Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

A sweet potato take on a classic casserole, this Shepherd's Pie recipe comes together quickly and easily. The wholesome and flavorful veggie packed ground meat filling is topped with creamy mashed sweet potatoes for a simple weeknight dinner.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Make Ahead and Meal Prep
• Leftovers and Storage
• Make it Your Own
• Serving Ideas
• Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Recipe Card
• Comments

If you grew up loving shepherd's pie, then you have to make this version.

Familiar in a way that will grab you on the first bite thanks to the savory meat filling and creamy toppings (just like in this no-bake recipe).

Yet unexpectedly delicious in a way that will make you reach for the seconds thanks to the addition of chili powder and the sweet potato topping, it may quickly become a regular in your rotation.

Plus it's:

• Healthy- Packed with several different vegetables and other nutritious ingredients like sweet potatoes (a source of a variety of vitamins and minerals) and lean protein, this shepherd's pie offers a wholesome twist on a comfort food favorite. Perfect for an all-in-one balanced meal.
• Perfect for Meal Prep- Freezer friendly and excellent as leftovers, whip up a batch of this shepherd's pie ahead of time for a convenient and delicious meal when you need it. All you'll have to do is put it in the oven.
• Classic Comfort Food with a Fun Twist- With a hearty filling and creamy sweet potato topping, this dish is sure to satisfy your family's cravings for cozy comfort food.

The Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes- Sometimes labelled as "yams" at the grocery store (though if you're interested in what the difference actually is, check out this article), these most often orange-fleshed potatoes add a slightly sweet topping in place of regular potatoes.
  • You can also make this recipe with different colors of sweet potatoes such as white or purple. Or make it with regular potatoes instead.
• Butter- Butter adds delicious flavor to the sweet potato topping. If you would prefer to make it without butter you can use Greek yogurt (like in these mashed potatoes) or sub good quality extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil for dairy free.
• Lean Ground Beef- For best results, use extra lean ground beef so that your filling doesn't end up being too greasy. If you prefer, you can use ground lamb (as is traditionally used in shepherd's pie) or ground turkey or chicken.
• Yellow onion- Red or white onion could be used if needed.
• Vegetables: These are the combination of vegetables that I most often use for this recipe. However, this shepherds pie is extremely customizable so you can use whatever else you prefer. You need about 4-6 cups total.
  • Green Bell Pepper- Or any color of bell pepper will work.
  • Zucchini- A medium zucchini (½ lb) will yield about 2 cups chopped.
  • Carrots- Two large carrots (1 lb) which will yield about 2 cups diced.
• Garlic- If needed, you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder instead of fresh cloves.
• Chili Powder- While not a traditional spice found in cottage or shepherd's pie, I love the ways its earthiness and slight spiciness complement the sweet flavor of the sweet potatoes. If you'd prefer to leave it out, you can, or sub with paprika.
  • Note: I'm referring to the chili powder spice blend (which includes, garlic. powder, cumin, etc.) not just ground chilies.
• Dried Thyme- If you have fresh thyme, you can use 1 tablespoon chopped (about 2 sprigs). Rosemary is also delicious in this recipe.
• Sea Salt- Table or kosher salt will work as well- adjust to taste.
• Black Pepper

The Method

1. Make Sweet Potatoes. Add the sweet potatoes to a large pot and fill with enough water to cover by 1 inch.

Cover and bring to a boil, then remove the lid and reduce the heat to keep it at a low simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes until fork tender.

Drain and then use a hand masher and mash the chunks until smooth. Add in the butter and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper then set aside.

2. Brown Meat. Meanwhile, as the sweet potatoes cook, add the ground beef, onion and vegetables to a large skillet.

Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring and crumbling, until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are soft. Drain excess grease if needed.

3. Season. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the seasonings and cook for 2-3 minutes.

4. Assemble. Spread the meat mixture out evenly into a ~3 quart casserole dish (about 9x9x3 inch or 9x13x2 inch).

*Alternatively, if you used a large (10 inch diameter) oven safe skillet, you can spread the mixture out into that and use the same dish for baking. If going this route, place it onto a lined baking sheet in order to catch any bits that might bubble up and over the edges.

Scoop the mashed sweet potato mixture over top and spread into an even layer.

5. Bake. Cover with a lid (or aluminum foil) and bake at 375 F for 15 minutes until the filling is bubbling up into the sweet potatoes. I like to remove the lid for the last 5 minutes to allow the tops of the sweet potatoes to get ever so lightly browned.

6. Serve.

Make Ahead and Meal Prep

This is a great recipe for meal prep and to make ahead!

Meal Prep: You can layer the casserole into individual dishes and skip the baking step. Then just reheat the individual portions as you need them.

Make Ahead: Assemble the entire casserole, following the directions through up until baking but instead of baking, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.

**If freezing, refrigerate for a few hours first before moving to the freezer so that your dish doesn't break from the temperature shock of going from hot to freezing.

To Bake: When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Preheat the oven to 375 F and then bake for 35-45 minutes until the filling is heated through to 165 F.

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Store leftover sweet potato shepherd's pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Leftover sweet potato cottage pie can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: The whole pie can be covered with tin foil and reheated in the oven at 375 F for 30-40 minutes. Individual portions can also be heated in the oven (for about 15 minutes) or rewarmed in the microwave.

Make it Your Own

• Swap the Vegetables- While I've included my favorite veggies for this version in the recipe card, you can make this with whatever you want. Some other veggies I like including are:
  • Green Beans
  • Spinach
  • Mushrooms
  • Peas
• Use Frozen Veggies- For extra ease, you can use pre-chopped frozen vegetables instead (like I do in this no-bake recipe).
• Use a Different Meat- While the recipe is written with ground beef (technically cottage pie), you can use ground lamb for a more classic Shepherd's pie or even make it with ground turkey or chicken (or make this Turkey Shepherd's Pie).
• Make it Cheesy- If you'd like to include cheese, mix 1 cup of shredded cheese, such as cheddar, into the mashed sweet potatoes. You can also add ¼ cup of grated parmesan.

Serving Ideas

Sweet Potato Shepherd's pie is a great meal all on it's own (just like Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole) but if you'd like to serve it with something on the side, these are great options!

• Vegetables: Sautéed Green Beans and Roasted Asparagus are both delicious.
• Salad: Such as a simple Spinach Salad.
• Bread: A slice of Sourdough Garlic Toast would be delish.
• Dessert: Finish off your comfort food meal with a sweet treat such as Oat Flour Brownies or Cranberry Crisp.

Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

• Use Extra Lean Ground Beef- Avoid an overly greasy meat pie by using lean meat and draining excess grease if needed. Alternatively, you can make it ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
• Cool in the Fridge- If making ahead, refrigerate after assembling and then move to the freezer once cooled. If you place the warm casserole dish immediately into the freezer, it could break from the temperature shock.
• Avoid a Mess- If you are baking the pie in a large skillet, using tin foil instead of a lid or your casserole dish is full to the edges, place the dish onto a larger, lined baking sheet so that it catches any filling that might bubble up and over the edge.

LET ME PLAN YOUR DINNERS! Join my email list and receive My FREE Meal Plan (Including Grocery List!) as a gift>>>

And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Cajun Chicken Sheet Pan (With Honey Butter)
• Stuffed Barbecue Chicken Sweet Potatoes
• Swedish Meatballs in Cream Sauce
• Sweet Potato and Russet Hash with Eggs

Recipe Card