Two old favorite dished mixed into one with only clean and healthy ingredients, can you guess what that is? Try out my newest fusion of food – Mushroom Alfredo Shepherd’s pie. Its rich and delicious, while still using the best ingredients that help your body thrive, and its quick and easy to make as always.
Shepherd’s Pie
Let’s start by breaking down my fusion and learning a little about their origins. Then I will Tell you about how to make the magic happen. Shepherd’s pie originated in the late 1800’s in Ireland or Scotland or maybe both. It was know to be a peasants food made of chopped lamb leftovers, some kind of gravy and covered with mashed potatoes. Basically it was a way to take your leftovers and re-create it into a new dish. This creation is called cottage pie or shepherd’s pie.
Since then there have been many versions of it by adding vegetables, using different types of meat. Also using ground meat instead of chunks. More recently it has also been made with sweet potato mash or cauliflower mash for a healthier version.
Mushroom Alfredo
Alfredo sauce originates from Italy, as most of your guessed. However the funny thing is that it was made by a restaurant owner named Alfredo Di Lelio, who made a simple dish of pasta with butter and parmesan for his wife who had an upset stomach. It was nothing special, nor very popular in Italy until one day two American actors came to the restaurant and tried this dish and loved it. They brought it back to America and that’s where it grew in popularity.
From the plain butter and parmesan cheese, this sauce has developed into a rich, creamy and heavy white sauce. Many times mushrooms are added as well as parsley for garnish just to give it some color.
The Fusion
What I have done for this recipe is taken two entirely different dishes and infused them to bring you my Mushroom Alfredo Shepherd’s Pie. Trust me, it may sound weird but it is so so good. As usually I like to keep my recipes simple, fast and easy but always healthy, grain free and dairy free. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to make it ahead of time and keep in in the freezer so it’s ready to eat anytime.
For a vegan version you can substitute the ground meat for the vegan ground meat of your choice (just look at ingredient list when choosing asn make sure it’s not full of fillers and junk). Some cleaner brands of vegan ground are Lightlife or BeyondMeat, both are pretty clean ingredients and soy free. If not make your own vegan base with lentils instead of the beef and follow my recipe along. Happy Cooking!
Don’t forget to try out some other delicious dinner recipes on Kitchen Thyme Blog:
Recipe: Mushroom Alfredo Shepherd’s Pie
Mushroom Alfredo Shepherd's Pie
A quick and delicious meal fusion of mushroom alfredo and shepherd's pie. The best of both worlds all in 1 meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb of ground turkey or grass-fed beef, or vegan ground
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves of garlic crushed and minced
- 5 leaved of kale de-stemmed and chopped into ribbons
- 1 carrot chopped into small pieces
- 1 stalks of celery finely chopped or 1/2 cup of peas
- 1 4 oz boxes of shiitake mushrooms
- 2/3 cup coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp ghee (used separately)
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 7-9 red potatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp mushroom spice (see notes below)
Instructions
- To start cook potatoes for the mash. I like to use the instant pot as its fast and easy and I can do it ahead of time or while I prepare meat. Place peeled and cut potatoes in pot, add 1 cup water, and a pinch of salt and cook on high pressure (manual) for 8 minutes. Allow it to slow release for 5 min then do a quick release and open up.
- While potatoes are cooking, use a large pan and add avocado oil. When oil is hot, add ground meat and allow to brown.
- While meat is browning, chop all veggies and have them ready to add to pan.
- Once meat is browned add onions and garlic.
- Then add carrots, peas or celery and kale ribbons. Mix well so everything gets cooked and flavors come together.
- Season mixture with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Using a 8 x 8 glass dish, pour meat mixture in and pat down. This is your first layer.
- With same pan, add 1 tbsp ghee and warm up.
- Pour 1 box of shiitake mushrooms in pan and sauté.
- As mushrooms cook add in the coconut milk, salt and mushroom spice ( see notes below). You will get a creamy Alfredo like sauce.
- Pour mushroom sauce over the meat mixture. This will be your second layer.
- Now that potatoes have slightly cooled, carefully pour out most of the water from instant pot and in same bowl mash potatoes with 1 tbsp ghee, almond milk, and salt. You can add more almond as needed to get right consistency for the mash.
- Pour mash on to mushroom and meat mix and smoothen out, this is you last and final layer.
- Brush with olive oil or ghee and bake for 10 mins on broil to get top golden and crispy.
Notes
For Mushroom Spice - You can buy one at Trader joes already mixed or make your own. To do that blend dried powdered porcini mushrooms, italian spice, garlic, onions powder, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Use equal amounts of each except for porcini mushrooms, that should be doubled.
For vegan version use vegan ground meat or use 1 cup of cooked green lentils instead of ground meat
This freezes well just skip last step when making recipe. You will do this step when pie is thawed and ready to warm up and serve.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 487Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 62mgSodium 132mgCarbohydrates 61gFiber 8gSugar 6gProtein 22g
Nutrition calculator is not 100% accurate as it is computer generated.
Hi,
I was just looking for some validation that my Alfredo mushroom shepherd pie wasn’t totally going to be a failed expend I came across your recipe. I took some shortcuts because I wanted to make it easy.
Here’s what I did.
I had some leftover roast lamb which I chopped in my ninja processor. I spread it evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 Pyrex dish which I had Pammed. I sprinkled salt and pepper, thyme, rosemary and some dried mint on the meat. I spread a layer of chopped baby carrots and one medium onion I had chopped in the ninja over the meat, along with a bag of frozen baby peas. I drained two small cans of mushroom pieces, put them into the ninja with a jar of Bertolli Alfredo sauce and some milk which I shook in the jar to get all the sauce out, blending the sauce and mushrooms briefly. I poured the sauce over the layered meat and veg. I topped it with 8 servings of instant mashed potatoes made according to the box and seasoned with Mrs, Dash. I dotted it with butter and sprinkled paprika on it, covered it with foil and baked for 1 hour at 350°, and took off the foil for five minutes more.
great idea.