When I'm craving a warm, nostalgic dish from my childhood, but want to avoid an inflammation hangover, a dairy-free, gluten-free Shepherd's Pie is just the thing. After tweaking my traditional Irish recipe, I am happy to report this ground lamb Shepherd's Pie hits all the comforting notes while still being Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Ultimate comfort foods are different for everyone, however, they tend to always mean something like piping a hot casserole, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and melty cheddar cheese. Or, Mom's mac & cheese. Mmm. These classic, hearty dishes do not need to be a thing of the past for anti-inflammatory dieters. They just need an upgrade.
Enter this warm, scrumptious, satisfying pie recipe. This dish hits all the notes without any Worcestershire sauce, corn, or cheese. Perfect for those following Paleo or Whole30 nutrition programs.
Let's be honest, there are times when nothing but the exact replica of your childhood favorites will do. If that's you today, check out my grandma's lasagna. And, yes, I do eat this particular comfort food at least once a year ... I'm not messing with my 47-year birthday tradition!
Jump to:
- Gluten Free Shepherd's Pie Perfection
- Recipe Development
- Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Preparation Tips
- Special Equipment
- Dietary Compliance
- Storing, Freezing, & Reheating Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie
- Intentional Kitchen Tip
- FAQ
- Here are some other gluten-free recipes to check out
- General Food Safety
- 💬 Reviews
Gluten Free Shepherd's Pie Perfection
- Warm, comforting, and filling.
- Whole30 compliant that non-Whole30ers will love. My guess is your non-Whole30 guests will ask for the recipe.
- Fantastic for leftovers; cook once, eat twice (or thrice).
Recipe Development
One of my favorite local dishes here in San Diego is Shakespeare Pub's Shepherd's Pie; their vegetarian version is just as good as the original! If you are in town, do yourself a favor and check them out.
So, I wanted to recreate their cottage pie for my Whole30 program. I spent time adjusting ingredients and quantities from traditional recipes to land on this version. The parmesan substitute was inspired by Michael Symon's dairy-free cheese.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
The following ingredients are key to this dairy-free pie. However, food is art, so play with substitutions.
- Ground lamb is traditional in a classic Shepherd's Pie, however, ground beef works well, or even a combo of the two meats.
- Onion adds a nice depth of flavor. I used a yellow onion, but use what you have on hand.
- Coconut aminos are critical for a rich flavor. If you aren't following Paleo rules, you can use Worcestershire.
- Arrowroot powder will help thicken the sauce. Tapioca starch could be used instead.
- Beef bone broth creates moisture and flavor; chicken bone broth will do the same. Regular broth can be used as well, but there will be a slight flavor loss.
- Apple cider vinegar adds just a little bite. Any vinegar will work here.
- Peas and carrots round out the dish and make it a one-pot hit. If you aren't eating peas for AIP compliance, use a combo of carrots and parsnips.
- Russet potatoes create a lovely golden brown top. You can swap with white sweet potatoes to be AIP compliant.
- Coconut milk is my favorite non-dairy substitute in this dish as it adds creaminess. Any non-dairy milk will work, though.
- Nutritional yeast is used in my dish instead of parmesan cheese. I've yet to find it's equal. If it isn't your thing, you can simply omit it.
Please see the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Preparation Tips
- Make sure to simmer your potatoes until they are fork-tender. They should pretty much start to fall apart when you pierce them with a fork. This will make mashing much easier!
- Read through the whole recipe and get your game plan together before starting. There are several multi-tasking steps, so it is good to be prepared.
I like a rough dice on the onions so I know they are still there when I'm eating the pie. A tiny dice makes the onions disappear into the background; not a bad thing, just a personal preference
Spread potatoes on top of meat; careful not to let too much of the meat mixture peek through.
Special Equipment
Most likely, you have everything you need in your kitchen to make this recipe. Some of the items I use to make this that I recommend are:
- Food processor to mince the nuts. If you don't have a food processor, you can hand chop the nuts with the nutritional yeast.
