This delicious and hearty sweet potato shepherd’s pie recipe is family-friendly comfort food packed with savory ground beef and vegetables, layered under a thick and fluffy mashed sweet potato topping.

If you’re looking for more easy comfort food recipes, try my butternut squash lasagna and homemade beefaroni.

 

Friends, fall is here, and we’re getting cozy with this sweet potato shepherd’s pie. This recipe has rich, savory ground beef and tender vegetables baked hot and bubbly beneath a layer of creamy sweet potato mash. The ingredients may be humble, but the flavors are mighty! Who doesn’t love meat, veggies, and fluffy sweet potatoes? Especially when they’re baked together in a comfort food meal that’s this delicious and easy to make.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

• Savory meat and veggies. A sweet potato shepherd’s pie is easy comfort food, filled with juicy ground meat and tender veggies in a rich and savory gravy.
• Fluffy sweet potato mash. The sweet potato topping is a little sweet, tangy, and extra creamy. It’s the coziest flavor combination with the meat and veg!
• Easy. Simple ingredients and quick prep mean that you can have this wholesome sweet potato shepherd’s pie on the table in under an hour.
• Make-ahead and freezer-friendly. This shepherd’s pie freezes and reheats like a dream, so you can even double it and make two. Cook once, eat twice, as they say. 

What Is Shepherd’s Pie?

In the UK, where the dish originated, a shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, while a cottage pie is made with beef. In the US, however, cottage pie and shepherd’s pie are pretty much interchangeable. Both recipes involve ground meat and vegetables baked in a rich gravy under a layer of mashed potatoes. Any way you make it, the combination of flavors in shepherd’s pie is satisfying and ultra-comforting! This version swaps out regular mashed potatoes for soft, fluffy mashed sweet potatoes, made extra flavorful with butter and cream cheese. It’s an easy variation that’s just as delicious.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Comfort food doesn’t get better than a homemade shepherd’s pie. You’ll find some quick notes on the ingredients below, along with an overview of how easy this recipe is to make! Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full ingredient amounts and detailed recipe instructions.

• Olive Oil
• Onion: My go-to aromatic for extra flavor in the filling. You can use brown or yellow onion, diced up finely.
• Ground Beef: Savory ground beef is a classic choice. I recommend using lean ground beef, this way the filling won’t turn out too greasy. You can also make this recipe with different ground meats.
• Mixed Vegetables: I use a bag of frozen veggies for convenience. Corn, carrots, sweet peas, and green beans are the most common medley. If you have these vegetables separately and want to chop/combine them yourself, that’s also an option. 
• Salt and Pepper
• Chicken Broth and Flour: You’ll slurry the flour into chicken broth to thicken the gravy. For a richer flavor, use beef broth. I recommend sticking with low-sodium broth so that you can adapt the salt levels to taste.
• Sweet Potatoes: Chop two small-ish sweet potatoes into cubes for the topping. 
• Butter and Cream Cheese: You can prepare your sweet potato mash any way you prefer, but I love adding butter and cream cheese to mine for extra richness and tang. It’s a pared-back version of my favorite mashed sweet potato recipe. 
• Parsley

Can I Replace Ground Beef with Ground Turkey?

Absolutely! If you’d prefer to make this shepherd’s pie with ground turkey instead, go ahead and swap out the ground beef. You can also go the traditional route with ground lamb or a combination of ground meats. 

How to Make Shepherd’s Pie With Sweet Potatoes

Shepherd’s pie is one of those stick-to-your-ribs dinners that’s quick and easy enough to pull together on a weeknight, and crowd-pleasing enough for a special occasion.

• Cook the meat and veggies. First, get the diced onions and ground meat sautéing in a hot pan with oil. Next, add the veggies to the pan straight from the freezer and continue to cook until the veggies are tender and the meat is browned.
• Prepare the sweet potato mash. Meanwhile, microwave the sweet potatoes until they’re fork-tender, add butter and cream cheese, and then mash them up until they’re smooth and fluffy.
• Finish the filling. Now, you’ll whisk flour into a cup full of chicken broth and pour this into the skillet with the meat and veggies. Let it cook off for a minute, stirring as the filling thickens. 
• Assemble and bake. Finally, transfer the meat mixture to a greased pie plate. Spread the sweet potatoes all over the top, and then bake the shepherd’s pie at 375ºF for about 15 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly. Top your pie with parsley and serve!

Can I Boil or Bake Sweet Potatoes for Shepherd’s Pie?

Yes! The microwave quickens the process, but you can absolutely boil your sweet potatoes or bake them in the oven instead. Cubed sweet potatoes will take approximately 12 minutes to boil on the stovetop and about 30 minutes to roast in the oven at 425ºF. 

Tips and Variation Ideas

• Avoid a soggy shepherd’s pie. You want your sweet potatoes to be soft and fluffy, not soupy. Make sure that you steam the sweet potatoes well, and don’t add too much butter. Removing any excess moisture is key to preventing a shepherd’s pie from becoming soggy.
• Use white potatoes. If you’d prefer to make this recipe with regular potatoes, use a starchy variety that’s best for mashing, like Yukon Gold or russet potatoes. To give the topping more flavor, I’d recommend a batch of garlic rosemary mashed potatoes.
• Cauliflower shepherd’s pie. Top your shepherd’s pie with creamy mashed cauliflower instead for a lightened-up variation.
• More veggies. Get creative with your favorite vegetables. Add chopped broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini, kale, or spinach to the pie filling or any combination of vegetables you’d like.
• Seasonings. Feel free to sauté garlic with the onion or add additional herbs and seasonings, such as rosemary, thyme, and a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce. 

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve this sweet potato shepherd’s pie with a side of fresh green salad drizzled with homemade dressing or an easy Caesar salad. Or, double down on the veggies with a side of grilled asparagus, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, or air fryer carrots with sweet honey balsamic glaze. Homemade focaccia bread or a side of fluffy dinner rolls is a MUST for sopping up leftover gravy!

Shepherd’s pie makes a festive Thanksgiving side dish, too. Serve it with your perfect roast turkey and gravy from pan drippings, with a side of homemade cranberry sauce. Sweet potato shepherd’s pie is also great served alongside corned beef and cabbage and soda bread on St. Patrick’s Day.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• Store. Once the shepherd’s pie has cooled completely, store any leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
• Make-Ahead. Prepare the shepherd’s pie as directed, but don’t bake it. Cover and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let the pie come to room temperature 30 minutes before baking, or bake it from the fridge at 375ºF, adding an additional 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
• Reheat. Reheat leftovers in the oven at 375ºF, or in the microwave until hot throughout.
• Freeze. Allow the shepherd’s pie to cool completely, then double-wrap it tightly in foil and place it into the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

More Easy Sweet Potato Recipes

• Sweet Potato Gratin
• Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
• Candied Yams
• Sweet Potato Roast
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes