Skillet Shepherd's Pie

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5 from 8 votes

A clean, Whole30 compliant version of the classic comfort food dish!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Mary Smith

Ingredients

2 tbsp ghee, divided
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
½ green pepper chopped
3-4 large carrots peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower *See notes- you can also do mashed russet or sweet potatoes!
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
2 tsp salt divided
½ tsp pepper
1 tbsp coconut aminos
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ cups chicken broth (or beef broth if you can find compliant!), divided
1 tsp arrowroot powder, mixed with 1 tbsp water in a small dish
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375. Cut up your cauliflower into florets and boil a large pot of water. Cook the cauliflower for 15-20 mins until soft and easily pierced with a fork.
While the cauliflower is cooking, you can make the filling. First brown the beef. Heat 1 tbsp of the ghee over medium heat in a large cast iron (or oven-safe) skillet and add the beef. Saute until browned and cooked through. Drain the fat, remove the beef from the pan, and set aside.
In the same pan, add onions, peppers, and carrots and saute until they begin to soften, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add in the ground beef back into the pan along with 1 tsp of salt and stir to combine. Add in the coconut aminos, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, 1 cup chicken or beef broth, and arrowroot powder/water mix (this is called a slurry- it helps to thicken the filling). Bring everything to a soft boil over medium high heat, then lower heat to low and let it simmer and thicken for about 10 minutes.
Finish the cauliflower mash. Once cooked, drain the cauliflower florets and add back into the pot. Add the remaining 1 tbsp ghee, ½ cup chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, and a dash of pepper to the pan. Use a potato masher to break it up. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until soft and fluffy.
Add the cauliflower mash on top of the filling and spread it out evenly. Bake the skillet for 15 mins at 375, followed by 5-10 mins under the broiler until browned and crispy around the edges. Top with freshly chopped parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

*If you prefer to use mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes as the topping, I've found that 4-5 russet or 3-4 medium-sized sweet potatoes works well. Peel, cut, boil for ~ 20 minutes until tender, then mash with a potato masher. Add 2 tbsp ghee, ½ cup full fat coconut milk (the hardened cream part), 2 tsp salt (to taste), 1 tsp pepper, and 2-3 tbsp chicken broth. Mash until combined. Enjoy!

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