Hearty Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

Name: Hearty Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Low Carb
Ingredients: 1 TB unsalted butter; ½ onion, peeled and finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped; 17.6 oz 12% fat ground beef mince (we use Butcher Box meat); 2 TB Homemade Taco Seasoning; 5.3 oz Cheddar cheese, grated; 17.6 oz cauliflower florets; 1.8 oz soft cheese; Sea salt; Black pepper; Chopped parsley, to garnish

This low carb cauli-mash version is a healthy, clean, and hearty meal for your family. It's easy to throw together and only takes about an hour to make. Your family will love it!

This is not your average Shepherd’s Pie! It’s a lower-carb version that is also much tastier! I called this a “cheesy” Shepherd’s Pie because not only do I add grated cheese to the cooked meat, but I add it to the mash too. Then, I top it with more cheese! This is really a “cottage” pie because a traditional “shepherd’s” pie usually calls for lamb meat – which is equally delicious! You will also notice that I did not top it with mashed potatoes (but you can if you want to), instead I made a mash from cooked cauliflower – keeping those carbs really low!

This cauli-mash version serves six people (which may seem small, but it’s a rich meal and goes well with a fresh salad on the side). However, it could also easily be wolfed down by four very hungry adults – so this is entirely up to you! Either way, it’s a healthy, clean, and hearty meal for your family, so adjust accordingly.

Serves 6

Hearty Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This low carb cauli-mash version is a healthy, clean, and hearty meal for your family. It's easy to throw together and only takes about an hour to make. Your family will love it!

Ingredients

1 TB unsalted butter
½ onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
17.6 oz 12% fat ground beef mince (we use Butcher Box meat)
2 TB Homemade Taco Seasoning
5.3 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
17.6 oz cauliflower florets
1.8 oz soft cheese
Sea salt
Black pepper
Chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions

Have all your ingredients prepped and ready; this includes the delicious Homemade Taco Seasoning (you will only need two tablespoons of this mixture).
Melt the butter in a skillet (suitable for oven and hob). Add the onions and cook over moderate heat until they have softened and start to caramelize.
Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring regularly to prevent the garlic from burning.
Once the garlic has softened, tip in the ground beef and the taco seasoning.
Increase the heat to high and cook until the beef has evenly browned. Add just a small dash of water and continue to cook until all moisture cooks out (evaporates).
Once the pan looks dry, stir through a third of the grated cheese and remove the pan from the heat. Compress the mixture down with a spatula or egg lifter.
Preheat the oven to max grill.
You could top this with mashed potato, but I like to make a low carb version: I boil the cauliflower florets until they are completely tender, then I drain them in a colander. I return them to a dry pan where I add the soft cheese, using a potato masher to mash the mixture well. I add some of the remaining cheese and allow it all to melt together.
Spread the mash on top of the compressed mince in the skillet and scatter over the remaining grated cheese.
Cook under the grill until the surface browns. Scatter over chopped parsley before serving and season your portion with salt and pepper (if needed).