The trick to a sweet potato shepherd’s pie that isn’t soupy
Here in Texas, fall doesn’t so much arrive as sneak in on one random cool front. So when the first cool front of the season blew in, I immediately had a hankering for shepherd’s pie (and anything else warm and cozy enough to curl up with).
When I looked in my pantry I had almost all of the ingredients on hand… except for those potatoes.
But what I did have?! Sweet Potatoes!!
The subtly sweet addition of mashed sweet potatoes balances out the savory ground beef and vegetable filling tremendously well. This Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie is a cozy twist on my Traditional Shepherd’s Pie, with the same hearty filling under a sweeter, brighter topping.
The one thing I’m picky about is a filling that holds its shape when you scoop it (no soupy shepherd’s pie over here!). That comes down to lean ground beef, adding the broth a little at a time so the gravy thickens as it goes, and letting the pie rest before you dig in.
It’s freezer-friendly, too, so you can tuck one away for the next time a cool front blows through.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes: Garnet or jewel sweet potatoes give you that bright orange, extra creamy topping. For a traditional shepherd’s pie, use russet potatoes instead.
- Butter and milk: These make the mash rich and silky. Any milk works, and oat or cashew milk are great dairy-free swaps.
- Ground beef: Find a fat ratio of 90/10 or 93/7, since anything too fatty makes the filling runny. Beef tastes amazing, but you can swap it out for lean ground turkey or even lamb.
- Onion, celery, and garlic: Sweet onion, celery, and fresh garlic build the savory base of the filling.
- Tomato paste and flour: In addition to adding a nice depth of flavor, these thicken the sauce, so don’t substitute tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. For a gluten-free version, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Worcestershire sauce: For the perfect touch of umami, don’t forget this condiment. It’s my secret ingredient!
- Beef broth: Regular-sodium broth gives the gravy its rich, savory flavor.
- Dried herbs: Thyme, rosemary, and parsley are all included in the filling. While you can use fresh herbs, you will need more than what is called for in dried.
- Frozen vegetables: Pick a mix of corn, peas, and carrots.
How to Make Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
For the full ingredient amounts and printable instructions, see the recipe card below.
Boil the sweet potatoes
Peel the sweet potatoes with a vegetable peeler and cut them into even 1-inch cubes so they cook at the same rate. Cover them with 1 inch of cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes until they pierce easily with a fork and drain.
Want a hands-off option? Make Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes instead. (And if you’re new to boiling them, my guide on How to Boil Sweet Potatoes walks you through it.)
Mash until silky
Add the drained potatoes back to the pot with the melted butter, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and mash with a potato masher. For an extra silky topping, blend everything in a food processor for 20-30 seconds instead (this is what I prefer to do!).
The food processor I use!
This Cuisinart is the one I reach for when I want mashed cauliflower silky instead of soupy. (It pulls double duty for hummus, pesto, and pie dough, so it earns its counter space.)
Skip the high-speed blender for this recipe. It over-processes the cauliflower into something runny every single time.
Brown the beef and veggies
Sauté the onion and celery in oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic for 1 minute. Push the veggies to the side, add the ground beef, and cook for 7-8 minutes until it’s cooked through.
Use the potato masher on the beef, too. It breaks the meat into fine crumbles, so every scoop is full of filling instead of big chunks.
Thicken the sauce
Stir in the tomato paste and flour, then pour in the Worcestershire sauce and ½ cup of broth and simmer until it starts to thicken. Add the rest of the broth ¼ cup at a time, letting it thicken between each addition, then stir in the herbs, salt, pepper, and frozen vegetables until heated through.
This is the step that keeps the filling from getting soupy. Adding the broth slowly gives the flour time to thicken the gravy, so it holds together when you scoop it.
Layer it up
Spread the beef filling into a greased 11×7-inch baking dish, then dollop the mashed sweet potatoes all over the top and spread to cover. Leave some peaks and ridges so the topping gets a little crispy in the oven.
Bake, broil, and let it rest
Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, then broil on high for 2-3 minutes to crisp up the topping. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving so the filling sets up and scoops cleanly.
FAQs
Technically, a pie made with ground beef is a cottage pie, while a traditional shepherd’s pie is made with lamb. Most of us call both shepherd’s pie, and you can absolutely use ground lamb here for the classic version.
