Lighter Shepherd's Pie is a low carb, healthy spin on traditional Shepherd's Pie. Ground lamb pairs perfectly with a light Cauliflower Purée to make for a hearty, delicious Irish dinner that's on point for St. Patty's Day!
To Make the Topping – Can be made up to 2 days ahead of time (store covered in the fridge)
In a steamer, steam the cauliflower florets until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. OR In a large pot of salted water, boil the cauliflower florets for 30 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain well. OR Cook 2 bags of frozen cauliflower according to package directions (usually 6 minutes each). Allow cauliflower to cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the cauliflower, shredded cheddar, egg yolk, and butter. cream cheese, and egg yolk. Puree until cheese is melted and cauliflower is smooth. Add in the cream cheese, ¾ tsp. Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. ground black pepper, and puree until smooth. While the food processor is on, slowly drizzle in the melted butter until combined.
To Make the Filling
Preheat the oven to 375.
In a large Dutch oven or oven-proof pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until glistening. Add the onion and carrots and cook until tender, stirring occasionally (about 8 minutes). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute), stirring occasionally. Add the ground lamb, crumbling to break the pieces into smaller bits. Sprinkle the paprika over the lamb mixture. Cook until the lamb is browned, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
Make a little hole in the middle of the lamb mixture and use a paper towel to soak up any excess fat (usually takes 2 times to get up all the fat we don’t want). In that same hole, place the tomato paste in the center. Brown the tomato paste for just a minute until it’s fragrant, then stir the tomato paste into the whole mixture.
Sprinkle the flour over the whole thing and stir to combine. Add the Worcestershire, herbs, and beef stock. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low. Stir in the peas, ¾ tsp. Kosher salt and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Cover and allow to cook until the mixture thickens (about 15 minutes).
Spread the cauliflower mixture evenly on top of the lamb mixture and place, uncovered, in the oven. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes until the cauliflower starts to brown.
Turn on the broiler and broil for about 3-5 minutes, or until the cauliflower gets golden-brown on top. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Garnish with parsley. Serve with Worcestershire.
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Notes
To Make Ahead Assemble the whole pie and keep in a 200 degree oven until you’re ready to serve. Broil the top for 3-5 minutes until it’s golden-brown.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Pineapple House Rules makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Keyword Cauliflower Puree, low carb, Shepherd's Pie