Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato

Name: Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2-2 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes); 2 tablespoons butter (optional to make the potatoes creamy); 1/3 cup beef broth; salt and black pepper (to taste); 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 yellow onion (diced); 1 carrot (peeled and diced); 1 celery stick (diced); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 pound ground beef; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 sprig fresh rosemary (see notes for dried herb quantity); 1 sprig fresh thyme (see notes for dried herb quantity); 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1 cup beef broth; 1 tablespoon flour (cornstarch or arrowroot powder)

This Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato is the perfect comfort food. It's an all-in-one meal that takes just 15 minutes of prep and can be made ahead of time!

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Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes in a white casserole dish.

🥧History of Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is a classic comfort food dish. Traditional Shepherd's pie recipes use lamb and mashed potatoes. It's a dish that originated in the UK and Ireland and was composed of ground meat cooked in gravy with vegetables and a potato crust.

This is an easy but flavorful and delicious meal the whole family will love. I switched it up by using ground beef and mashed sweet potatoes. The sweet potato mash adds a beautiful color and the perfect amount of sweetness to the dish.

🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe

Great weeknight dinner. This sweet potato shepherd’s pie recipe is made with lean ground beef and fluffy mashed sweet potatoes, making it the perfect hearty meal the whole family will enjoy. If you're looking for more easy sweet potato recipes, check out my Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup and Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes.
All-in-one meal. This ground beef mashed potato casserole is a complete meal in one dish. There is no need to think about cooking any additional sides.
Great for meal prep. You can easily make this healthy Shepherd’s pie with sweet potatoes ahead of time or double it and freeze it to enjoy during a busy week!

🥘Ingredients and Substitutions

This tasty Shepherd’s pie uses simple, healthy ingredients and can easily be tweaked to use whatever you have on hand.

Mirepoix- this is diced onion, carrot and celery. You can chop the vegetables yourself or you can buy a Mirepoix mix at most grocery stores. This is more expensive but also more convenient and saves you time.
Tomato paste- this adds a richer flavor. You can use ketchup if you don't have tomato paste.
Worcestershire sauce- helps to add a nice savory flavor to the ground beef. It enhances the flavor. I highly recommend not skipping this ingredient.
Beef broth- if you only have chicken broth or vegetable broth at home, you can use that instead.
Flour- the flour helps to thicken up the beef mixture and turns it into a rich gravy sauce. For gluten intolerances, use arrowroot powder or cornstarch instead.
Sweet potatoes- any kind of sweet potatoes will work for this, you need 1 ½-2 pounds. You are also welcome to use white potatoes or red potatoes. Prepare them as you would the sweet potatoes.
Herbs- I recommend fresh herbs over dried herbs but you can use them in a pinch.

See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.

📖Variations

Add extra vegetables to the meat mixture. This recipe simply uses mirepoix, but peas, corn, mushrooms, bell peppers and/or green beans would be great additions.
Use ground lamb or lean ground turkey instead of ground beef. Ground bison would also be delicious in this easy recipe. If you like turkey, you’ll love my turkey pot pie with puff pastry as well!
Purple sweet potatoes will add a beautiful and unique color to this dish. Check out this guide to sweet potatoes to learn more about the different varieties.
Make this Shepherd’s pie with sweet potatoes gluten-free. Use arrowroot powder or cornstarch instead of flour. You will also have to check the label of your Worcestershire sauce. Substitute it with coconut aminos, soy sauce or balsamic vinegar if necessary.

🔪Instructions

Step 1: Make the sweet potato topping. Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes with butter and beef broth. Set aside.

Step 2: Next, add the diced onion, carrot and celery to a large skillet with oil. Season with salt and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Raw ground beef in a skillet with vegetables.

Step 3: Add the ground beef and cook over medium heat until browned.

Beef, vegetables and broth being cooked.

Step 4: Season the vegetables and beef and mix everything to combine

Ground beef and vegetables in a skillet.

Step 5: Add in the flour and simmer for a few minutes until gravy-like.

Step 6: Add the pie filling to a casserole dish and top it with the mashed potatoes. Bake and serve.

💭Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between Shepherd's and Cottage pie?

Traditionally Shepherd's pie is made with lamb and Cottage pie is made with beef. However, the terms are used interchangeably these days. If you love lamb, definitely use this instead of beef. Either way, this recipe is delicious!

Can I make Shepherd's pie ahead of time?

Yes! It can be made a day or two in advance. Just store in the fridge and heat in the oven before serving.

Does Shepherd's pie have a crust?

Originally the pie was made with a crust in Scotland but as the recipe made its way to Ireland, the crust was replaced with a potato topping.

What kind of casserole dish should I use?

I recommend a 12-inch round casserole dish or a 9x12-inch rectangular baking dish. I prefer ceramic but a glass pan will also work.

How many sweet potatoes do I need to make this recipe?

For this Shepherd’s pie with sweet potato mash, you need 1 ½-2 pounds of sweet potatoes. The number of potatoes depends on their size but you will probably need anywhere from 2-4 sweet potatoes to make this recipe.

A serving taken out of shepherd's pie on a wooden table.

👩🏻‍🍳Chef Tips

Cut the sweet potatoes into equal-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly.
The sweet potatoes can also be microwaved to save time. Pierce each potato 3-4 times with a fork. Place them on a microwave-safe plate and cook for 5 minutes, turning halfway through. If they are still hard, continue microwaving in 30-second increments until fork-tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes then mash.
Use a cast iron skillet or another oven-safe pan instead of a casserole dish so you have fewer dishes to wash.

🥗What to Serve with Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

This recipe is great on its own but you may want to serve it with extra veggies including Roasted Broccoli, Arugula Pear Salad and frozen Brussels sprouts in the air fryer.

Serve my Dutch Oven Apple Crisp or Sweet Potato Pie Bars for dessert!

Storage and Reheating

Store sweet potato cottage pie in the fridge for a few days covered or in an airtight container to have as leftovers. The pie can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for a few months.
Defrost the pie in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes or in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.