Beef Shepherds Pie Sweet (Printable version)

Savory ground beef and vegetables under a creamy sweet potato mash topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sweet Potato Mash

01 - 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - ¼ cup milk
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper

→ Beef Filling

06 - 1 lb ground beef
07 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 medium carrots, diced
10 - ¾ cup frozen peas
11 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 1 cup beef broth
13 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - ½ tsp dried rosemary
16 - ½ tsp salt
17 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
18 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Place sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Mash sweet potatoes with butter, milk, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; sauté until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
05 - Add garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute to combine flavors.
07 - Pour in beef broth, add frozen peas, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
08 - Spread the beef mixture evenly in an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) baking dish.
09 - Spoon the sweet potato mash over the beef filling and smooth the surface with a spatula.
10 - Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the filling is bubbling.
11 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The sweet potato topping caramelizes beautifully in the oven, adding a hint of sweetness that balances the savory beef.
  • It feels like a warm hug on a plate, the kind of dinner that makes everyone quiet down and just enjoy.
  • You can prep the filling ahead and assemble it right before baking, so it's perfect for busy weeknights.
02 -
  • Drain your sweet potatoes thoroughly after boiling or the mash will be too loose and slide right off the filling.
  • Don't skip simmering the beef mixture long enough, the sauce needs time to thicken or your pie will be soupy.
  • If the sweet potato mash feels stiff, add a splash more milk to loosen it before spreading.
03 -
  • Use a potato ricer instead of a masher for the smoothest, fluffiest sweet potato topping.
  • Let the beef mixture cool for a few minutes before topping it with the mash so the heat doesn't make the potato too soft to spread neatly.
  • Score the top of the mash with a fork to create ridges, they'll crisp up beautifully and add visual appeal.

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