This Gluten Free Shepherds Pie is an absolutely delicious, allergen-friendly version of a classic comfort-food dish! It also sneaks in extra veggies by mashing together potatoes and cauliflower for the topping. With the same hearty and comforting flavors, you’ll have no idea this is gluten free or loaded with nutrients!
I’ve noticed myself recently leaning into all the childhood classics that I grew up eating. And Shepherds Pie was one of those. Apparently, the same goes for my husband and his family. But, when chatting about Shepherds Pie, we both agreed that our memories of it weren’t so fond.
Maybe we were just picky, but we kinda both dreaded when our mom’s said that Shepherds Pie was on the dinner menu. And in true picky kid nature, we separated the meat filling from the mashed potatoes and ate them separately.
Yet, with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I felt compelled to make Shepherds Pie and fall in love with it. After my husband’s first bite of this Gluten Free Shepherds Pie he said “wow this doesn’t taste like the one my mom used to make.” And it’s true…my recipe is incredibly flavorful and genuinely crave-able. Safe to say this recipe healed us.
So, whether you’re a shepherds pie lover or one that had similar childhood experiences as Kyle and I…I promise that when you give this one a try, you will be fully on board the Shepherds Pie (or Cottage Pie) train!
Why You’ll Love this Gluten Free Shepherds Pie
- It tastes exactly like the classic but is gluten free & has hidden veggies!
- This is the perfect dinner recipe for St. Patrick’s Day.
- It’s comforting and cozy, yet filling and nourishing.
- The topping is made from a mix of mashed potato and cauliflower 😉
- Frozen veggies are so affordable!
What You Need to Make this Gluten Free Shepherds Pie
For the Filling:
- Olive Oil: I don’t often provide measurements for oil…just eyeball it and use enough to coat the bottom of your pan.
- Yellow Onion: 1 small yellow onion, diced.
- Ground Beef or Lamb: I use 85% lean ground beef in this recipe because it’s more accessible but technically that makes it cottage pie. A true shepherd’s pie would use ground lamb.
- Dried Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary, Salt & Pepper: No bland shepherd’s pie around here!
- Fresh Garlic: 3 large garlic cloves…or really however many you want 😉
- Worcestershire: Worcestershire has a very unique and distinct taste and a little goes a long way! Many brands don’t have gluten-containing ingredients but aren’t certified gluten free. For a certified GF option, use the Lea & Perrins brand.
- Gluten Free Flour: This will help thicken up the sauce for the filling. I always use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 flour. Normal all-purpose flour will work too if you’re not gluten free.
- Tomato Paste: This adds both flavor and helps thicken the sauce. I know it’s annoying to open a can of tomato paste and only use 2 tbsp so it’s not the end of the world if you need to exclude it.
- Beef Broth: The base of the sauce is beef (or chicken) broth. I actually used this Rosemary Thyme Bone Broth which adds extra protein and flavor.
- Frozen Peas & Carrots: If you can find a mix of frozen peas & carrots, use it! Otherwise, you can just use 1.5 cups of frozen mixed veggies (which usually also contain corn and green beans) and omit the frozen corn.
- Frozen Corn: This is a classic ingredient in Shepherd’s Pie, however you could also substitute it for additional frozen peas & carrots if you prefer.
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- Russet Potatoes: Shepherd’s Pie isn’t complete without the mashed potato topping, and russet potatoes are the best variety to use for this.
- Cauliflower: Rather than using 100% potatoes, we are sneaking in some veggies by using cauliflower. It gets mashed with the potatoes and you can’t even tell it’s in there!
- Butter: Butter (preferably unsalted) adds richness to the mashed potato topping.
- Greek Yogurt: I absolutely love the tang that some full-fat plain greek yogurt provides. It pairs so great with the mashed potatoes! This is in replacement of half and half that’s traditionally used.
- Garlic Powder & Salt: Keep it simple with the seasonings.
