Shepherd's Pie with Healthier Mashed Potatoes (that actually taste good) will fool even the most die-hard mashed potato lover!
One of husband’s and my favorite dinnertime games is playing GTI (guess the ingredients), where whoever has cooked the meal makes the other one try and guess all the ingredients in the dish.
It’s fun you should try it.
Anyway, a component of the recipe for Shepherd’s Pie with Mashed Potatoes I recently made is his #1 all-time favorite food ever — mashed potatoes. That said, I added a little somethin’ somthin’ to them and wanted to see if he could sniff it out. Here’s how it went.
Ok, let’s see…potatoes?
Yes.
Butter?
Yep.
Salt? Pepper? Milk?
Right.
I think that’s it then?! Maybe sour cream?!
BAHAHAHA, NO, I WIN YOU LOSE — I MADE YOU HEALTHY MASHED POTATOES AND YOU LIKED THEM!
Ahem, sorry! The secret ingredient I added — which the mashed potato connoisseur himself could not even detect — is cauliflower! I am so jazzed over this lower-carb mashed potato recipe, which tastes just like the real thing.
Now, I’ve made mashed cauliflower before trying to trick my brain into believing it was mashed potatoes, but no amount of whipping, butter, salt, nor pepper can help me get past the slightly wet and grainy texture.
Sure it’s low-carb and healthier than mashed potatoes – but at what cost?
The recipe I use to slather on top of the St. Patrick’s Day-inspired supper of Shepherd’s Pie doesn’t eliminate the potatoes, rather it cuts them in half.
Half potatoes, half cauliflower, with a little bit of milk, butter, salt, and pepper. So easy. So satisfying!
Start by making the Healthier Mashed Potatoes (that actually taste good).
Wash then chop 2 large potatoes into 2″ cubes (peels on or off is up to you) then place them inside a steamer basket in a large pot and steam for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer basket you can boil the potatoes.
After 5 minutes add 1 small head chopped cauliflower on top then steam for 10 more minutes, or until the potatoes and cauliflower are very tender.
Place the steamed veggies in a large food processor with a whipping blade, which is an unsharp blade used to mix up cake batters and mashed potatoes.
Alternatively you could use the regular blade, or a handheld mixer. Point being — we need something to whip the cauliflower into a smooth mixture, vs using a handheld masher to simply mash the florets.
Add warm milk, butter, salt and pepper…
Then let ‘er rip!
Scrape down the sides a couple times, and just keep going until your mixture is nice and smooth.
Ok, set the Healthier Mashed Potatoes to the side for a bit while you work on the Shepherd’s Pie filling you’re going to slather them on top of.
Start by browning ground beef with onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Tip: Save any unused chopped onions in a Ziplock freezer bag so you can sprinkle some into a pot, pan, or skillet anytime you need. I always do this with my leftover onions and it is SUCH a time saver!
Drain the meat if there’s a lot of fat in the pan, then sprinkle in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Next add tomato paste, gluten free Tamari (or soy sauce if not GF) and worcestershire sauce.
- Tip #2 – Freeze leftover tomato sauce sectioned off in plastic baggies so you can snap one off when you need it, vs always buying a new can.
Next add 1 can chicken or beef broth.
Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, 5-6 minutes. Lastly, add frozen vegetables then stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and top with the healthier mashed potatoes.
Since we save some cals by using half cauliflower, I feel it’s only necessary to dot the top with a little more butter, salt, and pepper.
Into the oven for 30 minutes.
Heck yes!
Let the Shepherd’s Pie cool for 5 minutes, then dish it on up.
You will want seconds, thirds and fourths of this dish. It is comforting, creamy and hearty, but light too. Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Healthier Mashed Potatoes
- 2 large potatoes, ~1-1/2lbs, peeled then chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 1 small head cauliflower, chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 Tablespoons butter, divided
- salt and pepper
For the Shepherd's Pie filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon gluten free Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
- 15 oz can chicken broth
- 2 cups frozen vegetable medley
Directions
For the Healthier Mashed Potatoes:
- Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a large soup pot then drop a steamer basket into the pot. Add potatoes, place a lid on top, turn heat down to medium, and then steam potatoes for 5 minutes.
- Add cauliflower florets on top of the potatoes, place the lid back on top, then steam for another 10 minutes or until cauliflower and potatoes are very tender. Transfer to a large food processor fitted with the whipping blade.
- Meanwhile, warm milk and 2 Tablespoons butter in a small saucepan then add to food processor with salt and pepper. Process until vegetables very smooth then set aside.
For the Shepherd's Pie:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground beef, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large skillet over medium-high heat then drain and return to the skillet. Sprinkle in flour then stir to coat and cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Tamari, and chicken broth to the skillet then bring to a simmer. Lower heat then continue to simmer until sauce has thickened, 5-6 minutes. Add frozen vegetables then more salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour mixture into a large, oven-proof casserole dish then top with healthier mashed potatoes and dot the top with remaining Tablespoon butter, salt, and pepper. Place casserole dish on top of a baking sheet (in case the sauce overflows) then bake for 20-30 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
You are a genius!!! I’ve made and loved a ton of your recipes but you have outdone yourself with this one! So, so good. Thank you! : )
I’ve tried this before and no, just no. I cannot STAND the taste of the cauliflower in my mashed potatoes. I cannot stand the taste of cauliflower in its cooked form, period.
This was FANTASTIC!!!! Thank you for sharing the recipe! Husband and son both loved it. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch today. And I also love your tip for freezing the leftover tomato paste…usually just throw mine in a bag in one lump and freeze it. Thank you!!
I made this dish this past week and it was SOOOOOO YUMMY!! Definitely going to become part of the rotation. Thanks! :)
I tried these mash potatoes on my husband a couple of months ago, and I agree – they’re great. Since, I’ve also tried a few other options that you might like: brocoli and garlic instead of cauliflower (perfect for St Patty’s Day, definitely my husbands fave) and red potato with skin and yoghurt instead of milk (extra creamy without the fat).
I made this yesterday. The only change I made was to use ground lamb instead of beef. Had to give a nod to the Irish! It went together so easy and that tip to cut the potatoes with cauliflower was great! I also have been mixing ground beef with ground turkey. I’m not a big ground turkey fan – but the mixture is great!
Yum – I have done this before and it’s sooo good! I use cauliflower in potato soup and it’s really good.
We tried the Shepard’s Pie yesterday – a day late for St. Patrick’s Day, but still in spirit:). My husband, who HATES cauliflower, and my 2yo daughter, who watches said husband’s every move LOVED it! And so did I. My pregnant self ate 2 helpings (piggie). I confessed the cauliflower sin to the hubs AFTER he had 1.5 servings and he wants me to make it again. SCORE!
Anyhoo, just stumbled across your blog a week or so ago and truly check it daily. I love your fresh ideas, and outlook. And I’m a fellow running too – well, waddler currently. But am finding a lot a great inspirations from your blog. THANK A MILLION!
Good Lord, and apparently I need to brush up on my proof reading skills…geez.
Yum this looks so comforting! I’m all about casseroles :)
I love mashed potatoes and cauliflower. It seems to go great with my grandma’s “ham balls.” They have a sweet brown sugar mustard sauce on top and the combination with the mashed taters and cauliflower is perfection.
I wish I’d seen this recipe yesterday as I’d made Shepherd’s pie and I did have some cauliflower on hand!!!Thanks for the recipe.
made this tonight for a pre st patty’s day dinner with our friends…everyone loved it and no one even knew about the cauliflower :)
Love the half potato/half cauliflower. So yummy and totally can’t tell a difference. I have done half potato and half parsnips before, too and it is also delicious!