Beef Shepherds Pie Sweet (Printable)
Savory beef and vegetables topped with smooth, creamy sweet potato mash for a hearty meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Sweet Potato Topping
01 - 1.2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 tbsp milk
04 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Beef Filling
05 - 1 lb lean ground beef
06 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 medium carrots, diced
09 - 1 cup frozen peas
10 - 1 celery stalk, diced
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 1 cup beef broth
13 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
16 - 2 tbsp olive oil
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 12–15 minutes until tender. Drain and return to pot.
02 - Add butter, milk, salt, and pepper to sweet potatoes. Mash until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
03 - While sweet potatoes cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, carrots, and celery; cook 5 minutes more.
04 - Add ground beef, breaking up with a spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Cook 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in beef broth and bring to a simmer. Add peas, season with salt and pepper, and cook 5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.
07 - Transfer beef mixture to an 8x8 inch baking dish. Spoon sweet potato mash over beef, spreading evenly. Create ridges with a fork for a crispy top.
08 - Bake 20–25 minutes until top is golden and filling is bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sweet potato topping crisps at the edges while staying impossibly creamy underneath, like finding two textures in one bite.
- It feeds four hungry people from a single baking dish, which means fewer dishes and more time at the table.
02 -
- If your sweet potato mash feels stiff, it will be impossible to spread without disturbing the filling beneath; loosen it with a splash more milk than feels comfortable.
- The filling should be slightly looser than you think before baking, as the oven will evaporate moisture and thicken everything further.
03 -
- Worcestershire sauce varies enormously between brands; taste yours before measuring to avoid overwhelming the other flavors.
- Creating deep fork ridges rather than shallow ones doubles the surface area that crisps, giving you more of that coveted textural contrast.