This Whole30 & Paleo Shepherd’s Pie is the ultimate comfort dish. It’s hearty and packed with flavor and veggies. This dish is also dairy-free, gluten-free, and a 100% kid approved healthy dinner!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie is a healthier version of the classic but definitely doesn’t skimp on flavor or heartiness! Ground beef and veggies cooked together in a creamy and delicious dairy free gravy sauce and then topped with buttery mashed potatoes and baked to golden brown perfection… so yummy!
This Shepherd’s Pie is also extremely kid friendly! My young boys devour this pie and I feel so good knowing they’re getting a healthy dose of veggies in!
What is Shepherd’s Pie?
Traditional Shepherd’s Pie is made up of minced meat (most commonly lamb) and vegetables in a gravy sauce, topped with a mashed potato spread and baked until golden brown.
Are white potatoes Whole30 and Paleo compliant?
While white potatoes are certainly Whole30 compatible, whether or not they are paleo compliant is one of the hottest debates in the Paleo community!
Although white potatoes were certainly around when our ancestors roamed the earth, where the paleo diet originated from, the argument against white potatoes in the paleo diet comes from the high starch content and the ability to raise your blood sugar more quickly than their sweet potato counterpart.
You can find more info about this from Eat This, Not That!
White potatoes are becoming more and more accepted in a paleo diet and personally, I love to enjoy them in moderation in my paleo/whole30 lifestyle! If you are following an extremely strict paleo diet, substitute the white potatoes in this recipe for sweet potatoes!
Ingredients Needed
- Grass-fed Ground Beef - See the substitutes below for other options!
- Avocado Oil
- Onion
- Red Bell Pepper
- Celery
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Broccoli
- Beef Bone Broth
- Arrowroot Powder or Tapioca Starch - this is a great dairy and gluten free option to thicken the liquid in this recipe making the delicious gravy sauce.
- Dijon Mustard - This adds a bit of tang and spice to the gravy sauce!
- Coconut Aminos - This brings out such a great flavor in the ground beef and sauce.
- Nutritional Yeast - A great dairy free alternative that gives this pie a delicious cheesy flavor with added nutritional benefits!
For Mashed Potato Topping:
- Russet Potatoes - Feel free to sub for sweet potatoes as well!
- Coconut Milk - Makes the mashed potatoes creamy and delish while keeping them dairy free!
- Ghee - a great Whole30 & paleo butter substitute that gives the mashed potatoes that perfect buttery flavor.
- Thyme
- Garlic Powder
- Salt & Pepper
How To Make This Recipe
- Brown the Ground Beef with Veggies: Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery and carrots until onions are translucent. Add ground beef, salt & pepper, and brown the meat. Then add the broccoli.
- Make Gravy Sauce: Add the bone broth, reserving a ¼ cup. Mix the arrowroot or tapioca starch with the reserved bone broth to create a slurry, add to the meat mixture, mix and bring to a boil before adding in the mustard and coconut aminos.
- Let Sauce Thicken: Reduce heat and allow to simmer until the gravy thickens.
- Make Mashed Potatoes: Boil potatoes in a separate pot until tender, then drain and mash. Add ghee, coconut milk, and spices and mix well.
- Top Meat & Veggies with Potatoes: Transfer meat and veggie mixture to an oven safe pan (I like to cook this in a lodge cast iron pan, like this one, so I can pop it right in the oven!) and evenly spread with mashed potatoes. Top potatoes with thyme and nutritional yeast.
- Bake Pie: Bake for 20 minutes at 375.
- Broil: Broil for 5 additional minutes until the top is browned and side are bubbling.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Substitutions
Sweet Potatoes for White Potatoes: This recipe works great with white/russet potatoes or sweet potatoes! Swap them out to your liking or nutritional needs!
Lamb or Turkey for Ground Beef: Feel free to swap out the ground beef for ground lamb or turkey! If using ground turkey, I like to use a turkey with a bit higher fat content to keep the dish more flavorful!
Veggies: Swap out the veggies in this recipes for your favorites!
FAQ's
This Shepherd’s Pie is great served alongside a large green salad or roasted veggies!
This recipe can be made the day before to save time! Simply assemble the pie but wait to bake until the day it will be consumed, the leftovers are great as well!
This recipe stores great in the fridge for up to 4 days! Simply reheat in the microwave or the oven at 350F until heated thoroughly.
More Whole30 Dinners:
Love this recipe? Consider leaving a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. We LOVE to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Whole30 Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- ¾ cup celery diced
- ¾ cup carrots diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lb grass fed ground beef
- 1 cup broccoli chopped
- 2 cup beef bone broth divided
- 1.5 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
For mashed potato topping:
- 4 large russet potatoes cubed
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery, and carrots to a large pan and sauté until onions are translucent.
- Add ground beef, salt, pepper and brown meat.
- Add broccoli when meat is just about done.
- When meat is fully browned, add the bone broth to meat and veggies, reserving ¼ cup.
- Mix arrowroot powder with reserved bone broth to create a slurry, add to pan, mix well, and bring to a boil.
- Stir in mustard and coconut aminos.
- Reduce heat and allow to simmer until mixture thickens.
- Boil cubed potatoes in a separate pot until tender then drain and mash.
- Add ghee, coconut milk, and spices to potatoes and mix well.
- Transfer meat and veggie mix to an oven safe pan and spread potatoes evenly over the top.
- Sprinkle potatoes with thyme and nutritional yeast.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes at 375.
- Broil for 5 additional minutes until top is browned.
- Remove from oven and enjoy!
Notes
- I like to use a cast iron pan for this meal so I can transfer from the stove straight into the oven.
- This recipe can be made the day before to save time. Simply assemble the pie but wait to bake until the day it will be consumed, the leftovers are great as well!
- This recipe stores great in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave of the oven at 350F until heated thoroughly.
This shepherd's pie is so delicious and easy. It's the perfect comfort food. My husband requests it on a regular basis!!