This ground turkey shepherd’s pie is a comfort food favorite at my house. It is made with a flavorful filling that's loaded with vegetables and topped with fluffy mashed potatoes.
1poundGround Turkeylean but not turkey breast (we used 93/7)
1teaspoonSaltwe used kosher salt
½teaspoonDried Oregano
¼teaspoonCumin
¼teaspoonBlack Pepper
8ouncecan Tomato Sauce
2tablespoonsWater
¾cupFrozen Peasdefrosted and drained (cooked packaged directions but only about half the time)
Chopped Parsleyor other fresh herbs for garnish, if desired
Mashed potatoes ingredients:
6Medium Russet Potatoes(about 2 pounds) peeled and cut into roughly 2 inch pieces
1tablespoonSaltfor the water to cook the potatoes, plus ¾ -1 teaspoon for the finished mashed potatoes, we used kosher salt
¾ - 1cupWhole Milkwarmed through
1-2tablespoonButter
PinchBlack Pepper
Instructions
You will also need: Casserole dish (at least 1.5 quart), large baking sheet
Make the ground turkey filling
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat; add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, stir frequently.
Add the garlic to the skillet, and cook 1 minute, stir frequently.
Raise the heat to medium-high and add the ground turkey, salt, oregano, cumin and black pepper. Stir to incorporate the ingredients, while breaking up any large pieces. Cook for approximately 7-8 minutes until browned, and all rendered liquid has cooked out. Stir occasionally.
Add the tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons water to the skillet, stir to combine.
Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Gently stir in the peas and cook, covered 3-4 more minutes.
Taste the ground turkey and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt to ours.
Make the mashed potatoes
Start the potatoes while the meat filling cooks.
Place the peeled and cut potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water by a couple of inches. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water.
Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a full boil. Lower the heat to medium so that the water is still boiling but not splashing everywhere.
Cook the potatoes for 12-15 minutes or until they’re tender. They should break apart easily when pierced with a fork or knife.
Drain the potatoes completely.
Take the pot off the heat. Add the warm milk to the potatoes a little bit at a time, while mashing with a whisk or masher. Keep mashing and stirring until the potatoes are smooth. Add more or less milk as needed, depending on the consistency you like.
When they’re done, add butter, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine and let the butter melt. Taste the potatoes and add more salt, if needed.
Keep the potatoes warm until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Build the shepherd’s pie and bake
Add the ground turkey mixture to a large, ovenproof casserole dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes evenly on top of the meat. Arrange the mash so that it covers the entire top.
Place the casserole dish on a large baking sheet just in case it bubbles over and for 30 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley or other fresh herbs if desired. Let the shepherd’s pie rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Suggested order of preparation: After all of the ingredients are prepped and ready to go, start the turkey meat filling. When everything is in the pan and on their way then start the mashed potatoes. The meat will keep on low heat until the potatoes are done.To drain the potatoes completely: Use a large strainer, then add the potatoes back to the pot. Place the pot on the same burner that’s still hot (not on) to let any water left in the pot and on the potatoes dry off.