Shepherds Pie Soup {gluten free + dairy free + Whole30 + paleo}

This comforting shepherds pie soup is a delicious, healthy twist on a classic casserole dish. A rich and flavorful recipe that is easy to make and perfect for your next family dinner! Made with tons of veggies, ground beef, and a creamy cashew cream base for a comfort food meal you’ll want to make again and again! Gluten free, dairy free, Whole30, paleo, and easily adapted to be vegan.

The best shepherds pie soup

Shepherds pie is one of those all around classic comfort food recipes that really hits the spot whenever the weather turns chilly! The perfect hearty food to warm you and the family up from the inside out.

And because the only thing that can make a cozy recipe even MORE cozy is turning it into a soup, we’re gonna go ahead and go down that road with this one!

Nourishing, made with real ingredients, and totally satisfying, all with an easy to manage ingredient list and a cook time of just under an hour. So you can sit down to enjoy a warm meal in no time.

If you love shepherds pie, I promise you’ll absolutely love it as a soup!

What is shepherds pie?

Shepherds pie is a classic comfort food casserole that originated in Britain back in the mid 1800’s. It was traditionally made with lamb, and it’s close relative, cottage pie, was made with ground beef. Today the two are generally considered interchangeable.

I chose to make this soup with ground beef because it’s what we prefer, but it could easily be made with ground lamb, turkey, chicken, or even a meat free ground “meat” alternative for a vegan option.

In addition to ground beef this soup also has all the other typical ingredients in a classic shepherds pie – potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and a rich and creamy beef broth base for classic flavor that fits perfectly on a spoon!

Why you’ll love this soup

It is…

• Easy to make
• Comforting and cozy
• Perfect for soup season!
• Great for the whole family
• Versatile
• Super thick and creamy
• Gluten free, dairy free, and protein rich
• Easily made vegan
• Filling and full flavored
• Absolutely delicious!

Ingredients and substitutions

This healthy soup is made without dairy, gluten, or any artificial ingredients. Real deal comfort food that will leave you feeling satisfied with a happy belly!

The creaminess of the soup comes from raw cashews blended with flavoful broth to create a savory cashew cream.

The versatility of cashew cream never ceases to amaze me!

It is our go to dairy free alternative for everything from soups to sauces and it happens to be the perfect addition to this recipe, too.

If you have a cashew allergy feel free to leave it out and substitute with a generous glug of a non dairy creamer that works for you.

Here’s what you need:

• Raw cashews – Raw cashews are used instead of cream in this recipe – IMO they are the best alternative to dairy for dairy free soups! They add a truly luscious and rich texture.
• Olive oil – For sautéing the vegetables. You could use avocado oil, ghee, or coconut oil instead.
• Ground beef – Our meat preference for this soup is ground beef, but ground lamb, bison, turkey, or chicken would all work as well. Use a vegan meat crumble instead for a vegan option!
• Onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes – The flavor base of this soup and all classic shepherds pie recipes is these veggies.
• Green peas – Added just before serving to make sure they stay nice and plump and flavorful.
• Flavor boosting ingredients – Tomato paste, coconut aminos, nutritional yeast, paprika, and dried parsley all contribute a generous amount of umami rich flavor to this recipe.
• Beef broth – The classic choice for this soup is beef broth, but really any good tasting broth will work. Chicken broth is a great alternative, or a veggie broth if you’re making a vegan version.

What can I use instead of ground beef?

If you would rather not use ground beef, there’s plenty of options to make this soup without it.

Just about any other type of ground meat can be used instead. Ground turkey, chicken, bison, or lamb are all great options.

You could also leave out the meat all together and opt for some white beans or extra vegetables.

Can this recipe be made without cashews?

Yes! This soup can absolutely be made without cashews.

For a cashew free alternative I would recommend adding about 1-2 cups of whatever dairy free creamer works for you.

We love the original unsweetened / unflavored nutpods as a cashew free option in savory recipes, but it does contain other types of nuts.

For a nut free option I would look for an unsweetened oat milk creamer.

Or, if you can have dairy about 1 cup of half and half would work beautifully.

How to make shepherds pie soup

This healthy homemade soup is super easy to make. All you need is a handful of healthy ingredients, a soup pot, and a blender!

Here’s the step-by-step

• Soak the cashews. Add raw cashews to a heat proof bowl, cover with hot water, and allow to soak while you prepare the rest of the recipe. 
• Make the flavor base of the soup. Heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened and onions are translucent.
• Add the meat. Move vegetables to the side of the pot and add ground beef with salt and black pepper. Cook, breaking up with a spatula, until nicely browned.
• Add potatoes, spices, and broth. Add potatoes, tomato paste, paprika, dried parsley, and nutritional yeast and cook a bit more. Add half of the broth to the pot, scraping up any stuck-on bits and bring to a simmer.
• Make the cashew cream and add to the soup. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Transfer to a blender with the rest of the broth and coconut aminos. Blend on high speed until smooth. Add to the soup pot and stir to combine. Gently simmer until potatoes and veggies are tender and soup has thickened slightly. 
• Add the peas and serve. Just before serving turn off the heat and add frozen peas. Cover and let sit for a minute or two until the peas are bright green and warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve, topped with fresh parsley if desired.

How to make a vegan / vegetarian version

It is totally possible to make a delicious vegan / vegetarian version of this soup.

All you need to do is swap the ground beef for a plant based ground meat, and use veggie broth instead of beef or chicken.

If you would rather not use a vegan ground meat alternative, white beans, or extra veggies also work well.

Expert tips

• Blend the cashew cream for longer than you think. For the best texture you really want to blend it for at least a minute on high, until no pieces remain and it’s super smooth and creamy. If you under-blend it the result could be grainy.
• Thin the soup with extra broth if it gets too thick. This soup will thicken up a bit while simmering, which is totally fine if you like a thick and creamy soup. But if you want it to be more “brothy”, all you need to do is thin it out with a little extra broth until your desired consistency is reached.
• Wait until the end to add the frozen peas. Frozen peas are already cooked, so they only need to be added to the hot soup to thaw and warm through. Waiting to add them until just before serving ensures they stay bright green, plump, and flavorful!

What to serve with shepherds pie soup

One of the best things about hearty soups is that they are often a complete meal in a bowl! Which is definitely the case for this soup, so it’s perfect to enjoy all on its own!

But if you want to serve it with something additional, a hearty green salad, some gluten free crackers, or a piece of toast would all be delicious!

Does this soup make good leftovers?

This soup is great for leftovers.

It makes about 6 servings, so unless you’re serving a big family you should have enough to tuck some away in the refrigerator to enjoy throughout the week!

Storage and re-heating

To reheat: This soup can easily be re-heated in the microwave or over low heat on the stove top.

To store in the refrigerator: Allow it to cool to room temperature and transfer to an air tight container before moving to the fridge. It should keep for up to 5-6 days.

Can you freeze shepherds pie soup?

Yes! This soup can be frozen.

To freeze: Allow to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container, leaving about an inch of room at the top. Freeze for up to 4 months. To thaw, move to the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove top, or run the container under warm water until the soup can be easily released into a pot and thawed and warmed over medium low heat.

Love this cozy recipe? Here’s some other yummy soup recipes to try!

• Anti Inflammatory Turmeric Chicken Soup
• Creamy Dairy Free Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup
• Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup
• Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Soup
• Dairy Free Gluten Free Lasagna Soup
• Super Creamy Carrot Soup
• Healthy Whole30 Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Ultra Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder

If you enjoyed this recipe we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe 🙂 Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK! We’re so grateful you’re here.

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