This is the best Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie! It has a delicious saucy meat layer that is filled with ground beef, carrots and frozen peas that is topped with rich and creamy mashed potatoes. It’s the ultimate comfort food that’s surprisingly easy to make. It’s also gluten free, dairy free and paleo!
Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Why this Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie is so good:
- When it comes to comfort food, shepherd’s pie is some of the best and this recipe, despite being dairy free and grain free is incredibly delicious!
- It’s got the most delicious meat layer that is made with ground beef, carrots, onions and peas and then it’s all topped with rich and creamy mashed potatoes. I added nutritional yeast to the potatoes to give them a cheese-like taste, just without dairy.
- Besides being Whole30 compliant, this recipe is also gluten free, and paleo.
- It freezes really well and also makes great leftovers.
What you need to make this Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie:
- A 9″ x 13″ casserole or baking dish
- An immersion blender – I recommend using a metal one (plastic will release hormone disruptors into your food when heated, which ideally you don’t want) – this is the metal one I use and love
- Coconut oil
- Ground beef – I recommend using grass fed beef for the increased health benefits – to have grass fed beef delivered to your door click here
- Spices: sea salt, ground black pepper, dried parsley, dried basil, dried thyme
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, frozen peas, russet potatoes
- Liquids: tomato paste, coconut aminos, broth (choose from vegetable, chicken, beef or bone broth), and full fat coconut milk
- Almond flour – to thicken the sauce
- Nutritional yeast – to give the potatoes a cheesy flavour
Tips for making this paleo shepherd’s pie:
- Feel free to replace the white potatoes with sweet potatoes
- If you tolerate dairy, you can use butter or ghee instead of coconut oil
- You can change the vegetables in this dish to give it a different flavour. Some other options include chopped celery or mushrooms
- I suggest using full fat coconut milk rather than low fat
- This dish makes great leftovers and can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container
- You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months
- If you are serving a large crowd feel free to make a double batch
- I recommend using a metal immersion blender rather than a plastic immersion blender. If plastic is heated it will release hormone disruptors into your food, which you don’t want!
Frequently asked questions:
You can pair shepherd’s pie with many different sides including a side garden salad, coleslaw, broccoli salad, cut raw vegetables, or other cooked vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower.
Shepherd’s pie originated in England. Before being called shepherd’s pie, it used to be called cottage pie.
This depends on which definition or version of the paleo diet that you follow. When the paleo diet was first created potatoes were not allowed, but since the Whole30 diet started allowing potatoes many paleo authors have also started to allow potatoes as well. My number one rule is to do what works best for you and listen to your body. If you don’t tolerate white potatoes, please don’t eat them. You could easily use sweet potatoes (which are paleo) for this recipe instead.
Other Whole30 recipes you will love:
- Whole30 Scalloped Potatoes
- Whole30 Clam Chowder
- Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Lemon Dill Aioli
- Whole30 Stir Fry
- Whole30 Pumpkin Soup
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Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie (paleo, gluten free, dairy free)
This Whole30 Shepherd's Pie is the ultimate comfort food. WIth a hearty ground beef filling and rich and creamy mashed potatoes it's the perfect meal that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Meat Filling Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1.5 cups chopped white or yellow onion
- 1.5 lbs ground beef (I recommend using grassfed beef)
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth (or use beef broth, chicken broth or bone broth)
Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
- 3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters (approximately 8 potatoes)
- 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
Meat filling instructions:
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Place a large pan on the stove on medium heat and add the coconut oil and chopped onion. Cook until the onion is translucent
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Add the ground beef and spices to the pan and cook until the meat is browned, stirring frequently to break the meat apart
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Add the cooconut aminos, tomato paste and almond flour and stir well to combine
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Add the carrots, peas and broth, stirring well to combine. Place the lid on the pan and simmer for ~5 minutes, until the peas and carrots are cooked and it has the consistency you desire.
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Preheat the oven to 400F and start making the potatoes
Mashed Potato Instructions
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Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil for ~15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Then drain the water.
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Add the remaining ingredients, and using your immersion blender blend the potatoes until they are smooth (they will be a little sticky)
FInal Assembly
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Transfer the meat mixture to a 9" x 13" casserole dish, and spread into an even layer. Then top the meat layer with the mashed potatoes and spread into an even layer
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Place the dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the edges of the potatoes are golden and the filling is bubbling
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to use butter or ghee instead of coconut oil
- Be sure to use full fat coconut milk instead of low fat
- If you can’t have almonds I would use cashew flour instead
- You can use any type of broth for this recipe (vegetable, chicken, beef or bone broth)
- This recipe makes great leftovers and can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days
Pin this recipe for later:
Delicious, my kids who typically dislike almost everything I make, had seconds and loved it! Thanks for the great recipe, will definitely make this one again.
Oh my goodness Sarah this makes me so happy to read! Thanks for your support!
Super delicious!!! My partners favourite meal is Shepherds Pie and he strongly approves! I will definitely be making this again!
Oh yay!!!! Thanks Charla!