Beef Shepherds Pie Sweet Potato (Printable)
Hearty beef and vegetables topped with creamy mashed sweet potatoes in a warm, comforting casserole.
# What You Need:
→ Sweet Potato Topping
01 - 2.5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/4 cup milk
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Beef Filling
06 - 1 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 2 medium carrots, diced
10 - 2 celery stalks, diced
11 - 1.5 lbs ground beef
12 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
13 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
16 - 1 tsp salt
17 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
18 - 1 cup beef broth
19 - 1 cup frozen peas
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F for baking.
02 - Place sweet potato chunks in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15–20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well.
03 - Mash sweet potatoes with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until softened.
05 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
07 - Pour in beef broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in frozen peas and cook for 2 more minutes.
08 - Transfer the beef mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread evenly. Spoon the mashed sweet potato over the beef, spreading smoothly to cover.
09 - Bake for 20 minutes until the top is just starting to brown and filling is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sweet potato topping creates a gorgeous golden crust that everyone will want seconds of
- Its one of those rare dinners that tastes even better leftover, making tomorrow's lunch something to actually look forward to
02 -
- Drain the sweet potatoes really well after boiling. Any excess water will make your topping gloopy instead of fluffy and light.
- Dont over-mash the sweet potatoes. They can get gluey faster than regular potatoes. Stop as soon as they're smooth.
03 -
- Use a potato ricer if you have one. It creates the smoothest sweet potato topping and prevents overworking the potatoes
- Warm your milk before adding it to the potatoes. Cold milk can make the potatoes gummy and harder to incorporate