It takes a few extra minutes to pull this Sweet Potato Beef Shepherd’s Pie recipe altogether, but it is worth it. If you want to make a traditional shepherds pie you can use lamb mince instead of beef mince.
I decided I needed to get a recipe together to share with all of you. My decision to make a Sweet Potato Beef Shepherd’s Pie was a bit of a last-minute thing, and I had never entirely made this recipe before. The usual recipe consists of simple ground beef, corn, gravy, and sweet potatoes. Every once in a while, I try something a little different, but it changes every time. So I didn’t have an established recipe until now.
Can I use sweet potatoes for shepherd’s pie?
While most people think of sweet potatoes as a side dish, they can actually be used in a variety of recipes, including shepherd’s pie. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins and minerals, and their naturally sweet flavour pairs well with savory ingredients like ground beef or lamb. To make sweet potato shepherd’s pie, simply substitute mashed sweet potatoes for the traditional mashed potatoes. Then top with your favourite meat filling and bake until golden brown. You’ll end up with a delicious and nutritious meal that the whole family will enjoy.
Sweet Potato Beef Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion - diced 
3 carrots - diced 
2 pounds ground beef (minced beef)
3 cloves garlic - minced
6 ounces tomato paste
¼ cup all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)
2 ¼ cups beef stock (beef broth or beef bouillon)
oregano - fresh
thyme - fresh
1 cup corn - frozen is fine
1 cup peas - frozen is fine
2 pounds sweet potato - peeled and cubed
3 tablespoon margarine- 1 tablespoon beef stock (beef broth or beef bouillon) - splash is what your after
1 pinch white pepper
1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Then, place them in a pan of cool water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down and cook until the potatoes are tender.
- Drain the water and mash the potatoes.
- Add the margarine, white pepper, and salt & pepper to taste. Mix in a splash of beef broth, so the potatoes are nice and smooth and not too thick.
- Meanwhile, put the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and carrots, and a large pinch of salt. Sauté until the veggies are soft.
- Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until there is no more pink meat visible.
- Add the garlic and stir it in. Let it cook for 1 minute, and then add the tomato paste. Stir until that is thoroughly combined, then mix in the flour. Make sure all the flour is absorbed before adding the beef broth and the herbs. Let that cook for a minute or two, and it should thicken up quickly.
- Last, turn the heat down and add in the frozen corn and peas. Let that cook just another minute or two while you finish up with the potatoes (if you haven’t already).
- Put the meat and vegetable mixture at the bottom of a wide shallow baking dish. Something like a lasagna pan might be a perfect size.
- Scoop small spoonsful of the potatoes over the top to create an even layer. Smooth out the top with a spatula. If your baking dish is nearly full to the top, you may want to place it on top of a baking sheet to catch anything that may drip.
- Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes or so before digging in if you can wait that long.
