Healthy Shepherd’s Pie (Paleo & Whole30)
This Healthy Shepherd’s Pie is a lighter, grain-free twist on the classic comfort dish. Made with lean ground beef, plenty of vegetables, and a creamy dairy-free mashed potato topping, it delivers rich, savory flavor while remaining Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Equipment
- Large pot
- oven-safe skillet Or transfer to baking dish
- Potato masher
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs lean ground beef (or lamb)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen peas (or chopped green beans)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef bone broth
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 tbsp ghee or extra virgin olive oil
- 0.25 cup beef broth (for mashed potatoes)
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil cubed potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and mash with ghee and beef broth until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet. Cook for 8 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute.
- Return beef to the skillet. Add tomato paste, coconut aminos, and beef broth. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in peas or green beans.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread mashed potatoes over the meat mixture and create texture with a fork.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until heated through and golden on top. Broil for 1–2 minutes if desired for extra browning. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
For strict Paleo, omit peas and substitute chopped green beans. Ensure your beef broth and coconut aminos contain no added sugar if following Whole30 guidelines.