This is the heartiest and most delicious Whole30 paleo shepherd's pie you'll ever try. This warm and comforting recipe is full of nutrient dense veggies and topped off with a creamy sweet potato mash. It is gluten free, dairy free, paleo, and Whole30.
Just wanted to let you know this fabulous recipe is sponsored by my friends at Lindsay Olives!
Why is paleo shepherd's pie the best?
This dish is one of my favorite and most comforting meals ever. It is warm, hearty, and full of nutrient dense goodness.
There are so many reasons why this dish is so wonderful. I've tweaked it multiple times over the past few years, and I'm finally the happiest I've ever been with it.
- A perfect comfort meal for any time of the year. It's quite filling with plentiful sources of good quality carbs, protein, and fat.
- Meal prep goodness. It's wonderful reheated throughout the week.
- It's customizable. If you aren't into sweet potatoes, use white potatoes. If you want to use ground chicken or pork instead, you can!
- It is gluten free, dairy free, paleo, and Whole30 compliant.
What's inside this shepherd's pie recipe?
Inside the ground beef mixture, we have:
- Grass-fed ground beef
- Onions
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Red bell pepper
- Mushrooms
- Spices
- Bone broth
- Tomato paste
- Fish sauce
- Seasoning
The sweet potato mash is made with:
- Sweet potatoes
- Garlic cloves
- Coconut milk
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
This is one of my favorite dishes to make when I know I won't have time to cook the rest of the week. I'm notorious for eating it cold as well, and it is delicious.
It can be made in a cast iron pot or a ceramic pot, and it's going to be one of your go-to's after you try it for the first time.
Recipe substitutions and notes
- You can use ground chicken or pork instead of beef.
- White potatoes can be used in place of sweet potatoes.
- It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You're going to absolutely love this paleo shepherd's pie, and I cannot wait for you to try it! Be sure to let me know if you get to trying it... your feedback means the world to me.
How to make paleo shepherd's pie
Melt the oil in a large enameled cast-iron pot or saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add onions and carrots. Stir fry for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent. Add garlic cloves & stir frequently for 1 minute, making sure it does not burn. Mix in ground beef and sauté until it begins to turn brown, about 4-5 more minutes. Add in bell peppers and mushrooms and cover the pot.
Cook for another 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring every 5 minutes until the mushrooms begin to release water. Uncover and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add tomato paste, bone broth, fish sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Peel and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Bring cold water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the potatoes, garlic and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook at a rolling simmer until potatoes are fork tender. This will take about 15 minutes.
Drain potatoes and garlic. Mash potatoes and garlic together or add to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until creamy. Add in the coconut milk and mix in the olive oil. Taste for salt and pepper. Spread the potato mash over the meat mixture.
Bake for 10 minutes and let it cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and a bit more of drizzled olive oil and serve.
More Whole30 recipes you'll love:
Whole30 Paleo Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
Ground Beef Layer
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee
- ½ cup yellow onions diced
- 4 carrots diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 red bell peppers diced
- 16 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup chicken bone broth- Find Here!
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon fish sauce
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Sweet Potato Mash
- 2 pounds large sweet potatoes
- 8 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt to taste
- ¼ cup canned coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons California extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
Ground Beef Mixture
- Melt the oil in a large enameled cast-iron pot or saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions and carrots. Stir fry for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the garlic cloves and stir frequently for 1 minute, making sure it does not burn. Add in ground beef and sauté until it begins to turn brown, about 4-5 more minutes. Add in bell peppers and mushrooms and cover the pot. Cook for another 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring every 5 minutes until the mushrooms begin to release water. Uncover and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add tomato paste, bone broth, fish sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Sweet Potato Mash
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Peel and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Bring cold water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the potatoes, garlic and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook at a rolling simmer until potatoes are fork tender. This will take about 15 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and garlic. Mash potatoes and garlic together or add to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until creamy. Add in the coconut milk and mix in the olive oil. Taste for salt and pepper. Spread the potato mash over the meat mixture.
- Bake for 10 minutes and let it cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and a bit more of drizzled olive oil and serve.
Notes
- If you'd like to use a ground chicken or pork instead of the beef, you sure can!
- You can alternatively use russet potatoes, yukon gold or red potatoes for the mash topping.
- It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Rachel says
I did not have mushrooms so just added in extra veggies. This turned out AMAZING! The sweet potato mash on top is delicious on its own.
Right? So darn good. Such a comforting meal!
Peter C says
Great recipe. Made it twice (once without tomato paste.) Family thinks it is better without the tomato paste.
Kaia says
There’s so many variations of recipes on pinterest that finding the perfect one can be tricky. Tried this and loved it!! Froze some after making it and already deciding to take it out of the freezer and pop it back into oven, I’ll be munching on this one longer than I anticipated 😉
Bri says
If we are prepping this to eat later, do we need to do the baking step?
Since everything is already cooked, and there’s nothing to crisp on top, just trying to understand why bake 🙂 (very new to cooking)
Jessica says
I don't ever rate recipes online, but I can't keep silent for this one. I have made this about four times and I now crave it. I didn't make it over the summer because I avoid heating the oven at all costs (live in the desert), but now that it's cooled down it's the first meal of the fall. Looooooove it!
Allyson says
This is a new family favorite! Followed the recipe exactly as she created it & WOW!! We were blown away by how delicious it was! Thank you!!
Michelle says
Is there anything you’d sub for fish sauce? My boyfriend is allergic which makes me sad because I love it as an ingredient!
You can skip it all together!
Leigh says
I've made this twice and both times it's been excellent. The second time I had some ostrich mince and it was oh so good. Thanks for this really great recipe.
You're so very welcome. I am happy you loved it- and OSTRICH? Oh my gosh, wow.
Terra says
Just curious, what size staub did you use? I used the biggest skillet I had, cut the mushrooms in half and still had tons of liquid spilling over in my oven. Really tasty, though!
Marie Haynes says
This was incredibly tasty. However the prep time is way off. It says 15 mins but it took me over two hours to get it ready to put in the oven!
Paula says
So my Instacart shopper brought me purple yams instead of white sweet potatoes. Nevertheless, I persisted. Those things are thirsty, so I had to use more coconut milk, and to offset its natural sweetness I added some powdered ginger. It all came out beautifully, in spite of the purple. Will definitely make again.
That is so awesome!!! i would love to see what this looks like!
Erica says
After searching various Shepherd Pie recipe's reading through this I think I'm going try tomorrow! Going to test roasting the potatoes and garlic first - then mashing together - thoughts? Also, thoughts on 1/2 potato 1/2 celery root to lower the sugar/carb?
Patricia Slayton says
On my, I'd say you got lucky with the purples, LOVE THEM, especially in my Coconut Curry Chicken!
RIGHT? I love purple sweet potatoes, too. Such a win!
Linda Barringer says
Great recipe......but when ground beef or any other meat apart from Lamb is used its called Cottage Pie. Shepard's Pie is Lamb only hence { Shepard }