Shepherds Pie with Healthier Mashed Potatoes
Try this Shepherd's Pie recipe with healthier mashed potatoes that actually taste good.
Try this Shepherd's Pie recipe with healthier mashed potatoes that actually taste good.
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 onion
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 large potatoes (1-1/2lbs ) peeled then chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 1 small head cauliflower chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
- 15 oz can chicken broth
- 2 cups frozen vegetable medley
- Carbohydrate 3.46380833503645 g
- Cholesterol 69.3253644421281 mg
- Fat 17.9872102948559 g
- Fiber 0.288729167386672 g
- Protein 15.2551004728187 g
- Saturated Fat 8.58334140601411 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (125g)
- Sodium 156.959935086168 mg
- Sugar 3.17507916764978 g
- Trans Fat 2.13466719757131 g
- Calories 239 calories
Step-by-step
- 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 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 very smooth then set aside.
- For the Shepherd's Pie filling: 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 well and cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce, and chicken broth to the skillet then bring to a boil. Lower heat then 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) and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Blending cauliflower directly into starchy potatoes reduces overall carbohydrates while maintaining a velvety texture, provided the vegetables are thoroughly steamed before processing. Steaming introduces less excess water than boiling, which prevents a watery mash that would otherwise slide off the meat filling during baking. Cut the potatoes and cauliflower into uniform two-inch pieces to ensure they soften at the same rate during the fifteen minutes of total steaming time.
Achieving the Right Consistency
Process the hot vegetables immediately with warm milk and butter using a food processor fitted with a whipping blade to eliminate graininess. When thickening the beef and broth mixture on the stove, cook the flour for exactly one minute to remove the raw starch taste before adding the liquids. Simmer the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon, signaling that the starches have fully hydrated and expanded.
Baking and Doneness Cues
Transfer the assembled dish to a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven, placing it over a baking sheet to catch any bubbling liquid. Bake for twenty to thirty minutes. Visual cues dictate doneness here rather than internal temperature probes; look for the piped or spread potato peaks to turn a distinct golden brown and the gravy to bubble visibly around the edges of the casserole dish.
