Beef Shepherds Pie Sweet Potato (Printable)
Savory ground beef and vegetables beneath a smooth sweet potato topping, baked golden.
# What You Need:
→ Sweet Potato Mash
01 - 3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/4 cup milk or plant-based alternative
04 - Salt to taste
05 - Black pepper to taste
→ Beef Filling
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 medium carrots, diced
09 - 2 celery stalks, diced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1.5 lbs ground beef
12 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
13 - 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
15 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (use gluten-free if required)
16 - 1 cup beef broth
17 - 1 cup frozen peas
18 - Salt to taste
19 - Black pepper to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Place sweet potatoes into a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Add butter and milk to the drained sweet potatoes. Mash until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
05 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Incorporate ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
07 - Pour in beef broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add frozen peas during the last 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
08 - Transfer the beef mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Spread the sweet potato mash evenly over the top.
09 - Use a fork to texture the mash surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the filling bubbles and the mash turns lightly golden.
10 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It feels luxurious and warming without making you sluggish afterward, thanks to the sweet potato twist.
- The beef filling is so savory and rich that guests always ask if you've simmered it for hours when really it's just 30 minutes of honest cooking.
- One dish, minimal cleanup, and it tastes even better the next day cold or reheated.
02 -
- Drain the sweet potatoes thoroughly or your mash will be watery and the texture will disappoint you—I learned this the messy way.
- Don't skip the resting time at the end; five minutes lets the filling set slightly so it won't run all over the plate when you serve it.
- If your beef broth is salty, go easy on added salt until the very end; Worcestershire sauce carries salt too and it sneaks up on you.
03 -
- If your oven runs hot, cover the dish loosely with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking so the mash doesn't brown too fast before the filling bubbles.
- Make the filling the day before and refrigerate it; the flavors meld overnight and the beef becomes even more tender, cutting your prep time in half the next day.