Sweet Potato Beef Shepherds Pie (Printable View)

Savory ground beef filling topped with golden, creamy sweet potato mash for a comforting meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sweet Potato Mash

01 - 7 1/3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1/4 cup milk or dairy-free alternative
04 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Beef Filling

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 2 medium carrots, diced
09 - 2 celery stalks, diced
10 - 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or gluten-free alternative
13 - 1 cup beef stock
14 - 1 cup frozen peas
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Place sweet potatoes in a large pot with salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Mash sweet potatoes with butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery, cooking for 5–7 minutes until softened.
05 - Add ground beef to the skillet; cook while breaking apart until browned and no pink remains.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes to combine flavors.
07 - Pour in beef stock and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes until the mixture thickens. Stir in peas and cook an additional 2 minutes.
08 - Transfer beef mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread sweet potato mash evenly on top.
09 - Bake for 20 minutes until the top is lightly golden and the filling bubbles.
10 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet potato mash is naturally sweet and creamy, cutting through the rich beef in the most elegant way.
  • It comes together in just over an hour, which means weeknight dinner without feeling rushed.
  • One dish feeds six people, and there's no dainty plating required—just serve it straight from the oven.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the sweet potatoes thoroughly; water trapped in the mash will make it separate and watery once it hits the hot beef filling.
  • The key to the best filling is patience during the vegetable-softening stage—rushing this means you lose the natural sweetness that balances the savory beef.
  • If your mash seems too thick, warm a splash more milk and fold it in gently rather than stirring vigorously, which will make the potatoes gluey.
03 -
  • If your sweet potato mash is too thick straight from the pot, it will be hard to spread evenly—let it cool for a few minutes first, which makes it more pliable.
  • Brown the beef over medium-high heat rather than medium to develop a proper crust, which adds complexity to the filling.

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