Homemade Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie Recipe

4 from 2 votes

Homemade Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie Recipe

This sweet potato shepherd's pie is a sweet and savory twist on an old classic. It is the perfect cool weather meal, comforting and bursting with flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sweet potato shepherd's pie

Servings: Servings

Author: Lisa Bass

Equipment

1 12 inch Cast Iron Skillet Any oven-safe skillet will do, or you can transfer the mixture to a baking dish before adding the topping and baking.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 large onion diced
2 medium carrots diced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 pounds lean ground beef
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups beef broth
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper

Potato Topping

3 pounds sweet potato peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons butter
¼ tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper
½ cup freshly grated parmesan

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
Melt the butter (or heat the olive oil) in a 12-inch cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic, and cook 5 - 7 minutes until softened.
Add the ground beef, breaking up large clumps, and cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. (The easiest way to do this is to pour the contents of the pan out into a fine mesh strainer set over a heat proof bowl and allow to drain and then return the beef mixture back to the cast iron pan.)
Stir in the tomato paste, flour, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, thyme, beef broth, salt, pepper, and frozen peas. Cook a few minutes until the peas are heated through and flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Meanwhile, place the peeled, chopped sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with heavily salted cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 10 - 20 minutes depending on size.
Drain and return the potatoes to the pot. Add the butter, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and mash until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Spread the mashed sweet potatoes over the vegetable and meat mixture. Fluff lightly with a fork to create peaks that will brown in the oven, then sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake for 20 minutes until warmed through and lightly golden. For extra browning, broil for 3 - 5 minutes at the end, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Serve warm, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Please double check amounts when using the multiplying feature in the recipe card.
Broil carefully: If broiling for browning, stay close — it can go from golden to burnt in under a minute.
Both the filling and mashed potatoes can be prepared a day in advance and stored separately; assemble and bake when ready.
This dish reheats well so it's great for meal prep.

Nutrition