How To Make this Gluten Free Shepherds Pie
Prepare the Mashed Potato Topping:
First, start by preheating your oven to 400F. Then, add chopped potatoes and cauliflower florets to a large pot and cover with 1″ of water. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, heavily salt the water (like the sea!), then reduce to a gentle boil (about medium heat). Let cook for 15 minutes or until everything is fork tender.
Drain off the water. Transfer potatoes and cauliflower to a food processor along with the butter, greek yogurt, garlic powder and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Cook the Ground Beef Filling:
Now it’s time to prepare the ground beef filling, which you can start while the potatoes & cauliflower are boiling! First, bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Then, add onion and cook for several minutes until starting to turn translucent.
Add ground beef and start breaking it apart into small pieces with your spatula. Season with parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the ground beef is browned. If there seems to be a lot of excess liquid/grease, drain it off.
Then, add Worcestershire and garlic, stir, and let cook for 1 minute. Add flour and tomato paste, and stir until incorporated. Pour in the broth and add in the frozen veggies. Allow it to come to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5-8 more minutes until the sauce has thickened a bit.
Layer the Filling & Mashed Potatoes in a Baking Dish:
Next, pour filling mixture evenly into a 9×9″ baking dish. Then, top with the mashed potato mixture. Spread the mashed potatoes out all the way to the edges of the pan to prevent the filling from bubbling up too much.
Transfer baking dish to the oven uncovered for about 25 minutes. If your baking dish is filled to the brim, you may want to place a baking sheet on the oven rack below to catch any overflow.
Let Cool before Topping & Eating:
Let the Gluten Free Shepherds Pie cool for at least 15 minutes before topping with chopped chives and fresh cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
What’s the Origin of Shepherds Pie?
Variations of Shepherds Pie or Cottage Pie date back to the 18th century where they were seen in British cookbooks. Each region has a slightly different recipe. For example, those in the UK typically use ground beef while those in Ireland use ground lamb.
But at the core of all these recipes is a ground meat mixture with veggies and gravy that’s layered with a mashed potato topping and baked in the oven. A comfort-food dish that you can now find at many restaurants around the world!
What’s the Difference between Shepherds Pie & Cottage Pie?
Last year I posted a recipe for Shepherds Pie Soup and got a ton of backlash from people on the internet saying that it’s actually called Cottage Pie since I used ground beef. So…there ya go! The distinction between Shepherds Pie and Cottage Pie is that Shepherds Pie traditionally uses ground lamb while Cottage Pie uses ground beef.
However, I always grew up calling this Shepherds Pie and I think that’s the more recognizable name, so that’s what I went with. If you’d rather use ground lamb in here…go for it! It’s just a bit more expensive and harder to find than ground beef.
How does this Gluten Free Shepherds Pie Compare to the Classic?
I wanted to make this recipe equally as tasty and nostalgic as a classic shepherds pie but with a gluten free twist so that my celiac friends could enjoy it. You won’t even notice that’s it gluten free! It simply uses gluten free flour instead of all-purpose and uses a specific brand of Worcestershire sauce that’s certified gluten free.
Another change that I made is mixing both potatoes and cauliflower in the mashed potato layer! I love this little hack to sneak in extra veggies without tasting them. Cheers to some extra fiber!
Lastly, the mashed potato topping typically includes half-and-half (or some similar milk product) and shredded cheese. My Gluten Free Shepherd’s Pie doesn’t contain either of those! Instead, we swap in some greek yogurt which not only adds tanginess and creaminess but also a little more protein and probiotics. I also forgo the cheese for a lighter option but feel free to add that in, or on top if you’d like.
Is Worcestershire Sauce Gluten Free?
Many brands of Worcestershire sauce do not have any gluten containing ingredients. However, a lot of them aren’t certified gluten free! So, if you’re celiac, I recommend using the Lea & Perrins brand which IS certified gluten free.
Can I Make this Dairy Free?
Yup! Simply swap out the butter for your favorite vegan butter (mine is Country Crock Plant Butter) and use a thick, non-dairy yogurt such as Siggi’s Plant-Based. Let me know if you try out a dairy free version of this Gluten Free Shepherds Pie!
