Keto Shepherd's Pie: Carb Content And Nutritional Facts

Shepherd's pie is a classic comfort food, but it's not exactly keto-friendly. Luckily, there are several keto-friendly variations of the dish that you can make. Most recipes for keto shepherd's pie replace mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower, but some people find that cauliflower doesn't taste quite right. A good alternative is mashed turnips, which taste more like potatoes and are in the same family of vegetables.

Some keto shepherd's pie recipes include ground beef, ground lamb, ground chicken, or ground turkey. Other ingredients include olive oil, garlic, onion, almond flour, crushed tomatoes, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, beef stock, heavy cream, butter, salt, black pepper, and shredded cheese.

The number of carbs in keto shepherd's pie will depend on the specific recipe and serving size. One recipe estimates that their shepherd's pie has 3 grams of net carbs per serving, while another estimates 5 grams of carbs and 1.8 grams of fiber per serving, for a total of 3.2 grams of net carbs.

Keto shepherd's pie with a turnip and rutabaga mash topping

Shepherd's Pie is the ultimate comfort food, but it's not very keto-friendly. The classic version has a thick layer of creamy mashed potatoes on top, and potatoes are high in carbs.

The Base

Most keto shepherd's pie recipes replace the mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. However, if you're tired of cauliflower or find it too soggy for a pie topping, you can try using mashed turnips instead. Turnips are a better substitute for potatoes than cauliflower because they taste more like potatoes and are in the same tuber family.

To make the turnip mash, peel and dice the turnips into small chunks. Then boil them in a mixture of chicken broth, water, and half a potato until they're tender. The potato is added to neutralize the bitter flavour of the turnips. Once they're tender, drain the turnips and return them to the pan to cook off the remaining moisture.

Next, puree the turnips until mashed. You can do this by adding the cooked turnips to a blender along with butter, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and cheddar cheese. Blend until smooth.

The Meat Filling

For the meat filling, you'll need ground beef, carrot, green beans, onion, celery, tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, and pepper. You can also add garlic and dried herbs like thyme and rosemary for extra flavour.

Start by sautéing the celery, carrot, onion, and green beans in butter until they're tender. Then, season with garlic and dried herbs. In a separate pan, brown the ground beef until it's cooked through. Combine the beef with the vegetables and add the tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and pour the mixture into a casserole dish.

The Rutabaga Mash Topping

Rutabaga, also known as yellow turnips, is a wonderful low-carb stand-in for potatoes in shepherd's pie. It has a lovely golden colour that makes the dish look even more inviting.

To make the rutabaga mash, peel and chop the rutabagas into 1-inch chunks. Boil them in salted water until they're very tender, which should take about 30 minutes. Drain the rutabagas and add ghee or butter, coconut milk or heavy cream, egg yolks, and seasonings. Process the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.

Putting It All Together

Spread the rutabaga mash on top of the meat filling in the casserole dish. Use a spoon or spatula to create swirls on the surface, which will help the top get browned in spots.

Bake the shepherd's pie at 375°F for 30 minutes, or until it's hot and bubbly. If you want a deeper browning, you can put it under the broiler for a few minutes, but be sure to keep an eye on it!

Let the pie sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. This dish is even more delicious when reheated the next day, and leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information

The number of carbs in this keto shepherd's pie will depend on the ingredients and serving size, but it's generally a low-carb option. One recipe estimates 6.7 grams of net carbs per very generous serving, while another estimates 5 grams of net carbs per serving.

Shepherd's pie with a cauliflower mash topping

Shepherd's Pie is a traditional comfort food, but it's not very low-carb-friendly. This is because the classic version has a thick layer of creamy mashed potatoes on top.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ground beef or lamb
• Zucchini
• Crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper
• Cauliflower
• Butter
• Heavy cream
• Shredded cheese
• Almond flour
• Beef bouillon
• Worcestershire sauce
• Bay leaf
• Beef stock

Method

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat until soft and translucent.
• Add the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it is browned and cooked through.
• Add the zucchini and tomatoes and stir to combine.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
• In a separate pot, boil the cauliflower until soft, about 8-10 minutes.
• Drain the cauliflower, allowing all steam to escape. Dry cauliflower will help make a creamier mash.
• Transfer the drained cauliflower to a food processor. Add the butter, cream, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
• Place the ground beef mixture in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Top with the mashed cauliflower.
• Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the topping is browned.

Tips

• If you like a stronger tomato flavor, stir some tomato paste into the ground beef. You can also add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to boost the flavor of the meat.
• If you want to cut down on calories and fat content, use lower-fat ground turkey, ground venison, or ground chicken instead of beef.
• For a creamier mash, add a tad of cream cheese or an egg yolk to the cauliflower mixture.
• If you don't have a food processor, you can process the cauliflower in a blender in small batches.

