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Cottage Pie with Horseradish Cauliflower Mash

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Cottage Pie

How do you define comfort food? Maybe it’s food that you grew up with that brings back fond memories (sloppy joes or mac & cheese, anyone?). Maybe it’s something that you rely on when you’re stressed or feel like you want to curl up under a mound of blankets and hibernate.

However you define comfort food, it doesn’t have to be unhealthy, ground you to the couch, “I’ll surely regret this later” kind of food. For me, comfort food is usually something warm and hearty that not only feeds the body but the soul too. It’s the food equivalent of a really good book you can’t put down or a Harry Potter ⚡ movie marathon. My Cottage Pie with Horseradish Cauliflower Mash fits neatly into this category. It bridges the gap between comfort food and food you can feel good about later.

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Cottage Pie

What’s the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie?

Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with lamb meat, specifically. Cottage pie swaps out the lamb for beef, or even turkey, if you want to be a rebel. Otherwise, they are really the same beast. Traditionally, both dishes are also topped with mashed potatoes before baking, but I prefer the easy swap of low-carb creamy cauliflower as my cottage pie topping.

Are frozen vegetables considered processed food?

Technically yes. However, one needs to consider the spectrum of processed foods. Minimally processed foods such as whole frozen fruit and vegetables, nuts, canned tomatoes, and tuna are often processed at their peak to retain maximum nutritional quality. Though I still favor fresh veggies over frozen, I don’t feel bad about making the swap for convenience because I know that the nutritional content is still clean. On the other end, heavily processed foods such as frozen pizza and pasta as well as canned soups and sauces are what I like to stay away from because they almost never offer the same nutritional quality, nor depth of flavor, as the real thing. They also often include unnecessary filler ingredients, binders, thickeners, and preservatives that don’t belong anywhere near my meals.

That being said, there are some vegetables that I never buy frozen because the texture of the end product is so different compared to the fresh version. For example, frozen brussels sprouts are pretty unpalatable to me because they always turn out mushy and over-cooked compared to the delicious slightly crunchy texture of fresh, roasted brussels sprouts. I can totally understand why so many people grew up loathing this particular veggie because I can imagine that they were probably eating the mushy frozen sprouts, rather than the tasty fresh ones. Whatever you choose to buy, check the labels. There’s a huge difference between a bag of frozen veggies that you cook with butter and herbs and a bag of frozen veggies with a preservative-laden butter and herb sauce included in the mix.

Cottage Pie

A note for special diets

This Cottage Pie is grain-free, gluten-free, and friendly for Paleo, Keto, SIBO, and Whole30 diets if prepared as written below.

But sometimes, I just want a little cheese – who doesn’t? If your diet allows dairy, this cottage pie can level-up with the addition of 1 cup of shredded white cheddar or gruyere, which I sprinkle on top of the filling right before I layer the cauliflower mash. You can also blend this directly to the mash if you prefer.

a red dutch oven pot with cottage pie on a teal background with a red lid

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Cottage Pie with Horseradish Cauliflower Mash

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 6 large portions

Ingredients

For filling:

  • 1 tbsp garlic oil (may sub 1 tbsp avocado oil plus 2 cloves minced garlic)
  • 1 1/2 lb grass fed beef (may sub ground turkey or blend 50/50)
  • 1 cup green onion, chopped
  • 2 cups frozen pea and carrot mix
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (may sub 1 tbsp dried)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

For cauliflower mash:

  • 1 medium head (about 5 cups) cauliflower, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter (or ghee for Whole 30)
  • 2 tbsp horseradish paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic oil (may sub 1 1/2 tsp avocado oil and 1 clove minced garlic)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chives, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

For the filling:

  1. In a large dutch oven or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add garlic oil and ground beef. Brown fully and then drain excess grease.
  2. Lower heat to medium. Add green onions to the meat mixture and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add frozen pea and carrot mixture, parsley, cumin, salt, pepper. Stir gently and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until peas and carrots are cooked through. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed.

