This version of Shepherd’s Pie or cottage pie (when made with beef!) as it can be known, is delicious, light, and filling all at once, which makes it a great winter time recipe! I think Shepherd’s Pie is such a great comfort food because the mash is soft and fluffy, and the veggies and beef are warm and savoury.
This recipe is so easy – you won’t have to think twice about prepping it for a weeknight! It’s also pretty easy on the wallet.
- Sweet Potato: $1.50 for a large one
- Cauliflower: $3 for a head
- Onion: less than $0.50 as you can pick up a giant bag of them for a couple bucks
- Peas: couple dollars for a bag but you only need a cup
- Carrots: less than $1 as you can pick up a bag of them for $2.50
- Ground Beef: $5 for 450g or 1lb
- Spices: use staples you have at home or stock up for the future!
- Dairy Free Margarine: $2-4 for container but you just need a dab
- Total: $12-15
Sweet potatoes are root vegetables that are a rich source of fibre as well as filled with vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, and they’re a good source of most of our B vitamins and vitamin C! BBC has a great article about sweet potato nutrition here. Cauliflowers are also abundant in fibre and Vitamin C, and contain some protein. These are alternative choices if you want to switch out the regular potatoes once in a while. As an aside, regular potatoes do have a lot of nutrients if you keep the skin on while making the mash!
Sweet Potato Cauliflower Shepherd’s Pie
Created with a sweet potato and cauliflower mash, this budget friendly dish is the ultimate comfort food with healthier elements! This Shepherd’s Pie is gluten free and dairy free, and packed with vegetables and protein.
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 tbsp dairy free margarine generally this ends up being vegan
- 2 whole carrots
- 1 medium onion
- 1 cup peas
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp beef bouillon concentrate
- rosemary
- garlic salt
- pepper
- thyme
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400F and take out a 9×9 square glass pan for the Shepherd’s Pie.
Cook the ground beef on medium heat with a pinch of the garlic salt and pepper, a tsp of rosemary, and the beef bouillon concentrate (it’s like a gravy). Set aside when the meat is no longer pink!
Dice the carrots and onion finely and lightly fry them on the frying pan that was used to cook the beef, about 3-5 minutes.
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At the same time, bring a large pot to boil, adding the sweet potato cut into large chunks. Cook at the high heat for about 10 minutes, lower the heat to medium and then add the cauliflower florets in. Cook for another 15 minutes or until both are tender. Drain the water, add the tbsp of margarine, then use a potato masher to create a fluffy and creamy mash. When all the chunks are fairly smooth, sprinkle a pinch or two of rosemary and thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.
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Transfer first the ground beef into the 9×9 pan, then the peas + carrots + onion, and then carefully spoon the mash on top. Use a fork to create “ridges” in the mash so when it bakes, the tips get toasted more.
Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 30 minutes. You may need to turn the oven on broil for 5 minutes at the end to crisp the mash a bit more!
Hey Fiona!! So cool to see your blog. Tried this recipe tonight and we LOVED it! Thanks for posting!
Hi Amy! Thanks for letting me know that you tried it!! Glad it worked out well 😀
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