- Dutch oven to boil potatoes. Any large pot will do, but I use my Dutch Oven all the time; it is super versatile and handy!
- Large casserole dish for the final pie. This is another go-to item in my kitchen I use for many recipes.
- A mini whisk is good for the arrowroot slurry.
Dietary Compliance
The pie can be part of many nutrition programs. To name a few:
- Whole30
- Paleo
- The Galveston Diet, reintroduction and maintenance phases
- Wahl's Protocol
- Amy Myer's Autoimmune Solution
Storing, Freezing, & Reheating Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie
This can be stored in the fridge for 5 days and reheated in the microwave for about 2 minutes (based on your microwave wattage and the size of your leftovers).
The casserole can be frozen, once cool, for 3 months and reheated in a 350 oven for 30 minutes or in the microwave for 5+ minutes. Before freezing, cut into serving squares, wrap each square individually, and reheat a square as needed.
Intentional Kitchen Tip
Pots, pans, and casserole dishes, oh my! There is a bit of washing up to do after making this recipe. While the pie is baking, knock out your dishes. A mindful dinner will be much more enjoyable knowing your kitchen is already clean.
FAQ
The history of the dish is a bit muddled but signs point to the dish being of Scottish origin, first appearing in a published recipe in 1849.
One of the great things about this dish is it is a self-contained meal. You could get away with just serving this for dinner. However, if you think you are hosting a get-together and want to look extra impressive, a light green salad is a good option.
Cottage pie is made with ground beef while Shepherd's Pie is made with ground lamb.
Love this recipe? Please rate the dish and leave a comment for me and your fellow Kitchen Intention setters. I love to see your dishes on social media too, so be sure to tag me.
PrintGluten Free Shepherd's Pie (Whole30 & Paleo)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Warm, comforting, and satisfying, this gluten free Shepherd's Pie hits all the right notes. And, it's Paleo and Whole30 compliant. Sláinte!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 large russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and diced into 1" cubes
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 small onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley leaves
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, stemmed and leaves chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 cup beef bone broth (divided)
- 1 cup frozen mixed peas and carrot
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- ⅓ cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a food processor, blend cashews and nutritional yeast until the mixture looks like bread crumbs; about 15 pulses. Set aside.
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with 1" of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender. About 12 minutes. Once cooked drain in a colander and return to the original pot, which is now empty. Set aside until ready to use.
- While potatoes are cooking, add oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once oil is warm (about 2 minutes), add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add lamb to the skill and break it apart with spatula. Add all spices (parsley through black pepper) and stir to combine. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat is no longer pink.
- Add coconut aminos, vinegar, garlic. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
- Make an arrowroot slurry by whisking arrowroot powder and 2 tablespoons bone broth together in a small bowl. Add slurry to skillet and stir until well mixed.
- Add the remaining broth, peas, and carrots to the skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the lamb mixture is simmering, add ghee, coconut milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the pot with the potatoes. Add the cashew/nutritional yeast mix to the pot. Mash and stir until everything is well combined.
- Pour the meat mixture into a 9X13 casserole dish. Spread evenly.
- Spoon potatoes on top of the meat. Spread evenly, careful not to mix into the meat.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Then, place under broiler for 3 minutes to brown the top. Keep a close eye on the dish so the potatoes don't burn.
- Cool for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
The nutrition information below is only an estimate based on the Nutrifox calculator. Brands, quantities, substitutions, and serving sizes can alter this information.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Paleo, Whole30
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ of casserole
- Calories: 507
- Sugar: 3.1 g
- Sodium: 831.4 mg
- Fat: 33.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.2 g
- Protein: 18.1 g
- Cholesterol: 70.6 mg
Here are some other gluten-free recipes to check out
General Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Cook ground lamb and beef to 160°F
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Nancy says
Shepherd's Pie is about the only dish I like lamb in. This does not disappoint. Whole30 compliance is an added bonus.