This meaty, savory classic is the perfect fall and winter comfort meal. You can use ground beef if you prefer and make it a Cottage Pie; just be sure to rework the macros. This pie keeps covered and refrigerated for 4 days and can be tightly wrapped in plastic and frozen for 3 months.
Ingredients List
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and finely chopped
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1½ pounds ground lamb
- 1 Tbsp mixed dried herbs, such as oregano, thyme, and rosemary
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup gluten-free low-sodium beef broth
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 6 oz green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into evenly sized florets
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp paprika, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place a 9-inch square baking dish on a rimmed sheet pan.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, fennel, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the fennel softens and the shallots turn golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Add the ground lamb, dried herbs, and garlic powder and cook, stirring continuously to break apart the meat while it browns, about 8 minutes more.
- Stir in the tomato paste until combined. Add the beef stock and red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced, about 20 minutes. Stir in the green beans, 1 teaspoon salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon the mixture into the casserole dish. Set aside.
- In a large pot with a lid, combine the cauliflower florets and 1 inch of water, then bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cover, let the cauliflower steam until very tender when pierced with a paring knife, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully pour off the water to drain the cauliflower. To the pot of cauliflower, add the butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Use an immersion blender or food processor to blend the cauliflower into a smooth puree. Add the egg and the egg yolks and puree until well blended and smooth.
- Spoon the cauliflower puree over the lamb mixture. Sprinkle with paprika, transfer the baking pan with the casserole to the oven, and bake until the mash is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve.
I don’t care for fennel so I used finely cut, not shredded, cabbage as a substitute. Absolutely delicious. Will be making this again.
Lynne – nice way to make a substitute that suits you.
Excellent recipe–rich and comforting. I think the fennel adds a lot without being overwhelming and the eggs make the cauliflower topping more decadent. It does require a good bit of work, so I doubled it to make my effort last longer. I used a mix of lamb and ground beef.
This was the first time I attempted to make a shepherd’s pie. I had ground veal instead of lamb. Both my husband and I really enjoyed this dish.
My husband’s English, so Shepherd’s Pie was a staple in my recipe arsenal pre-keto. This is a lovely keto rendition that I’ve made several times. Works equally well with gr. beef. I use onions vrs. shallots, as I like the more robust flavor and typically omit green beans. Although a slightly higher carb count, I prefer using celery root to top -tends to be creamier (closer to potatoes)- just peel, cube, boil, drain, then add butter and cream (or creme fraiche or even grated cheese)… I also top with grated parmesan – perfecto!