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No lie, I could eat my Keto Shepherd’s Pie recipe every day for the rest of my life and die a happy woman. I kid you not, this recipe will blow your socks off. It is warm and makes you feel cozy all over. It’s the perfect fall/winter meal that will keep you feeling full and satisfied. To make it even better, this recipe is KETO, WHOLE30, PALEO and DAIRY/GLUTEN FREE.

After creating this recipe, I gave my husband a bowl thinking he would really like it, but didn’t think he would go back and eat the entire skillet. Well, he did and he agreed that he could also eat this meal every day for the rest of his life and die a happy man. Needless to say, it is a hit at our house.
WHAT IS KETO SHEPHERD’S PIE?
SHEPHERD’S PIE, which is also known as cottage pie is a casserole made with a saucy meat and veggie filling and topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Now, since my recipe is keto, I simply substituted my creamy cauliflower mash for the mashed potatoes and you will honestly never even know. It almost taste identical to real mashed potatoes.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED FOR THIS KETO SHEPARD’S PIE
- Ground beef
- Ghee
- Garlic cloves
- Yellow Onion
- Tomato paste
- Balsamic vinegar
- Beef broth
- Salt
- Pepper
- Italian Seasoning
- Dried thyme
- Xanthan gum or tapioca flour
HOW TO MAKE
BEEF FILLING
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Make the cauliflower recipe below and set to the side. Add the ghee to a large cast iron skillet (12 inch) and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions. Cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the ground beef to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally.
- Once the meat is browned add in the can of green beans (drained), chopped carrots, mushrooms. Mix together with a wooden spoon and cook 4 minutes or so.
- Add in the tomato paste, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, salt, pepper and xanthan gum . Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of the tomato paste remain.
- Bring the liquid/meat mixture to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
CAULIFLOWER MASH TOPPING:
- Bring 1 head of cauliflower to a boil and cook for 10 mins or steam 2 bags of cauliflower rice in the microwave per instructions on the package. Drain liquid from the cauliflower and add to the food processor with garlic powder, chives, ghee, coconut milk, salt and pepper.
- Blend together until smooth and top with fresh chives. Make sure NOT over blend or it will turn into a soupy puree. Transfer the cauliflower mash to a bowl and top with ghee, salt, pepper and chives
ASSEMBLY:
- Remove the cast iron skillet from the heat. Spoon the cauliflower mash in an even layer over the meat mixture and carefully spread out.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Turn on the broil the last 3 minutes to get a nice crisp on the top. Be sure to watch it so it doesn’t burn.
- Serve and enjoy!

TIPS AND TRICKS
- Making it ahead of time: Simply make these things in advance; cauliflower mash, meat and veggie mixture. Store in separate containers and store in the fridge. When ready to make, remove items from the fridge and assemble. Bake right before serving.
- Adding Xanthan Gum: Make sure to add the xanthan gum to the meat mixture. This gives it a nice thick texture that brings this casserole together nicely.
- Add cheese if not dairy free: I have a couple of kiddos that love cheese. Since they are not dairy free I will melt some cheddar cheese over their servings. They seriously can’t get enough!

HOW TO STORE KETO SHEPHERD’S PIE:
Store this in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
HOW TO FREEZE KETO SHEPHERD’S PIE:
Yes, you can freeze this keto cottage pie for 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in the oven on 350F.
HOW TO REHEAT KETO COTTAGE PIE:
For best results, I recommend reheating in the oven at 350F. You can absolutely use the microwave, but I find that it’s way better straight out of the oven.
SHOP MY POST
CLEAN KETO FAVORITES FROM THE BLOG:
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Keto Shepherd’s pie (Whole30 + Dairy Free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Ingredients
GROUND BEEF FILLING:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup baby carrots, chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 1– 14.5 oz. can cut green beans (drained)
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum or tapioca flour
- Fresh parsley for garnish
CAULIFLOWER MASH TOPPING:
- 3–12 oz. bags cauliflower rice (or 1 head of cauliflower)
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 2 tablespoon canned coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black cracked pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoon chives (fresh or dried)
Instructions
BEEF FILLING:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Make the cauliflower recipe below and set to the side.
- Add the ghee to a large cast iron skillet (12 inch) and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions and garlic. Cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Transfer the ground beef to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally.
-
Once the meat is browned add in the can of green beans (drained), chopped carrots, mushrooms. Mix together with a wooden spoon and cook 4 minutes or so.
-
Add in the tomato paste, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, salt, pepper and xanthan gum . Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of the tomato paste remain.
-
Bring the liquid/meat mixture to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
CAULIFLOWER MASH TOPPING:
- Bring 1 head of cauliflower to a boil and cook for 10 mins or steam 2 bags of cauliflower rice in the microwave per instructions on the package. Drain liquid from the cauliflower and add to the food processor with garlic powder, chives, ghee, coconut milk, salt and pepper.
- Blend together until smooth and top with fresh chives. Make sure NOT over blend or it will turn into a soupy puree. Transfer the cauliflower mash to a bowl and top with ghee, salt, pepper and chives
ASSEMBLY
- Remove the cast iron skillet from the heat. Spoon the cauliflower mash in an even layer over the meat mixture and carefully spread out.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Turn on the broil the last 3 minutes to get a nice crisp on the top. Be sure to watch it so it doesn’t burn.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you do not have a cast iron skillet, use a 9×9 or 7×11 baking dish.
- 7 NET CARBS PER SERVING!
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven/Stovetop
- Cuisine: Whole30, Gluten Free, Keto
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 283
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 910
- Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 98
Keywords: Keto Shepard’s Pie, Cottage Pie, Keto, Casserole, Whole30, Paleo, Healthy Comfort Food
Comments (11)
Made this today and it’s cold and rainy out and this is a perfect cozy recipe that gives me a little break from soups. So yummy! Any time I make shepherd’s pie I like to say it’s like fancy tater tot casserole 🤣 now it’s healthy fancy easy supper!
★★★★★
Yay! So happy you loved this. Thank you so much
Hi there! This sounds delicious! I was wondering for the coconut milk, am I supposed to shake the can to combine, or just use the coconut cream? Thank you!
I always shake the can to combine the ingredients.
[…] Keto Shepherd’s Pie (Whole30 + Dairy Free) | Healthy Little Peach […]
hi this is so delicious. Next time Im going to add another cauliflower for the mash. Sooo good.
how do I add this recipe to the Keto diet app?
Hey Jenn! Thanks so much for loving this recipe. I do already use cauliflower for the mash. it’s included in the recipe if that helps.
Made this recipe last weekend and my family loved it! This was my first time making any Shepard’s pie and this recipe will be on repeat! Side note: the recipe does not indicate when to actually add the garlic cloves — I’m assuming you add garlic in with the onion?
So happy you like it. Yes you add the garlic cloves with the onion.
Can you use frozen cauli mash for this? If so, do you still add all the ingredients?
I made this last night and we loved it! My husband (who is not Paleo or Keto) said he would eat the whole pan… cauliflower mash and all! 🙂
★★★★★