Description
This Turkey Shepherd’s Pie Loaded Sweet Potato recipe combines savory ground turkey and vegetables with the natural sweetness of baked sweet potatoes for a hearty, nutritious, and comforting meal perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 4 small sweet potatoes (7 ounces each)
Turkey Filling
- 1 pound 93% ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1/2 cup minced celery
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 oz mushrooms, diced
- 3/4 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon flour (or gluten-free flour mix)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (check labels for gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes thoroughly, then pierce them all over with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Bake Sweet Potatoes: Place the pierced sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 50 to 55 minutes until they become soft and tender when pierced with a fork.
- Brown the Turkey: While the potatoes bake, heat a large deep nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the ground turkey, season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks until browned.
- Sauté Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium-low and push the browned turkey to one side of the skillet. Add olive oil, minced onion, celery, garlic, and tomato paste to the empty side. Cook the vegetables until tender, about 5 minutes, then mix everything together.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the diced mushrooms, frozen peas and carrots, Worcestershire sauce, and freshly chopped thyme leaves until well combined.
- Thicken the Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth and flour until smooth. Pour the mixture over the turkey and vegetables in the skillet. Cover and simmer on low for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Assemble and Serve: When the sweet potatoes are done baking, slice them open lengthwise and fluff the insides with a fork. Top each sweet potato with a scant cup of the prepared turkey mixture. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Potatoes: You can swap sweet potatoes for russet potatoes if preferred.
- Dinner Ideas: Serve the turkey shepherd’s pie over a bowl of mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower for a different texture.
- Meat: Substitute lean ground chicken or beef in place of turkey according to taste.
- Mushrooms: If mushrooms are not your preference, omit them or replace with zucchini, squash, or cauliflower.
- Flour: For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free flour in the sauce mixture.
- Herbs: You can substitute thyme with rosemary or oregano for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sweet potato with topping
- Calories: 401 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 647.5 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 27.5 g
- Cholesterol: 84 mg