Yes! Lean ground turkey works with the same method, and if you love that swap, my Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is a great one to try next.
Absolutely. Swap in russet potatoes for a classic topping, or try my Mini Shepherd’s Pies for individual portions.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through, or microwave individual portions.
Freeze it unbaked: Assemble the pie in a freezer-safe baking dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes longer than usual, until it’s hot in the center.
Freeze it baked: Chill the baked pie in the fridge first so it holds together when you cut it, then freeze portions in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat at 350°F until warmed through.
The sweet potato topping gets a little softer after freezing, so pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp it back up.
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Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
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Equipment
- Large Pot
- Cuisinart Food Processor optional
- 11×7-inch baking dish
Ingredients
Mashed Sweet Potatoes:
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ cup milk oat or cashew milk
- ¾ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Ground Beef Filling:
- 2 tablespoons oil olive or avocado
- 1 cup sweet onion finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef 90/10 or 93/7
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour or a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ cups beef broth regular sodium
- ¾ teaspoon each of dried thyme rosemary, and parsley
- ¾ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
Instructions
- Boil the Sweet Potatoes: Add peeled and cubed sweet potatoes to a large pot and then cover with 1 inch of cold water. Bring the potatoes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, uncovered. Once the potatoes pierce easily with a fork, drain them in a colander in the sink.1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes
- Mash the Potatoes: Add the cooked potatoes back to the pot along with the butter, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mash with a potato masher or fork until your desired consistency is reached. Alternatively, you can add the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and puree for 20-30 seconds.4 tablespoons butter, ½ cup milk, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- Sauté the Veggies: Place a large skillet over medium heat and add oil, onion, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add garlic. Continue cooking for 1 minute.2 tablespoons oil, 1 cup sweet onion, 2 celery ribs, 3 cloves garlic
- Cook the Beef: Push vegetables to the side and add ground beef. Cook for 7-8 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Mash the beef with a potato masher to get fine crumbles.1 ½ pounds ground beef
- Season and Simmer: Mix in tomato paste and flour. Pour in Worcestershire sauce and ½ cup of broth. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken and then add in the remaining broth in ¼ cup increments, waiting between each addition for the sauce to thicken up. Add herbs, salt, pepper, and frozen mixed vegetables and continue simmering until they’re heated through.3 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ cups beef broth, ¾ teaspoon each of dried thyme, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
- Build the Pie: Spray an 11×7-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and spread out the ground beef filling in the bottom. Place dollops of the mashed sweet potatoes all over and then spread it to cover the filling. Leave some peaks of mashed potatoes if you’d like for the topping to get slightly crispy.
- Bake the shepherd’s pie in a 400°F oven for 25-30 minutes. Add it to a high broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end to get the topping extra crispy.Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving so the filling sets up and scoops cleanly.
- Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and enjoy!
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Notes
- Make ahead: Chop the veggies, cook and mash the potatoes, and refrigerate in separate containers one day in advance. You can also measure out and mix the dried herbs, just keep them at room temperature.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until heated through, or microwave individual portions.
- Freezing unbaked: Assemble the pie in a freezer-safe baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes longer than the recipe calls for, until hot in the center.
- Freezing baked: Chill the baked pie in the fridge first so it holds together when cutting, then freeze portions in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat at 350°F until warmed through.
- Texture note: The sweet potato topping gets a little softer after freezing, so broil it for a couple of minutes to crisp it back up.
- Swaps: Use lean ground turkey or ground lamb instead of beef, or russet potatoes instead of sweet potatoes for a classic topping.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with sweet potato shepherd’s pie
Since this is a full meal in one dish (meat, veggies, and potatoes all in one!), I like to keep the sides simple and fresh. Something green and a little bright goes great with the rich, savory filling.
A peppery Lemon Arugula Salad or a Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries are both no-cook, so you can toss one together while the pie bakes.
If you want a warm veggie, Sautéed Green Beans and Southern Collard Greens with Bacon come together on the stovetop. Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts are another easy pick that keeps your oven free.
More shepherd’s pie recipes
Still craving shepherd’s pie? Here are all the ways I make it, from the traditional version to mini pies, a turkey twist, and even a cozy soup.
