make meat sauce in a skillet with a lid and then transfer to a baking dish before broiling.
- Frozen mixed veggies: Can be used instead of frozen corn and peas.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 472mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g