Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie with Ground Turkey

This Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie is a lighter, cozier twist on the classic—made with lean ground turkey and topped with creamy mashed sweet potatoes.

Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes

This Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie, inspired from my classic Shepherd’s Pie is a lighter twist on the classic comfort dish, made with lean ground turkey, plenty of vegetables, and a creamy mashed sweet potato topping. It’s cozy and hearty yet still balanced enough for a weeknight dinner. The sweet potatoes add natural sweetness that pairs perfectly with the savory turkey filling, and the whole dish bakes together into a bubbly, golden casserole your family will love. For a meatless version try my Portobello Shepherd’s Pie and for a fun twist, try my Turkey Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Sweet Potato.

Why This Recipe Works

I created this recipe in the fall of 2012, around the time Superstorm Sandy hit, followed by a nor’easter. Thousands of people, including us, lost power for several days. This sweet potato shepherd’s pie recipe reminds me of that time and how grateful I am for all the little things we sometimes take for granted.

• Comfort food: Warm, nourishing, and satisfying
• Nutritious twist: Sweet potatoes provide more fiber and antioxidants than regular potatoes, and ground turkey is a leaner protein source than beef.
• Great for meal prep and leftovers: You can make it ahead and bake when you’re ready.

How to Make Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

This shepherd’s pie has two parts: boiling and mashing the sweet potatoes and making the turkey filling. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.

1. Make the mashed sweet potatoes: Boil the diced potatoes and whole garlic cloves in salted water. The garlic mellows as it cooks, so it’s not too strong. Once tender, drain them and return them to the pot. Add the remaining ingredients and mash with a potato masher.
2. Brown the turkey in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate once it’s cooked through.
3. Cook the vegetables: Sauté the onion, then add the celery, parsnip, salt, and pepper. Once the celery’s soft, stir in the garlic and mushrooms. Add the flour, followed by the frozen vegetables, broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, rosemary, and ground turkey.
4. Simmer the filling, covered, on low until thickened.
5. Assemble the shepherd’s pie: Spread the meat mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with mashed sweet potatoes. Use a fork to scrape the tops of the potatoes, creating ridges, then sprinkle with paprika.
6. Bake: In a preheated oven at 400°F for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before eating.

Variations

• Individual Servings: Make them in six oven safe meal prep containers or small baking dishes.
• Swap sweet potatoes with russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. You could also use butternut squash.
• Dairy-free shepherd’s pie: Use rice, oat, or almond milk and dairy-free cream for the sweet potato topping.
• Broth options: Feel free to use chicken bone broth for extra protein.
• Switch up the protein: Use lean ground beef or lamb. This recipe would also be great with leftover Thanksgiving turkey or rotisserie chicken. Just skip the browning step and add it along with the frozen vegetables.
• No parsnips? Omit, or use more mixed veggies.
• Not a mushroom fan? Omit them and add more of another vegetable.
• Gluten-free shepherd’s pie: Use a gluten-free flour like Cup4Cup instead of AP flour, and make sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.
• Herbs: Swap rosemary for thyme or sage. If you don’t have fresh herbs, dried ones will work as well.

How to Make Ahead

This dish can be prepared ahead of time, then baked in the oven when you’re ready to eat. It also freezes and reheats well.

• To make ahead and refrigerate: You can assemble this sweet potato shepherd’s pie up to 2 days early, then bake as directed.
• To freeze, follow the instructions up to step 9, then freeze in a freezer-safe casserole dish or individual containers for up to 3 months. If your containers don’t have lids, cover them tightly with plastic wrap and foil to prevent freezer burn.
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed (don’t forget to remove the plastic wrap). You may need to add a few extra minutes, so check it in the middle to confirm it’s warm.

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