Beef Shepherds Pie Sweet (Printable)
Savory ground beef and vegetables topped with creamy sweet potato mash in a satisfying bake.
# Ingredient List:
→ Sweet Potato Mash
01 - 3.3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/4 cup milk or dairy-free alternative
04 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Beef Filling
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 medium carrots, diced
09 - 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free if required)
12 - 1 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
14 - 2/3 cup beef broth
15 - 1 cup frozen peas
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender.
03 - Drain sweet potatoes and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 2-3 minutes until softened.
05 - Add minced garlic and diced carrots to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes.
06 - Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
07 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 2 minutes.
08 - Pour in beef broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
09 - Stir in frozen peas and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
10 - Spoon beef filling into a 2 quart baking dish and spread sweet potato mash evenly on top.
11 - Use a fork to create ridges on the sweet potato mash surface for crispiness.
12 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling.
13 - Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sweet potato mash is naturally sweet but savory-balanced, making it feel indulgent without any fuss.
- It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners that taste like you spent all afternoon cooking.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day when all the flavors have settled in.
02 -
- Don't skip the fork ridges on top—they're not decorative, they crisp up and become your favorite part if you do them right.
- Cold sweet potatoes won't mash smoothly no matter how hard you work; they need to still be warm or they turn gluey and resistant.
- The filling must be hot when it meets the mash, otherwise your baking time gets thrown off and the mash might dry out before the filling warms through.
03 -
- Make this ahead and refrigerate it before baking—it actually tastes better the next day when all the flavors have gotten acquainted, and it saves you time on busy nights.
- If your mash is looking a bit thin, you can always dollop it onto the filling in spoonfuls and spread it gently, which gives you more control and creates more crispy edges.