Instant Pot Beef & Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 6 · Prep 15 minutes · Cook about 45 minutes · Pressure cooker or slow cooker

A rich, savory shepherd’s pie made with grass-fed beef and lentils, simmered in homemade turkey bone broth with soy sauce and tomato paste. It’s topped with buttery potato-cauliflower mash. The bone broth gives the filling its deep flavor, and the lentils add fiber and plant protein without changing the classic comfort-food taste.

Per serving (⅙ of the recipe) Amount

Protein 48 g

Fat 31 g

Carbohydrates 59 g

Fiber 12 g

Ingredients:

Filling

2 lb grass-fed ground beef (85/15)

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)

1 tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed

3 cups homemade turkey or chicken bone broth (make sure it’s bone broth not stock).

2 cups frozen peas

Potato-cauliflower mash

1½ lb Yukon gold potatoes, cut into chunks (skin on)

4 cups cauliflower florets

½ cup milk

3 tbsp butter

Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Brown the beef: set the Instant Pot to Sauté and brown the beef, breaking it up as it cooks.

2. Build the base: add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, and thyme

and cook 1 minute more.

3. Add the lentils and broth: pour in the turkey bone broth and scrape the bottom of the pot well to prevent a burn notice.

Stir in the lentils.

4. Cook the filling:

Pressure cook: High Pressure 12 minutes, then natural release 10 minutes.

Slow cook: Low 7 hours or High 4 hours.

5. Add the peas: stir in the frozen peas and let them warm through for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Make the mash: in a second Instant Pot (or after transferring the filling to a baking dish), add 1 cup water and a steamer basket. Add the potatoes and cauliflower and pressure cook on High for 8 minutes, then quick release. Drain, then mash with the milk, butter, and salt until smooth.

7. Assemble and serve: Serve in bowls with the mash on top. For a classic finish, spread the filling in a 9x13 baking dish, top with the mash, and broil 5 minutes until golden.

Notes

Turkey bone broth: homemade broth is what makes this filling so rich. Store-bought bone broth works too; low-sodium is best because the soy sauce adds plenty of salt.

Make it lighter: this recipe also makes 8 smaller servings, at about 36 g protein, 23 g fat, 44 g carbs, and 9 g of fiber each.

Add a side: a crunchy broccoli salad or a simple green salad adds more fiber and something fresh.

Storage: keeps for 4 days in the fridge. The filling freezes well for up to 3 months; freeze the mash separately.

Nutrition notes

Nutrition is estimated per serving from standard USDA values. It assumes homemade turkey bone broth at about 40 calories and

6 g protein per cup; broth varies, so your batch values may differ. Sodium is not included because it depends on your broth and soy sauce.