Go Back Email Link
+ servings
Casserole dish full of beef and sweet potato pie.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato

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!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Irish
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 341.95kcal
Author: Sarah Hill

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

  • 1 ½-2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons butter optional to make the potatoes creamy
  • cup beef broth
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon paprika

Shepherd's Pie

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 carrot peeled and diced
  • 1 celery stick diced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ 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
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon flour cornstarch or arrowroot powder

Instructions

Sweet Potatoes

  • Add sweet potatoes to a large pot with water, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-high, remove the lid and cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender enough for a fork to easily slide in and out.
  • Drain the water and mash the sweet potatoes with salt, black pepper, paprika and broth. Set aside.

Shepherd's Pie

  • While the potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add diced onion, carrot and celery. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Add ground beef, black pepper, another ½ teaspoon salt, garlic cloves, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and mix, breaking up the ground beef.
  • Add in the thyme, rosemary, nutmeg and beef broth. Stir and cook the beef mixture for 6-8 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of flour, cornstarch or arrowroot powder to thicken, cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and add the mixture to a baking dish. I used a round dish but a 9x13 inch baking dish will work.
  • Spoon mashed sweet potatoes over the beef in a baking dish, careful not to mix the two. It helps if the filling is slightly cooled for this step. Using a fork make a zig-zag design. Top with a sprinkle of paprika.
  • Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Broil for a few minutes on high if desired.

Notes

  • 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.
  • If using dried herbs, use ½ teaspoon as dried herbs are much more potent than fresh herbs.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 341.95kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.68g | Protein: 16.28g | Fat: 17.95g | Saturated Fat: 6.36g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.43g | Trans Fat: 0.93g | Cholesterol: 54.23mg | Sodium: 780.98mg | Potassium: 762.05mg | Fiber: 4.37g | Sugar: 7.18g | Vitamin A: 17894.79IU | Vitamin C: 6.97mg | Calcium: 71.81mg | Iron: 2.7mg