Paleo Shepherd's Pie

 

This low carb Shepherd’s Pie is topped with mashed rutabaga instead of potatoes. The filling includes the traditional carrots and peas with beef seasoned with warming spices and pine nuts. It’s Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, egg-free and grain-free!

 

For some reason, I find Paleo Shepherd’s Pie SO much fun to make! I love anything with layers. In fact, I started the double tank top layer trend at my middle school in 2002. The second and last trend I started was the following year when I would use my father’s ties as belts for my jean shorts and skorts.

 

These days I prefer layers I can eat and do not cause future embarrassment. I wanted to post a traditional (but lower carb) Shepherd’s Pie recipe but with my spin on it! A little more nutrient dense than the already healthy, hearty original spiced with some of my most cherished Lebanese additions as well as bone broth & aminos for extra flavor.

 

The meat mixture could be served on its own. It features a combination of beef, pork or lamb, toasted pine nuts, onions, cinnamon, cumin, allspice and gut-nourishing bone broth. Traditional peas & carrots next… if you don’t eat peas you can use diced zucchini or asparagus.

 

Paleo Shepherd's Pie

 

Finally, I topped it with a creamy, smooth, buttery (well, ghee-y) mashed rutabaga topping. If you don’t love rutabaga roasted or boiled, definitely try it mashed with some Fourth & Heart Himalayan Pink Salt Ghee & fresh cracked pepper!

 

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS PALEO SHEPHERD’S PIE

  • Ground Beef

  • Ground Pork or Lamb

  • Onion & Garlic

  • Cinnamon, Cumin & Allspice

  • Bone Broth

  • Coconut Aminos

  • Peas & Carrots

  • Rutabaga

  • Ghee

  • Salt & Pepper

 

Looking for some other family-friendly recipes to try? 

Taco Beef & Butternut Rice with Dairy-Free Sour Cream

Wild Salmon with Cucumber-Nectarine Salsa

Creamy Mushroom & Pork Casserole

 

 

Print
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Low Carb Shepherd’s Pie with Mashed Rutabaga

  • Author: Alaena Haber
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 50 minutes

Scale

Ingredients

Meat Layer

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork or lamb
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • cracked black pepper
  • 1/3 cup bone broth
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos

Peas & Carrots Layer

  • 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 10 ounce frozen peas
  • pinch sea salt

Mashed Rutabaga Layer

  • 2 ½ pounds rutabaga, peeled and halved
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • cracked black pepper

Instructions

Meat Layer

Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic for 3 minutes until tender. Add pine nuts and toast for 2 minutes until golden. Stir in ground beef, pork or lamb and break up with a wooden spoon until finely minced. Season with cinnamon, cumin, allspice and black pepper to taste as well as an additional ¾ teaspoon sea salt. Add broth and aminos and simmer for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

Peas & Carrots Layer

Reheat cast iron skillet over medium heat and add carrots. Saute for 3 minutes until crisp-tender then stir in peas and pinch sea salt. Cook for 5 minutes until the peas are warm and tender.

Mashed Rutabaga Layer

Steam, boil or use your Instant Pot to cook the rutabagas until tender. For the Instant Pot (my preferred method), cook with 1 cup water in high pressure for 15 to 17 minutes depending on size of rutabagas. Add cooked rutabagas to a high-powered blender and blend, using the tamper to keep the mixture going. Blend in ghee, sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Arrange the Shepherd’s Pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9×13 inch glass casserole, layer the meat first with the peas and carrots next and finally the mashed rutabaga smoothed on top. Bake for 20 minutes on the 2nd highest oven rack. Broil for 5 minutes to give the rutabaga a bit of a crust. Slice into 6 squares and serve warm. 


 

 

Low Carb Shepherd's Pie