Lighter Shepherd's Pie
Shepherd's Pie is the answer to the quick, easy, healthy dinner that uses few dishes, but there's a trick to it. Are you ready for my secret?
Ingredients
Shepherd's Pie Filling
- ½ pound lean ground turkey (or ground chicken or meatless grounds)
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp all purpose flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free)
- 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
Mashed Cauliflower Layer
- 1 pound cauliflower
- ¼ cup skim milk (or vegetable broth of vegan)
- ½ cup fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese (use 1/2 cup nutritional yeast plus 4 tbsp cauliflower water for vegan)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 1 cup low fat cheddar (or vegan cheese)
Instructions
Make the Mashed Cauliflower
- If you are not using a bag of premade, frozen mashed cauliflower, break down a 1 pound head of cauliflower.
- Boil the cauliflower in salted water until it's tender. Drain (reserve 4 Tbsp water if making a vegan mash).
- Combine the drained cauliflower with milk, cottage cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper (and use whatever alternative you need to for vegan). Use an immersion blender to purée the cauliflower until the mixture is smooth. Set aside while you make your filling.
Make the Filling and Construct the Shepherd's Pie
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Heat your oven-safe pan on the stove, and brown your ground turkey or chicken. If you're using meatless crumbles, heat them through.
- Add in the diced onions and stir until translucent.
- Sprinkle flour or cornstarch evenly over the whole pan and stir until no dry spots show. Continue to cook until a fond forms on the bottom of the pan and turns golden brown.
- Slowly drizzle in the vegetable broth, stirring continually until a thick sauce forms. Make sure to scrape up the fond and incorporate it into the sauce.
- Pour in the vegetables and turn off the heat.
- When it stops simmering, layer the mashed cauliflower over top, and sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
- Cool slightly before serving.