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    Home » Recipes

    Mashed Cauliflower Cottage Pie

    Published: Feb 8, 2023 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This mashed cauliflower cottage pie is low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, super easy, and full of great traditional flavors. Mashed cauliflower replaces the mashed potatoes, but I promise you won't miss them. It's the perfect healthy comfort meal.

    A scoop of mashed cauliflower cottage pie on a plate.

    This mashed cauliflower cottage pie is the perfect meal if you want traditional comfort food, but without all the carbs. It's the perfect Irish St. Patrick's Day meal if you're trying to keep things a little lighter. You can even make it Whole30, Paleo, or Keto--just omit the corn!

    We make the filling in a cast-iron pan so we can pop it right into the oven, so there's minimal cleanup involved (the perfect Spring cleaning recipe!), plus who doesn't love a hearty cast-iron meal?

    Looking for other healthy comfort meals? Try our cauliflower and baked potato soup, crustless chicken pot pie skillet, or greek yogurt beef stroganoff.

    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Mashed Cauliflower Cottage Pie Recipe
    A scoop of mashed cauliflower cottage pie on a plate.

    Key Ingredients

    • Ground beef
    • Cauliflower
    • Butter
    • Onion
    • Dijon mustard
    • Coconut aminos- you can use soy sauce instead if you're not gluten free.
    • Tomato paste
    • Arrowroot powder/flour/starch- you can substitute regular flour if you're not gluten free.
    • Beef broth
    • Frozen vegetable medley- we use a bag of corn, carrots, and peas. You can use whatever combination of frozen vegetables you prefer. If you're following a Paleo, Whole30, or Keto diet, omit the corn.
    • Other ingredients: olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper

    See recipe card for amounts.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Add cauliflower florets to a large saucepan and add enough water to cover the cauliflower. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water, put over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook the cauliflower until it's tender and easy to pierce with a fork, about 10-15 minutes.

    Cauliflower cooking in a pot of boiling water.

    Step 2: Once the cauliflower is done, drain the water and add the cauliflower back to the pan. Use a blender, immersion blender or potato masher to mash the cauliflower until it's smooth like mashed potatoes. Add butter, salt, and pepper and stir until the butter melts. Set the mashed cauliflower aside.

    Cauliflower being mashed with a potato masher in a pot.

    Step 3: Preheat your oven to 400°F.

    Step 4: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softening slightly. Then add the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the beef is browned, about 5-7 minutes.

    Onions cooking in a pan.
    Browned ground beef cooking in a pan.

    Step 5: Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the dijon mustard, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, until the tomato paste is fully incorporated into the beef.

    Ground beef mixed with tomato paste cooking in a pan.

    Step 6: Add the arrowroot powder (or flour) to the pan. Mix until everything is combined, then add the beef broth and frozen vegetables. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the beef broth has thickened to a gravy-like consistency.

    Beef, gravy, and vegetables cooking in a pan.

    Step 7: Remove the pan from the heat. Top with the mashed cauliflower, then bake for 25-30 minutes, until slightly browned on the top (if yours isn't browning, you can put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes).

    A cast-iron pan filled with cottage pie filling and topped with mashed cauliflower.
    Mashed cauliflower cottage pie in a cast-iron pan.

    Substitutions

    • If you're not following a gluten-free diet, you can use all-purpose flour instead of arrowroot flour. Use 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour for every 1 tablespoon of arrowroot flour.
    • You can use soy sauce instead of coconut aminos if you're not gluten free.
    • If you follow a Keto, Whole30, or Paleo diet, omit the corn in the vegetable medley.
    • Use your favorite kind of vegetables instead of corn, peas, and carrots. For example, green beans would also be great.
    • Use traditional mashed potatoes instead of mashed cauliflower.
    • If you're not dairy free, add some parmesan cheese to the mashed cauliflower for extra flavor.
    • Make it shepherd's pie instead of cottage pie (use lamb instead of ground beef).

    Frequently asked questions

    How do I store this cottage pie?

    Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. To reheat, microwave in a bowl on high for around 90 seconds. If it seems dry, add a little bit of beef broth to the bowl prior to microwaving it.

    What is the difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie?

    Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with lamb, versus cottage pie, which is made with beef (or other minced meat).

    What if I don't have an oven-safe or cast-iron pan?

    Totally ok! Cook the filling in whatever pan you have, then transfer it to an oven-safe baking dish. Then follow the same instructions.

    Mashed Cauliflower Cottage Pie Recipe

    Mashed Cauliflower Cottage Pie Recipe

    Recipe by Mollie

    This mashed cauliflower cottage pie is low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, super easy, and full of great traditional flavors. Mashed cauliflower replaces the mashed potatoes, but I promise you won't miss them. It's the perfect healthy comfort meal.

    Course: DinnerCuisine: IrishDifficulty: Easy
    5 from 1 vote
    Pin
    Print
    Servings

    6

    servings
    Cook time

    1

    hour 
    Calories

    300

    kcal
    Total time

    1

    hour 
    Cook Mode

    Prevent your screen from going dark!

    Ingredients

    • For the mashed cauliflower:
    • 1 large head 1 cauliflower (or two small heads), cut into florets

    • 4 tablespoons 4 unsalted butter

    • ½ teaspoon ½ salt

    • ½ teaspoon ½ black pepper

    • For the cottage pie filling:
    • 1 tablespoon 1 olive oil

    • ½ ½ sweet onion, diced

    • 1 pound 1 ground beef

    • ½ teaspoon ½ garlic powder

    • ½ teaspoon ½ onion powder

    • 1 teaspoon 1 dried parsley

    • 1 teaspoon 1 dried oregano

    • 1 teaspoon 1 dried thyme

    • ½ teaspoon ½ salt

    • ½ teaspoon ½ black pepper

    • 2 tablespoons 2 tomato paste

    • 2 tablespoons 2 coconut aminos (or soy sauce if not gluten free)

    • 1 tablespoon 1 dijon mustard

    • 1 tablespoon 1 arrowroot flour (or 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour if not gluten free)

    • 1 cup 1 beef broth

    • 1 cup 1 mixed frozen vegetables (we use corn, peas, and carrots)

    Directions

    • Add cauliflower florets to a medium or large saucepan and add enough water to cover the cauliflower. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water, put over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook the cauliflower until it's tender and easy to pierce with a fork, about 10-15 minutes.
    • Once the cauliflower is done, drain the water and add the cauliflower back to the pan. Use a blender, immersion blender or potato masher to mash the cauliflower until it's smooth like mashed potatoes. Add butter, salt, and pepper and stir until the butter melts. Set the mashed cauliflower aside.
    • Preheat your oven to 400°F.
    • Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softening slightly. Then add the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the beef is browned, about 5-7 minutes.
    • Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the dijon mustard, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, until the tomato paste is fully incorporated into the beef.
    • Add the arrowroot powder (or flour) to the pan. Mix until everything is combined, then add the beef broth and frozen vegetables. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the beef broth has thickened to a gravy-like consistency.
    • Remove the pan from the heat. Top with the mashed cauliflower, then bake for 25-30 minutes, until slightly browned on the top (if yours isn't browning, you can put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes).

    Notes

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