,

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Recipe (Family Favorite!)

Katie Wells Avatar

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This post contains affiliate links.

Read my affiliate policy.

Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » Beef Recipes » Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Recipe (Family Favorite!)

One of our favorite cold-weather meals is classic shepherd’s pie. In this not-so-classic version, I up the vegetable content a bit with mashed sweet potato. It’s a delicious spin especially if you are making the switch from white potatoes (or if you just prefer the taste!).

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie: A Healthy Spin on a Classic

I’ve left the recipe for my shepherd’s pie pretty similar to most, but added kale for a little extra vegetable boost and swapped out the traditional with potatoes for sweet potatoes. This is actually a similar recipe to my meatloaf cupcakes, but with more vegetables.

To make the casserole, I brown the ground beef with seasonings, then stir in the diced vegetables, heat it up, and pour it into a casserole dish. (I have this awesome deep skillet that is oven-proof that I use for both purposes and save myself a pan to wash.)

While the meat is cooking I mash the sweet potatoes with butter and salt and plop them on top of the meat and vegetable mixture when it is done. To save myself a little time, I usually make extra sweet potatoes with another meal earlier in the week then just pull them out of the fridge when I’m ready to use them.

Is It Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie?

Shepherd’s pie is Irish in origin and usually is made with ground lamb. Cottage pie is British and made with ground beef. However, most people don’t quibble over the small differences and use the terms interchangeably. (Read more fun shepherd’s pie facts here.)

If you love sweet potatoes as much as we do, give this recipe a try! It freezes and reheats well so it can be prepared ahead for busy nights.

Sweet Potatoes: Versatile, Healthy, and Delicious

My kids absolutely love sweet potatoes and happily eat them every way I fix them. Which is why I have such an extensive and creative collection of sweet potato recipes!

Here are some others to try:

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

I love this healthier take on shepherd’s pie with a creamy sweet potato topping. This is a family favorite at our house and my kids love helping make the layers.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Calories 245kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

8 people

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, brown the meat.
  • Mix in 1 teaspoon of the salt and all remaining seasonings and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Dice the onions and tear the kale into small pieces.
  • Saute the onion and kale in the skillet until slightly soft and add to the meat.
  • Pour the mixed vegetables into the skillet and heat on low heat. 
  • While the vegetables are heating, mash the cooked sweet potatoes with butter and the remaining salt until smooth. 
  • Add the mixed vegetables and the egg to the meat and stir to combine. 
  • Pour the meat/vegetable mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and spread the mashed sweet potatoes over the top.
  • Bake at 350°F for approximately 30 minutes.
  • When done, top with a small dollop of cream cheese if desired and enjoy.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 245 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 106mg35%
Sodium 647mg28%
Potassium 499mg14%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 2110IU42%
Vitamin C 4.9mg6%
Calcium 27mg3%
Iron 3.2mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

  • For sweet potatoes: Either bake ahead for about an hour or until soft, or boil about 10 minutes in large pot of water until soft. Drain before using if boiled. I usually make extra when making a previous meal then just re-heat the night I make this.
  • This recipe makes a 9×13 pan — you can divide it and freeze part for another meal or double it to make a large one for the freezer!
  • Possible variation: Bake in pint-sized mason jars for easy packable lunches!

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

Ever make shepherd’s pie with sweet potatoes? How’d it turn out? Share below!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

21 responses to “Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Recipe (Family Favorite!)”

  1. Carol Avatar

    This sounds delicious and I want to make it for my family. Do you think I could leave the egg out? If left out, do I need to replace it with something else? Could I replace the kale with spinach?

  2. Yvonne Avatar

    This sounds delicious but that much sweet potato will shoot your blood sugar through the roof. Take your blood sugar reading just before you eat. Eat and then in A HALF HOUR….no longer, check your blood sugar. You might be surprised. I can only eat about 1/4 of a sweet potato or it raises my glucose which the more you do that the more likely to become insulin resistant. I forgot what the normal reading should stay below and it’s ANOTHER the 45 you see if you Google. That’s pre diabetic reading!

    1. Katie Wells Avatar

      It may do that for some but not all. Everyone is very different and while one food may affect you adversely, it may not for someone else 🙂

  3. Leslie Avatar

    Hi! Thank you for the recipe!

    I’m assuming we add the spices you had us set aside into the meat mixture? The recipe didn’t say explicitly.

    The 1 tsp of bouillon, do we mix it first in the 8oz of water first?

    Thank you!

  4. Lindsay M Wheeler Avatar
    Lindsay M Wheeler

    I can’t find this recipe in your cook book. The cookbook I ordered happened to arrive the day I decided to make this recipe because I found it online so I figured I’d make it easier on me instead of using my phone use a cookbook but I can’t find this recipe in the cookbook anywhere

  5. Patti Avatar

    5 stars
    I tried your recipe the last time I made my Shepherd’s Pie but did half white potatoes and half sweet potatoes plus I used frozen organic peas, edamame and fresh organic carrots. I also added some cumin to the meat mixture. This is my husband’s favourite!

  6. paulina johnson Avatar
    paulina johnson

    5 stars
    I know this is petty, but incorrect spelling drives me NUTS! Should be Shepherd’s Pie, as in shepherd that herds sheep. Originally shepherd’s pie was make from mutton, sheep, hence the name.

  7. Kathy Boyle Avatar
    Kathy Boyle

    5 stars
    Hello, I Love that you are well informed of our terrible food supply….I am going to make your homemade tomatoe sauce first, then I will try the sweet potatoe shepard pie, My body is falling apart, and I am trying to save my life so this is the most important thing in my life and I will share this with family and who ever else that is interested…This Country needs to know how to eat safely. Thank you for caring!

  8. Brett Avatar

    5 stars
    Mashed cauliflower is great potato substitute and no one will know the difference

  9. Kaelin Avatar

    I’ve tried most of the recipes on here and loved them but this one wasn’t a hit for us, it just tasted like a mish-mash of veggies and meat slop drowning in sweet potatoes. :/

  10. Johanna Avatar

    5 stars
    This is my first grain free meal in an attempt to hopefully eat better. It’s in the oven right now and smells delicious!

  11. Christina Parker Avatar
    Christina Parker

    We love this meal! Although my hubby hates sweet potatoes so I made it half sweet popatoes half red potatoes. It was awesome!

  12. Kate LeKites Avatar
    Kate LeKites

    This is one of my family’s favorite meals. Tasty, comforting and fairly simple to make! Thank you for all the great ideas. Your recipes are really kid-friendly, which is a HUGE help in trying to get my family completely grain-free!

  13. Patricia Treviño Hawkinson Avatar
    Patricia Treviño Hawkinson

    I made this for dinner tonight and I have to say that this is really, really yummy. I’m trying to change the way my family and I eat and this is the first recipe that I’m adding to our new, healthy dinner menu!

  14. Sarah Avatar

    I recently found your website through market place looking for health friendly apps. Let me first say thank you sooo much for all you do! I have not come across a more exciting and well thought out website in a long time, not to mention VERY easy to get around in! ANYWAY I made tonight with our FIRST ever (sad, i know!!) grassfed feed beef! I have 5 kiddos and a husband and we were VERY impressed and loved it! Even though its hearty it still some how feels lite..? We will be making this again in the future as well as many other of your recipes!

  15. Elisa Avatar

    This is a meal I’ve been thinking about making, but hadn’t planned. Sounds just as delicious as I have been imagining!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating