Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
This delicious Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is a great way to use Thanksgiving leftovers, or make it with chicken if you prefer. And the topping for this shepherd’s pie recipe is made with cauliflower mash, so if you check the nutritional information, this is surprisingly low in carbs!
PIN Turkey Shepherd’s Pie to try it later!
You might still be looking for Thanksgiving Recipes, but it won’t be long before many people will have leftover turkey and might be interested in this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie. When we sampled this recipe my nephew and cooking assistant Jake kept saying “This is really good” every time he took a bite. And this version of Shepherd’s Pie made with leftover turkey uses cauliflower mash for the topping, so it’s much lower in carbs than other recipes like this.
The recipe also uses turkey gravy, but if you don’t have any leftover gravy from Thanksgiving, you really should buy some gravy (like we did!) and give this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie a try. We looked for the lowest-carb turkey gravy we could find, and this is much lower in carbs than the usual recipes you’ll find for this dish, even with the purchased gravy!
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- onion
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- Poultry Seasoning (affiliate link)
- carrots
- frozen peas
- diced leftover turkey (or chicken)
- turkey gravy (use the gravy with the lowest amount of carbs you can find)
- grated cheese blend
- head of cauliflower
- large cloves of garlic
- milk, half and half, or cream
- finely grated Parmesan
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Using purchased mashed cauliflower for they Turkey Shepherd’s Pie:
I created this recipe before frozen “cauliflower mash” was a thing, and I really like the texture of the made-from-scratch cauliflower mash the best. But if you’re a fan of that, it would probably work to replace the step of cooking and mashing the cauliflower for this recipe.
Is this really a Shepherd’s Pie?
The loose definition of Shepherd’s Pie is simply a pie of meat and vegetables in gravy that’s topped with mashed potatoes, but some people insist that true Shepherd’s Pie can only be made with lamb. No matter how strict your definition is though, using turkey in a dish called Shepherd’s Pie is not the norm, but I wanted to convey the idea that this pot pie type casserole is made with turkey!
Is the Turkey Shepherd’s Pie low in carbs?
We replaced the traditional potatoes with mashed cauliflower, looked for the lowest carb gravy we could find, and used a moderate amount of higher-carb peas and carrots, and this recipe for a Shepherd’s Pie type casserole made with turkey has about 10 net carbs in a serving.
Want strictly low-carb ideas for leftover turkey?
If you check the nutritional information this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is surprisingly low in net carbs. But if you want really low-carb ideas for using that leftover turkey check out Low-Carb Leftover Turkey Recipes. And remember, anything you can make with leftover chicken can also be made with turkey!
How to Make Turkey Shepherd’s Pie:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Cut up cauliflower and cook (with garlic cloves) in boiling salted water for 12-15 minutes .
- Drain cauliflower well; don’t rush this step.
- We used a hand beater to whip the cauliflower and garlic like you would potatoes, adding a little milk, Parmesan cheese, and seasoning with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- While cauliflower cooks, cook chopped onion in olive oil, then add the poultry seasoning.
- I used one cup each of finely diced carrots and frozen peas. Cook the carrots in the microwave for about 3 minutes to barely soften them.
- You’ll need at least 3 cups diced leftover turkey. We cut our turkey into chunks about 1 inch square.
- I wanted to use turkey gravy to hold the filling together and flavor it, so I looked for the lowest carb gravy I could find and this one that I found at Costco has 3 carbs in 1/4 cup or 21 carbs in the 1 3/4 cups I used in the recipe. It’s hard to make a diet-friendly recipe that has gravy, but this is definitely not too bad for a dish that makes 8 servings.
- Add the turkey, partially cooked carrots, peas, and gravy to the pan and simmer a few minutes so the gravy thickens a little more.
- Spray an 8″ x 8″ casserole dish with non-stick spray and spread the turkey mixture in the bottom. (You can use a rectangular dish if that’s all you have but the finished dish will be thinner.)
- Then spread the mashed garlic-parmesan cauliflower mixture over that.
- Top with grated cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 375F/190C for about 30 minutes, or until the top is browned and the casserole is bubbly. Serve hot.
More Ideas for Leftover Turkey:
Turkey Shepherd's Pie
This Turkey Shepherd's Pie is a great way to use Thanksgiving leftovers, or make it with chicken if you don't have any turkey. And this Shepherd's Pie that uses cauliflower mash for the topping may not be a traditional recipe, but it's definitely delicious for a low-carb way to use leftover turkey.
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped in pieces about 1/2 inch
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. poultry seasoning
- 1 cup raw carrots, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cups diced leftover turkey, cut into pieces about 1 inch square
- 1 3/4 cups turkey gravy (use the gravy with the lowest amount of carbs you can find)
- 1/2 cup grated cheese blend
Topping Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 2 T milk
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.
- Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to a boil.
- Chop cauliflower into small pieces and simmer with the garlic cloves until it’s soft enough to mash easily.
- Drain cauliflower very well; then use an immersion blender, food processor, or hand beater to combine the cauliflower with the milk and Parmesan.
- Season the mashed cauliflower with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
- While the cauliflower cooks, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and saute the onion 3-4 minutes, then add the Poultry Seasoning (affiliate link) and saute about 1 minute more.
- Put the chopped carrots in a glass measuring cup, cover with cling-wrap, and microwave about 3 minutes, or just until barely starting to soften.
- Add the partially cooked carrots, diced turkey, peas, and turkey gravy to the pan and simmer on low for 10 minutes, or until the gravy is slightly thickened.
- Spray an 8″ x 8″ casserole dish with non-stick spray. (You need a dish with fairly high sides. You can use a slightly bigger dish and have a thinner finished product if needed.)