Substitutions:
- Ground Beef: Feel free to use ground lamb instead! Or, go the untraditional route and use ground turkey or chicken. I’d recommend sticking to a leanness of 85-90%.
- Worcestershire: Although there’s only a small amount, this does contribute a lot of that classic Shepherds Pie flavor. In a pinch, you can try substituting it with balsamic vinegar, fish sauce, coconut aminos or tamari.
- Tomato Paste: Feel free to exclude it if you don’t want to open a can just for this recipe. The sauce may just be a little less thick and flavorful.
- Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour: Of course, if you’re not GF you can use regular all-purpose flour. Another GF option that may work is arrowroot starch or tapioca flour.
- Cauliflower: If you can’t get on board with the half cauliflower, half potato situation, just use all russet potatoes!
- Greek Yogurt: Sour cream should also work here and will provide a similar creaminess and tangy flavor.
How Do I Store & Re-Heat Leftover Gluten Free Shepherds Pie?
After letting the Gluten Free Shepherds Pie cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for several days. It’s delicious eaten cold or warmed up in the microwave.
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by leaving a rating and review below and tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for more Cozy Gluten Free Meals?
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Marry Me Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Gluten Free Chili Cornbread Casserole
- Meatball Shakshuka
- Gluten Free Sage Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Potato Carrot Mash
- Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Gluten Free Shepherds Pie (with Hidden Veggies!)
Equipment
- peeler
- large pot
- colander
- large pan
- spatula
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 lb ground beef or lamb (I used 85% lean)
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire (make sure to use Lea & Perrins brand for a certified GF option)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp gluten free 1-to-1 flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef or chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen peas & carrots
- ½ cup frozen corn
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- 1 lb russet potatoes peeled & chopped into large chunks
- ¾ lb cauliflower florets (or substitute more potatoes)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- kosher salt to taste
Optional Topping:
- chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- Add chopped potatoes and cauliflower florets to a large pot and cover with 1" of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, heavily salt the water, then reduce to a gentle boil (about medium heat). Let cook for 15 minutes or until everything is fork tender.¾ lb cauliflower florets, 1 lb russet potatoes
- Drain off the water. Transfer potatoes and cauliflower to a food processor along with the butter, greek yogurt, garlic powder and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.¼ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt, kosher salt, ½ tsp garlic powder
For the Filling:
- Bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Then, add onion and cook for several minutes until starting to turn translucent.olive oil, 1 small yellow onion
- Add ground beef and start breaking it apart into small pieces with your spatula. Season with parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the ground beef is browned. If there seems to be a lot of excess liquid/grease, drain it off.1 lb ground beef or lamb, 2 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp dried thyme, kosher salt & black pepper
- Then, add Worcestershire and garlic, stir, and let cook for 1 minute. Add flour and tomato paste, and stir until incorporated.1 tbsp Worcestershire, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp gluten free 1-to-1 flour, 2 tbsp tomato paste
- Pour in the broth and add in the frozen veggies. Allow it to come to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5-8 more minutes until the sauce has thickened a bit.1 cup beef or chicken broth, 1 cup frozen peas & carrots, ½ cup frozen corn
- Pour filling mixture evenly into a 9×9" baking dish. Then, top with the mashed potato mixture. Spread the mashed potatoes out all the way to the edges of the pan to prevent the filling from bubbling up too much.
- Transfer baking dish to the oven uncovered for about 25 minutes. If your baking dish is filled to the brim, you may want to place a baking sheet on the oven rack below to catch any overflow.
- Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before topping with chopped chives and fresh cracked black pepper. Enjoy!chopped chives
Video
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating and review below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.
This recipe was so easy! We love shepherds pie, so this healthy alternative is now a go to! I used ground turkey because that’s what I had on hand. Next time I’m definitely doubling this recipe.
Yes to doubling the recipe!! Can never have enough 🙂