Veggie Loaded Shepherds Pie (Kid Friendly, GF, DF)
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OH my goodness I can’t BELIEVE I’ve waited this long to share one of my absolute favorite veggie loaded comfort foods of all time with you all. This Veggie Loaded Sheperd’s Pie is almost everyones favorite meal in my house, and I’ve got a lot of different opinions to deal with these days.
It’s soooo savory and delicious and loaded with so many different vegetables that you cannot go wrong with this casserole dream. Traditionally, sheperds pie is made with lamb or mutton but this version I make is with ground beef. Its made with bacon, grassfed beef, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery and so much more and I really can’t desribe to you how well the flavors all come together, you’ll just have to try it and see my friends!
As far as a casserole goes, it really doesn’t take too long to throw together either, probably about 30 minutes to put together and prep and then you bake it for another 30 minutes. It’s not exactly a quickie weeknight dinner but also a great thing to prep in the morning and throw in the oven at night sort of dish.
This was one of my first grain free dinners I ever learned how to make when I went grain free more than 15 years ago! I have made the top layer with sweet potatoes, mashed cauliflower and a mix of the two together and it turns great either way. I’ve perfected the recipe to a “T” over the years!
If your child doesn’t like casseroles because of all the different foods mixed together, you can separate the “mashed potatoes,” the meat and the veggies in separate compartments for them and still include them in on the meal.
For babies, I just offer it straigth up on a plate with all the different foods mixed together. The bite sized pieces are soft and small enough for babies to manage.
Here’s what you need and how to make it.
FYI this recipe makes a double batch. It makes one large 8 by 11 or 9 by 13 inch casserole dish and one medium baking dish too. I usually freeze the second batch for another time.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs grassfed ground beef
1 lb nitrate free thick cut bacon (diced finely) this is my favorite brand
1 large yellow onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (diced)
6 carrots (chopped)
6 stalks celery (choped)
4-5 large sweet potatoes (chopped into 1/2 inch cubes)
3-4 tbsp real butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh rosemary or thyme (diced) **you can used dried spices too
2 cups mixed frozen vegetables
sea salt (this is my favorite brand of real salt)
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
pepper
1 cup bone broth (here’s my recipe for homemade bone broth)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat up a medium frying pan to medium heat and add your diced bacon for about 2 minutes. Then add in your onions and garlic and saute them in the bacon for an additional 5 minutes.
Add a tablespoon or 2 of olive oil to the pan and then add your diced carrots, celery, thyme and 2 cups of frozen mixed veggies to the mixture and saute for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, it a medium pot, boil your diced sweet potatoes until they’re soft and able to be smashed easily with a fork for about 15 minutes.
Add your ground beef to the pan and saute until brown, just a few minutes.
Add your broth, all your seasonings and cook for 5 more minutes or until 50% evaporated.
When the potatoes are finished cooking and are soft and tender, strain out the water, add your butter to the pan and use a hand blender to make it one even smoothie consistency. Add some sea salt to flavor it well too.
Next, add your beef, bacon and veggie mixture to the bottom of a large baking dish.
On top, use a spatula to smoothe out your sweet potatoe layer on the top.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Let it cool before being served.
