Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes
Our lightened up version of Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes is comfort dish recipe filled with lean ground turkey, lots of veggies, and topped with delicious, mashed sweet potatoes. You just can’t go wrong with this casserole dish in the fall or for a cozy night dinner!
Our Shepherd’s Pie made made with mashed sweet potatoes is an ode to the chillier days of autumn that are here. The fresh flavors of lemon and white wine are beautifully accompanied by late summer produce, like zucchini and warm sweet potatoes. To make this vegetarian, you can skip the ground turkey and just pack it full of veggies.
Shepherds Pie with Sweet Potatoes
This recipe serves 8, so you can halve the ingredients if you don’t have many mouths to feed. But let me tell you, the leftovers are to die for! I just love it for dinner served with a basic salad and maybe a hot piece of garlic bread. Delish.
Read more: Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes
Why I love this recipe
- It’s packed full of veggies and has a sweetness to it (with the sweet potatoes).
- It is a versatile recipe (use your favorite veggies, or use regular mashed potatoes).
- Everyone loves this comfort dish!
Gather these ingredients
- Fresh corn (or 1 can of sweet corn)
- Frozen peas
- Baby peppers and zucchini
- Ground turkey or chicken
- Shallots and leek and chives
- Parmesan cheese
- Sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
- Lemon zest and juice
- Dry white wine
- Worcestershire sauce
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
How do you make Shepherd’s Pie with sweet potatoes?
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash together the sweet potatoes, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Salt to taste and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
- Cut your zucchini in half lengthwise, then halve the halves so you have 4 long strips. Cut the strips into 1’’ pieces; repeat for the remaining squash. In a 12’’ skillet, heat 1/4 c of olive oil and add the zucchini in a single layer. Toss in the oil and then allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Toss the zucchini to brown the other sides, then remove from the skillet.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add 1/4 c of olive oil. When the oil is shimmery, add the ground turkey and cook. Sprinkle the salt over the meat and repeat this process until the turkey is mostly browned. When the turkey is fully cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add shallots, leeks, green onions, and bell peppers, and salt to taste. Cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the peas, corn, and zucchini and continue cooking until peas are bright green, about 4 more minutes.
- Pour in the white wine and Worcestershire sauce and stir until evaporated; salt to taste. When the vegetables are tender, transfer to a large mixing bowl, along with the ground turkey. Mix until well combined and taste for additional seasoning.
- In a 9×13 pan, spread the vegetable and turkey mixture into an even layer.
- Dollop the mashed sweet potatoes on top and smooth out with a fork.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with foil. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes, or until the Parmesan is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
Tips and substitutions:
Shepherd’s Pie is always a big hit, delicious and easy to bring to another individual or family. You can also halve the recipe, or make into single servings!
- You can use any ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey) or even sausage!
- Use mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes.
- Optional to add cheese to the potatoes (for a cheesy dish!)
- Great leftovers!
- Enjoy this recipe on the table in about an hour!
How do you serve this casserole?
We love this dish served with a salad or hot bread. It’s the ultimate comfort meal to serve to guests, too!
Sitting down to a generous helping of Shepherd’s Pie is a true pleasure; it just feels right during this cooler season, to pull this 9×13 comfort dish out of the oven!
More mashed potatoes recipes you may want to try:
And the topping? It’s a savory topping, with perfectly mashed sweet potatoes. Or, you can use a different kind of mashed potatoes.
Get the Recipe:
Shepherds Pie with sweet potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn, blanched, kernels removed (or 1 can of sweet corn)
- 12 oz pkg frozen peas
- 8 baby peppers, chopped into into about ½’’ pieces
- 3 medium zucchinis
- 1 lb ground turkey, or chicken
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 medium leek, thinly sliced
- ½ c chives or green onion, finely chopped
- ¾ c Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, steamed or baked
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ c dry white wine
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ c olive oil, divided, plus 2 Tbsp
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash together the sweet potatoes, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Salt to taste and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cut your zucchini in half lengthwise, then halve the halves so you have 4 long strips. Cut the strips into 1’’ pieces; repeat for the remaining squash. In a 12’’ skillet, heat ¼ c of olive oil and add the zucchini in a single layer. Toss in the oil and then allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Toss the zucchini to brown the other sides, then remove from the skillet.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add ¼ c of olive oil. When the oil is shimmery, add the ground turkey. Using a spatula, break the meat into larger pieces, then allow the meat to sit, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Sprinkle the salt over the meat and repeat this process until the turkey is mostly browned. When the turkey is fully cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add shallots, leeks, green onions, and bell peppers, and salt to taste. Cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the peas, corn, and zucchini and continue cooking until peas are bright green, about 4 more minutes. Pour in the white wine and Worcestershire sauce and stir until evaporated; salt to taste. When the vegetables are tender, transfer to a large mixing bowl, along with the ground turkey. Mix until well combined and taste for additional seasoning.
- In a 9×13 pan, spread the vegetable and turkey mixture into an even layer. Dollop the mashed sweet potatoes on top and smooth out with a fork. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with foil. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes, or until the Parmesan is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
