Description
A hearty and comforting Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy, spiced mashed sweet potatoes, baked to perfection in a cast iron skillet.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Shepherd’s Pie Filling:
- 1 pound ground beef or lamb
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 small green pepper, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or dried herb of choice
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
For the Sweet Potato Topping:
- 2 large sweet potatoes (about 12 ounces each), peeled and cubed (~6 cups cubed)
- 1 tablespoon butter (may substitute ghee or coconut oil for Whole30)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to prepare for baking the assembled dish.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Steam the diced sweet potatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, bake whole sweet potatoes until fork tender, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Sauté Filling Vegetables and Meat: In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, sauté ground beef, carrots, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic until the carrots are soft, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Prepare Sweet Potato Topping: While the filling cooks, place the peeled and cooked sweet potatoes with butter, chili powder, and salt in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and creamy.
- Season Filling: Stir tomato paste, chili powder, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and water into the cooked meat and vegetable mixture. Mix well to combine.
- Assemble and Top: If using a cast iron skillet, keep the filling in the skillet; otherwise, transfer to a casserole or 9×9 inch baking dish. Spread the sweet potato mash evenly over the filling, then sprinkle with sea salt and chili powder.
- Bake: Place the assembled dish in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes to meld flavors and heat through.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve hot.
Notes
- To reheat frozen shepherd’s pie, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat at 375°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot in the center (~165°F).
- If reheating from frozen, cover the dish with foil for the first 30 minutes, then remove foil to finish baking to prevent drying out.
- Substitute ghee or coconut oil for butter to make this recipe Whole30 compliant.
- For white potato topping, mash by hand instead of blending to avoid a pasty texture.
- Using a 10-inch cast iron skillet helps cook, assemble, and bake the dish in one vessel, reducing cleanup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
