This shepherd's pie recipe is the comfort food dinner of my dreams, and it's about to become yours too. What's not to love about an all-in-one dinner that is special enough to serve for Sunday dinner but convenient to be able to enjoy during the week too?
I want to address something first though: Yes, technically this is cottage pie (shepherds pie is made with lamb and we're using turkey here). But let's not split hairs, and honestly when I say "shepherd's pie" most everyone knows what I'm talking about. Cottage pie? Not so much.
What really matters is that you've got a rich, savory meat and vegetable-packed filling tucked under a thick layer of my homemade Boursin mashed potatoes that bakes up bubbly and beautifully golden. And those potatoes? They're rich without being fussy, packed with garlicky herb flavor, and in my opinion, the best mashed potatoes you can make for something like this.
But guess what? This recipe is about comfort, not stress. So if today is not a "homemade mashed potatoes" kind of day, you can absolutely use store-bought or leftover mashed potatoes to cut down on prep time, making this an easy weeknight dinner option too. It's flexible, freezer-friendly, and exactly the kind of comfort food that works on your schedule.
Sometimes, heck most of the time, comfort food is the only thing that'll do. If that's the case, I know you're going to absolutely love my chicken sun dried tomato pasta. Or, if you're more in the mood for beef, I know you're going to go crazy over my Hawaiian loco moco. Think tender hamburger patty with a rich brown mushroom gravy atop steamed rice. It's incredible.
And a classic that always hits right is my Red Lobster biscuit chicken pot pie. You also can't go wrong with my Charleston shrimp and grits recipe.
I could go on and on about comfort food, but are you ready to get started? Let's do it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:
- ground turkey
- vegetable oil
- yellow onion
- garlic cloves
- frozen peas and carrots
- beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- low-sodium soy sauce
- tomato paste
- all-purpose flour
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Boursin mashed potatoes
- fresh parsley (optional)
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in the ground turkey and cook until browned and crumbly. Add the frozen vegetables.
- Then, whisk together the broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, tomato paste, and flour until combined.
- Next, pour the broth mixture over the turkey mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until the gravy is thickened. Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 3-quart casserole dish.
- Finally, dollop the mashed potatoes evenly over the top and spread to seal in the meat mixture. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are browned and bubbly. If desired, increase the heat to broil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to further brown the potatoes. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley if desired.
Hint: If you don't have them on-hand and you want to speed up the prep time, use refrigerated mashed potatoes (from the deli department of the grocery store. You'll need about 2 containers to cover the turkey mixture.
Substitutions
Check out these substitution ideas in case you need to make some adjustments:
- Ground turkey - Instead of ground turkey, use lean ground beef, ground chicken or ground lamb.
- Vegetable oil - Olive oil, avocado oil, or butter are great alternatives to vegetable oil.
- Vegetarian - The ground turkey and beef broth can be replaced with a plant-based burger crumbles and vegetable broth to make this vegetarian
- Yellow onion - White onion, sweet onion, or shallots can be used instead of yellow onion if that's what you have on hand.
- Frozen peas and carrots - Grab a bag of frozen mixed vegetables or another favorite veggie blend if you prefer.
- Beef broth - Instead of beef broth, you can use beef stock, chicken broth, or vegetable broth.
- Worcestershire sauce - Out of Worcestershire sauce? Coconut aminos or more soy sauce will work great.
- Low-sodium soy sauce - Use regular soy sauce if that's what you've got, and taste at the turkey mixture at end of cooking before adding more salt. Or use coconut aminos.
- Boursin cheese mashed potatoes - They don't take that long to make, but if you don't have the bandwidth to make mashed potatoes from scratch, feel free to grab some refrigerated mashed potatoes at the grocery store. Pro tip: You know those mashed potatoes lingering after a big holiday meal? This recipe is the perfect way to use them up.
Variations
Want to change things up? Here are some ideas:
- Campbell's Soup Shortcut Shepherd's Pie - Skip the flour, broth, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and tomato paste. Whisk together one can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup with 1 cup beef broth and simmer until heated through. Proceed as directed.
- Traditional Shepherd's Pie (aka Lamb Version)- Swap ground turkey for ground lamb and keep the beef broth for classic shepherd's pie.
- Sweet Potato Topping - Replace the mashed potatoes with mashed sweet potatoes for a slightly sweet contrast.
- Individual Shepherd's Pies - Assemble the meat mixture and potatoes in ramekins for personal-sized portions. You won't need as long on the baking time.
- Low-Carb Version - Swap out mashed cauliflower for the potatoes for a lighter option.
- Cheesy Cottage Pie - Top the mashed potatoes with your favorite shredded cheese. Sharp Cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyere are all great options.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this recipe:
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- 3-quart baking dish
- liquid measuring cup
- large skillet
- whisk
Storage
To refrigerate: Wrap any leftovers tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze (unbaked): Assemble the shepherd's pie fully except for baking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking. Note that you may need to add 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time if you're baking right from the fridge.
To freeze (baked): Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating instructions: Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F until heated through (about 25 to 35 minutes). Individual portions reheat beautifully in the microwave.
Tasty Tip
Spread the mashed potatoes all the way to the edges of the casserole dish to seal in the saucy meat mixture. To be on the safe side, I also place a baking pan on the rack underneath the shepherd's pie to catch any gravy that dribbles over the side.
Frequently asked questions
You have a few options here. If you're meal prepping on the weekend, I suggest assembling up to the baking step and storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. For pre-baked and frozen instructions, see the "Storage" section above.
You'll need between 5 and 6 cups of mashed potatoes, depending on how thick you like the topping.
Absolutely. Substitute a gluten-free flour blend or use cornstarch to thicken the gravy.
If your mashed potatoes are cold, they won't spread as easily when you add them to the top. Also, you may want to let the filling cool slightly before adding the potatoes.
That's a great question. You can use a digital thermometer to check the temperature (we're going for at least 165°F in the center.) I also use my knife tip trick: I insert the tip of the knife into the center of the casserole and let it hang out there for several seconds. When I remove the knife from the shepherd's pie, I touch the tip to see if it's hot.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this easy shepherd's pie recipe:
🍽Get the recipe
Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Homemade Mashed Potato Topping
Equipment
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- 3-quart baking dish
- liquid measuring cup
- large skillet
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ pounds ground turkey
- 1 (12-ounce) package frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Boursin Mashed Potatoes
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes or until the onion is tender.
- Stir in the ground turkey and cook 8 minutes, or until the meat is browned and crumbly. Stir in the frozen vegetables.
- Whisk together the broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, tomato paste, and flour in a large liquid measuring cup. Add the mixture to the ground turkey and vegetables and bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes or until the gravy is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the ground turkey mixture to the prepared baking dish. Dollop the mashed potatoes over the top and spread to an even layer.
- Bake the shepherd's pie for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly. If desired, increase the oven temperature to broil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to brown the mashed potatoes. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley before serving.
Video
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Cook the shepherd's pie to a minimum temperature of 165°F.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Elaine says
Growing up in the UK, shepherd's pie was a family staple that I love to make myself. This is the first turkey version I've tried. So good! Will make again and again, I'm sure.
Julie says
This Shepherd’s Pie is absolutely amazing! Such a great topping.
Anna says
One of my favorite casseroles. The whole family loves it!
Susan says
I love homemade mashed potatoes as a side, but using them as a topping for Shepherd's pie? Brilliant!