Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower
This beefy Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower is a one dish meal packed with flavor and comfort in every bite. It’s topped with a creamy cauliflower mash that pulls the dish together and turns it into a lower carb version of comfort food.
Easy Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
Each time I post a recipe for this type of pie, people seem to love to discuss the differences between cottage pie and shepherd’s pie. Beef is typically used in cottage pie and ground lamb in shepherd’s pie. In my kitchen cooking is about fun and family and not getting too terribly troubled by such things. I usually make them both with ground beef since ground lamb is more pricey and not as readily available. This Cajun spice in this beefy cottage pie is a nice twist on flavors adding a bit of heat but, it’s not overwhelming. How to make Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower:
- Prepare Dish – Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Vegetables – Cook onion and diced peppers in a few drizzles of olive oil. Cook until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic and beef, cooking until no pink remains in beef. Drain any excess fat from the pan
- Sauce – To the pan add tomatoes, chili sauce, Worcestershire, Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper and frozen carrots and peas. Mix well, taste and adjust salt, if needed.
- Transfer to Dish – Pour into prepared dish and sprinkle with cheese.
- Cauliflower – Cook cauliflower florets in salted water until fork tender. Around 12-15 minutes. Drain well return to pot or to a mixing bowl.
- Mash – To the cooked cauliflower add cream cheese,butter and garlic salt. Whip using an electric mixer until creamy. Some chunky pieces will remain.
- Spread cauliflower over filling, dot with remaining butter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly around the edges. Broil, for a few minutes at the very end of baking to brown.
- Rest on the counter for 5 minutes, then serve.
How to Make the BEST Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
While I certainly don’t think that mashed cauliflower tastes just like mashed potatoes but, it’s pretty darn close. I whip them using my hand mixer which leaves a bit of texture that we really enjoy.
- Ingredients you’ll need to make Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower: Ground beef, onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, canned pureed tomatoes, chili sauce i.e. Heinz, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun or Creole seasoning, salt, black pepper, frozen carrots and peas, shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Mashed Cauliflower: Fresh cauliflower florets, chive and onion cream cheese, unsalted butter and garlic salt.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: Skillet, measuring cups and spoons, large pot, skillet, hand mixer, sharp knife and cutting board.
- If you’re a stickler for texture quality and prefer them to be completely smooth, you’ll need to puree the cooked cauliflower using a food processor.
- The dairy products in this dish can be substituted with lighter versions too, with great results.
- I often assemble the entire cottage pie in advance then cover with plastic wrap and chill until I’m ready to bake it.
- When assembling in advance, bring to room temperature prior to baking by allowing it to sit on the counter for 20 minutes. If there’s no time, increase the baking time by 10-15 minutes and bake until heated through and it’s golden on top.
- Store baked Cottage Pie chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in single servings in the microwave.
More Casserole Recipes to Make
- Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole uses uncooked chicken to make prep a cinch.
- Six ingredient Easy Cornbread Casserole.
- This Pineapple Casserole is delicious alongside holiday ham.
- You can never go wrong turning inexpensive green cabbage into this Cheesy Cabbage Casserole.
- An all time family favorite Easy Broccoli Casserole recipe.
- The family will flip for these Loaded Potato Cakes.
- Homemade Green Bean Casserole.
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole for those busy oven days.
- Easy Cauliflower Casserole from Southern Living.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Cottage Pie With Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 medium cloves garlic minced
- 3 lb lean ground beef
- 1 15 oz can pureed tomatoes
- 2/3 cup chili sauce i.e. Heinz
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning more or less to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp salt more or less to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup frozen carrots and peas
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Mashed Cauliflower:
- 2 lb cauliflower florets
- 1 8 oz container chive and onion cream cheese softened
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 tsp garlic salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook onion and diced peppers in a few drizzles of olive oil. Cook until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic and beef, cooking until no pink remains in beef. Drain any excess fat from the pan
- To the pan add tomatoes, chili sauce, Worcestershire, Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper and frozen carrots and peas. Mix well, taste and adjust salt, if needed. Pour into prepared dish and sprinkle with cheese.
- Meanwhile, cook cauliflower florets in salted water until fork tender. Around 12-15 minutes. Drain well return to pot or to a mixing bowl.
- To the cooked cauliflower add cream cheese, 4 Tbsp butter and garlic salt. Whip using an electric mixer until creamy. Some chunky pieces will remain.
- Spread cauliflower over filling, dot with remaining 1 Tbsp butter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly around the edges. Broil, for a few minutes at the very end of baking to brown.
- Rest on the counter for 5 minutes, then serve.
I think this looks delicious! Thanks for the shout-out for my Instant Pot Low-Carb Loaded Cauliflower Soup!
Always my pleasure Kalyn I love your goodies!