Nutrition Information

This recipe has 6 grams of net carbs per serving.

Keto shepherd's pie with ground beef

Shepherd's Pie is the ultimate comfort food, but it's not the most keto-friendly. The classic version has a thick layer of creamy mashed potatoes on top. This keto-friendly recipe replaces the mashed potatoes with a creamy, cheesy layer of mashed turnips or cauliflower.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic cloves
• Ground beef
• Almond flour
• Crushed tomatoes
• Worcestershire sauce
• Beef broth
• Butter
• Salt and black pepper
• Shredded cheese (optional)
• Mashed turnips or cauliflower

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent.
• Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
• Add almond flour and mix well.
• Add crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Cook until thick and gravy-like.
• For the mashed turnips:

• Peel and dice the turnips into small chunks.
• Boil in a mixture of chicken broth and water until tender.
• Drain and return to the pan to cook off any remaining moisture.
• Puree until mashed, adding heavy cream, salt, butter, black pepper, and cheddar cheese.

For the mashed cauliflower:

• Steam or boil the cauliflower until soft and tender.
• Drain well and transfer to a blender or food processor.
• Add butter and blend until combined.
• Add heavy cream, salt, pepper, and shredded cheese, and blend until smooth.

• Spread the beef mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or cast iron skillet.
• Top with the mashed turnips or cauliflower.
• Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling.

Tips:

• You can save time by using frozen cauliflower rice and blending it in a food processor or blender.
• Let the filling cool slightly before adding the mashed turnips or cauliflower to help the gravy thicken.
• For a creamier mash, replace the butter with cream cheese or an egg yolk.
• You can assemble and bake this dish ahead of time and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Keto shepherd's pie with ground lamb

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe Mashed cauliflower (2 cups)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 small Onion (diced; ~1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup Carrots (diced)
• 1/2 cup Green bell peppers (diced)
• 1 lb Ground lamb
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 1 cup Beef bone broth (or regular beef broth)
• 1 tbsp Coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning

Method:

• Make the mashed cauliflower according to instructions here. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a large enameled cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and peppers. Saute for 6-10 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan. Add the ground lamb, breaking it apart with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until the ground meat is brown.
• Stir in the broth, coconut aminos, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates and you have meat in a thick sauce. Remove from heat.
• Drop dollops of mashed cauliflower over the pan and use a rubber spatula to spread evenly.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the edges are bubbly.
• If desired, place under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until the edges are golden.

Tips:

• For a dairy-free, paleo or whole30 shepherd's pie, make the mashed cauliflower without dairy. Try it with a mix of butter-flavored coconut oil and coconut cream instead of the butter and cream cheese.
• You can also make this recipe with ground beef instead of lamb.
• For a thicker sauce, use 3/4 cup of beef broth instead of 1 cup.
• For a more traditional shepherd's pie, you can swap the green peppers for frozen peas. Stir them in with the broth.

Keto shepherd's pie with added green beans

Keto Shepherd's Pie with Green Beans

Ingredients:

• Olive or avocado oil
• Beef bouillon base/concentrate
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Xanthan Gum or cornstarch
• Ground beef
• Onion
• Garlic
• Black pepper
• Butter
• Mushrooms
• Green beans
• Sour cream
• Italian parsley

Method:

• Heat the oven to 350°.
• Steam or boil cauliflower until tender, then puree with butter, sour cream, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and Italian parsley. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and black pepper, then cook until fragrant. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
• Stir in beef bouillon base and water. Mix well and bring to a simmer, then sprinkle in the xanthan gum. Cook for an additional minute until thick.
• Empty the beef into a baking dish and press into the bottom. Set aside.
• Add butter to the skillet and heat. Once hot, add chopped mushrooms and onion. Cook until the mushrooms are browned and the onion is translucent.
• Mix in garlic and black pepper, then cook until fragrant. Stir in green beans to coat, then remove from the heat.
• Spread the cauliflower mash evenly over the veggies and smooth to finish, then top with shredded cheddar.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.

Tips:

• For a more authentic shepherd's pie, use ground lamb instead of beef.
• For a thicker sauce, add cornstarch or xanthan gum.
• Chop the mushrooms and green beans into small, bite-sized pieces for the best texture.
• To make the best cauliflower mash, don't over-steam the cauliflower. It should be just fork-tender.
• This dish is excellent for meal prep and can be frozen for up to six months.

Frequently asked questions