- Spread the turkey-vegetable mixture in the bottom of the dish.
- Top with the cauliflower, using a rubber scraper to spread it out so it covers the filling.
- Top with the grated cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling and the top is lightly browned.
- Serve hot.
Notes
This freezes well; to reheat, cook in microwave for a few minutes or heat in an oven or toaster oven in a small ovenproof dish covered with foil.
Recipe created by Kalyn and Jake.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 224Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 67mgSodium 562mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 22g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
I used mashed cauliflower in place of potatoes and looked for the lowest-carb variety of turkey gravy I could find to make this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie a lower-carb dish for the original South Beach Diet or carb-conscious eating plans. And even though the gravy does contain some flour and the dish has carrots and peas, this is surprisingly low in net carbs.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Casserole Recipes to find more tasty ideas like this one! Use the Recipes by Diet Type photo index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalynโs Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโm sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for Shepherd’s Pie made with turkey and cauliflower mash was first posted in 2012. It was last updated with more information in 2024.
29 Comments on “Turkey Shepherd’s Pie”
I wasn’t arguing that is traditional for Shepherd’s Pie. However this recipe has been on my site since 2012, so it’s way too late to change the name at this point. And I think my title makes it clear that this is a Shepherd’s Pie type dish made with turkey. Sorry if that bothers you.
You’re right, and I DID mention in the post that this isn’t really a traditional Shepherd’s Pie. Unfortunately it is way too late to change the name of the recipe at this point.
Do you think that I could ROAST the cauliflower before mashing? This brings out so much more flavor!
Absolutely, I think that’s a great idea. You will have some crisper edges though, so be prepared for that.
I substituted the turkey gravy out with mushroom gravy that I made with mushrooms, Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base, and a touch of cornstarch. It has very few carbs and could be a good substitute for South Beach. I also added some worcestershire to the turkey and additional mushrooms in the filling to finish out the umami profile. This is recipe is going to go into high rotation! Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed it! I like the sound of mushroom gravy and more mushrooms!
I adore shepherd's pie, but I've never tried cauliflower topping. This will be excellent. I have included your recipe in my March Real Food Meal Plan. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Melissa, I will go check it out!
Good morning Kalyn!
Firstly thank you so very much for all the recipes you've personally created and the other recipes that you've found for us. Some you hit right out of the park for me but others not so much as we all have our own likes and dislikes.
This recipe I pinned back this summer sometime and I've been making it ever since. The first time I made it with leftover chicken and spicy chicken sausage, it was a hit. The second time I made it with ground chicken and spicy chicken sausage, another hit. I just continued to make it but then it was Christmas and the turkey was in the oven, here was my chance.
Obviously I had a lot of leftover turkey as we purchased an unfrozen fresh turkey for Christmas. We live in Northern Ontario, Canada and the turkeys just come up to our doors and eat the bird seed, so they are easy to get but we let the butcher do it.
I don't even need a recipe anymore because this is so easy. I changed it up a bit by using a California mix and fresh green beans instead. I've used this before to fool some of our friends who are strictly meat and potatoes people and it worked. I have also changed up the vegetables to a Chinese or Thai mix and they all work wonderfully.
Thank you so much, I do look forward to 2015 and losing some unwanted pounds. And if you have any healthy smoothie recipes you can be sure I will be pinning them as well.
Hi April,
Sounds like you've been having fun creating variations of this; I love hearing that. Not really a smoothie fan so I don't think you'll ever find those here, sorry.
Holly, I'm also wondering if there was extra liquid from the frozen peas and carrots?
Holly, I did cut down the amount of gravy from the first time I made it for this recipe, but you could certainly cut it down more (or simmer longer so the gravy is really thick.) Glad you liked it.
I made this and it was very tasty but… It just seemed like a lot of gravy. It just fit into my casserole dish but with no room and did spill out a bit while cooking. Could you cut the amount of gravy in half? I also used a 12 oz bag frozen peas and carrots and that simplified a step. I also added a half of cup of celery and that came out great.
Thanks Donna!
BRILLIANT and healthy update – cauliflower – never woulda thunk it. You always teach me something new!
Becky, that's interesting. I thought it was pretty much all over the U.S.
Elizabeth, glad you like it.
This looks so tasty right about now!! Yum
I only learned what Shepherd's Pie was when I moved to Utah. I guess it wasn't popular in the South. Your version with cauliflower mash on top sounds perfect!
Joanne, you're not the only one who's not completely settled on a menu, lol!
Thanks Susan; love it.
Yum! The cauliflower topping sounds fantastic!
I'm pretty sure most people have their menus planned already (minus myself lol) and so leftover recipes are totally appropriate! This looks like such a great way to redo that turkey!
Lydia, it was just an idea that popped into my mind, but it really worked.
Shepherd's pie without potatoes! What an inspired way to use leftovers. (And once again, I wish we had a Costco nearby.)
Thanks Lisa. Will try to remember to do that when I know it.
Lora thanks! It was really a hit with my nephew.
I love having cauliflower in the topping. Looks fantastic. I haven't had a shepherd's pie in ages and now know what to do with some of the leftover turkey:)
This looks great! I've been looking for an alternative to making pot pies and this looks like a winner.
Just a request for the future: could you list weight (in grams) for protein items, in addition to the volume measure? It makes it easier for using nutrition software.
J's Mom, so glad you like the idea so much!
Barbara, we loved it, even my nephew who's kind of a potatoes fan.
What a great idea to use a cauliflower topping.
Thanks for posting this Kalyn.I'm now buying extra turkey ๐