Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

This Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie is a healthy spin on a classic recipe. It features hearty ground beef, fresh veggies, and a savory tomato sauce, all topped with mashed sweet potatoes. It’s the ultimate comfort food that’s ready in no time!

For more sweet potato recipe inspiration, be sure to check out these Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Stuffed Peppers, Asparagus Sweet Potato Chicken Skillet, and Southern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.

 

This sweet potato version of shepherd’s pie is just as delicious as the classic recipe and even more nutritious!

Although I can’t wait for spring to arrive, I’ve been enjoying some of my favorite cold-weather foods lately, like this Ground Turkey White Bean Kale Soup. But, nothing says comfort food like a warm, meat-and-veggie-loaded shepherd’s pie! This recipe only takes 15 minutes to prep, and it’s on the table in less than an hour. Plus, it’s a complete meal in one dish, so it’s perfect for weeknight dinners.

How To Make Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients for the Filling

• Olive oil — I use extra-virgin olive oil to sauté the veggies.
• Aromatics — A blend of chopped onion, carrot, and garlic.
• Mushroom — Be sure to clean the mushrooms well and remove the stems before slicing them.
• Ground beef — I typically use ground beef for this recipe but feel free to go with the protein of your choice.
• Seasonings — Along with salt and fresh ground black pepper, I also use dried thyme and dried rosemary. You can certainly use fresh herbs if you prefer.
• Tomato sauce — For the best flavor, I highly recommend this super easy homemade tomato sauce.
• Fresh parsley — Garnish the shepherd’s pie with fresh parsley for extra flavor and color.

Ingredients for the Mashed Sweet Potatoes

• Sweet potato — I use about 6 cups of sweet potatoes that I peel and cut into cubes.
• Butter — For the best flavor, I like to use unsalted butter and add salt to taste.
• Seasonings — I keep the seasonings simple with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Instructions

• Before you begin, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Prepare the sweet potatoes:

• Bring water to a boil in a large pot, then add the diced sweet potatoes. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
• When the potatoes are done, drain the excess water and return them to the pot. Mash the sweet potatoes with butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, then set aside.

Prepare the filling:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the onions, carrot, garlic, and mushroom, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Next, add the ground beef and season it with thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break apart the beef, and cook it for about 5 to 7 minutes, until it’s mostly cooked through.
• At this point, add the tomato sauce to the mixture, stir well and cook for about 2 more minutes. If necessary, add a splash of water to the filling and the ground beef if it’s too thick.

Assemble the shepherd’s pie:

• Once the filling is done, transfer it to a greased baking dish.
• Add the mashed sweet potatoes on top of the filling and spread it evenly using a rubber spatula.
• For added detail, drag a fork across the top of the sweet potatoes to create the classic shepherd’s pie appearance.

Bake and enjoy:

• Place the shepherd’s pie in your preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are browned.
• Allow the shepherd’s pie to cool slightly, then garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

How To Store Leftovers

• To Store: You can store leftover shepherd’s pie in the fridge for up to 4 days. If your baking dish doesn’t have a lid, I recommend wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap to keep it fresh.
• To Freeze: This recipe is super freezer-friendly and will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just make sure the dish is at room temperature, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap before freezing. If you plan to freeze the whole casserole, I recommend baking it in a foil pan, as they’re much lighter to freeze.
• To Reheat: For just a single serving of shepherd’s pie, I usually thaw it overnight in the fridge and then reheat it in the microwave the next day. Otherwise, I’ll reheat the leftovers in the oven at 350°F until it’s heated through. 

What To Serve with Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

• Roasted vegetables: For a nutritious, veggie-packed dinner, I like to serve shepherd’s pie with simple roasted asparagus or crispy roasted green beans.
• Side salad: A crisp, hearty salad pairs so well with this cozy shepherd’s pie. A couple of my favorites are this arugula salad, easy broccoli salad and chopped red cabbage kale salad with sliced apples.
• Dessert: Don’t forget dessert! This super easy flourless brownies are my favorite dessert to enjoy with sweet potato shepherd’s pie.

Recipe Variations

• Sub a different protein: I typically use ground beef for this recipe, but it’s also great with cubed beef or ground lamb. When I want a leaner version, I’ll go with ground chicken or turkey, like in this delicious Sweet Potato Zucchini Casserole.
• Swap the potatoes: If you prefer a more traditional version of shepherd’s pie, you can use regular mashed potatoes. I also love this low-carb mashed cauliflower shepherd’s pie recipe.
• Vegetarian or vegan shepherd’s pie: You can easily make this recipe plant-based with just a couple of substitutions. Instead of ground beef, I recommend adding extra mushrooms and cooked lentils to make it just as hearty. Otherwise, just swap the butter for olive oil and that’s it!

Recommended Tools

• Large pot: I use a large stockpot to boil the sweet potatoes and prepare the topping.
• Large saucepan: For the filling, I recommend a large saucepan or cast-iron skillet.
• Baking dish: I typically assemble the shepherd’s pie in a baking dish. You can also cook it in a cast iron skillet if that’s what you used to make the filling.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Watch the Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Web Story!

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