For the cauliflower mash:

  1. In a large, microwave-safe bowl combine chopped cauliflower and ghee.
  2. Microwave for 6 minutes. Remove from heat, stir to coat butter over the top of the cauliflower, and microwave for an additional 6 minutes. The cauliflower should be easily speared with a fork at this point.
  3. Add cauliflower, horseradish, garlic oil, salt, and pepper to your food processor. Pulse until well-blended and creamy. If you do not have a food processor, this can be done in a blender or even with a hand mixer, though I find it turns out creamiest in a food processor.
  4. Stir in chives until well incorporated and taste for salt and pepper. Adjust if needed.
  5. Spread the cauliflower mixture over the top of your meat and veggie mixture
  6. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. I like to keep the pan covered with an oven-safe lid (or foil) for the first 15 minutes and then remove the top for the final 15 to allow the cauliflower to get a bit golden. Serve immediately.

Notes

If prepared as-written below, this dish is dairy-free and fits a huge range of diets including Paleo, Keto, SIBO, and Whole30. But sometimes, I just want a little cheese - who doesn't? If your diet allows dairy, this dish can level-up with the addition of 1 c of shredded white cheddar or gruyere, which I sprinkle on top of the filling right before I layer the cauliflower mash. You can also blend this directly to the mash if you prefer.

Courses Mains

Cuisine British

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/6 of recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 358

% Daily Value

Total Fat 25 g

38%

Sodium 392 mg

16%

Total Carbohydrates 12 g

4%

Dietary Fiber 4 g

16%

Sugars 2 g

Protein 25 g

50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Cottage Pie

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gaby

    April 30, 2018 at 8:37 am

    Oh yum, this sounds like my kind of comfort food. I love the sound of the Horseradish Cauliflower Mash and I’ll definitely be pinning this one!

    Reply

  2. Brittany Poulson

    April 30, 2018 at 8:51 am

    This looks delicious! I never knew..or had thought about the difference between shepherd’s and cottage pie – so that was interesting to learn! I love your swap with cauliflower – I need to try it!

    Reply

  4. Ginny

    April 30, 2018 at 10:29 am

    Love the looks of that Cottage Pie! The added horseradish paste and garlic oil to the cauliflower mash sounds absolutely delicious.

    Reply

  14. Becca Wilson

    May 1, 2018 at 8:40 am

    This looks like it would be such a tasty dish! I am definitely going to have to give this a try.

    Reply

  18. Annemarie LeBlanc

    May 1, 2018 at 10:27 am

    The horseradish and cauliflower mash sounds like something I would love to try. I haven’t made shepherd’s (or cottage) pie in a while so I am going to add that to our next week’s menu plan. I will use your recipe and I am positive my family will love this unique twist.

    Reply

  22. Maya

    May 1, 2018 at 11:00 pm

    Oh I LOVE this! Love that it uses grassed beef! Love that is has cauliflower mash instead of potatoes. And it’s still heart and comforting. Great recipe!

    Reply

  23. Kari

    May 2, 2018 at 8:33 am

    I love putting a twist on some of our favorite recipes to change it up. Will have to try our favorite shepard’s pie with cauliflower mash next time I make it.

    Reply

  34. Natalie

    May 4, 2018 at 6:28 am

    What a beautiful tasteful looking pie. Cauliflower mash makes this pie so low-carb. I absolutely love this. Can’t wait to make this for my family.

    Reply

  36. Patti @ Patty Cake's Pantry

    May 4, 2018 at 10:20 pm

    I love shepherd’s pie, err cottage pie, and I really love that you’ve used cauliflower in place of the usual mashed potatoes because that means less carbs for the diabetics in my life. The earthiness of the cumin in your filling is amazing and goes well with the horseradish. I would never have thought to pair those two flavors, but it works brilliantly. Awesome recipe!

    Reply

  37. Kiki Johnson

    May 5, 2018 at 11:56 am

    I’m a sucker for cottage pie and have always swapped potatoes for sweet potatoes. I really really like your idea to use cauliflower mash and that touch of horseradish surely takes it to the next level.

    Reply

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