Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie Recipe (With Step by Steps)

Servings:

8

Add this recipe to your comfort food dinner rotation. Ground turkey shepherd’s pie is a lighter, healthier take on the beefy original that still has all the cozy feels. It's creamy mashed potatoes baked on top of ground turkey in gravy with carrots, onions, and celery—basically your whole meal in one casserole dish. Maybe cook some frozen peas if you feel the need for a side? Or a small salad? It's a great dish to take to a potluck, to make for someone with a new baby, to feed your family.

What Is Shepherd's Pie?

Shepherd's pie is a British comfort food dish of ground meat and vegetables with a mashed potato topping. It's not a pie in the usual pastry crust sense of the word, it’s really more like a casserole. Traditionally, the dish was made with ground lamb, hence the shepherd. Lamb and mutton are more widely used in Britain than in the U.S. so when the dish crossed the Atlantic, it was made with the more readily available ground beef.

There is a popular dish of ground beef and vegetables in the UK, but it is called cottage pie—a nod to its being a humble dish that someone who lived in a cottage might eat.

Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

Using ground turkey in place of the ground beef is a relatively recent development with shepherd’s pie. The move was made to encourage people to eat less red meat— and the ground turkey has significantly less saturated fat.

Directions

Ingredients for ground turkey shepard's pie — Credit:
Jason Donnelly

Preheat oven; cook potatoes and parsnips:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Make the topping: Place potatoes and parsnips in a medium saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, and bring to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking liquid.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Rice potatoes:

Pass potatoes and parsnips through a ricer.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Add yogurt:

Stir in yogurt and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Season with pepper.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Cook vegetables for filling:

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, and garlic, stirring, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Add turkey:

Add turkey; cook, breaking up any large pieces, for 5 minutes.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Season meat:

Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the thyme, and chili powder; season with pepper.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Mix cornstarch:

Whisk together cornstarch and reserved 2 cups cooking liquid; add to turkey.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Boil and add peas:

Boil for 1 minute. Stir in peas.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Assemble dish:

Transfer to a 2-quart round or oval baking dish; top with potatoes.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly
Bake:

Bake until bubbling and top is browned, 35 minutes.

Credit:
Jason Donnelly

Storage

Shepherd’s pie will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. If there is half or more of the pie left, store it in its original casserole dish, covered tightly with foil. If there is less left, transfer the shepherd’s pie to an airtight container for storage.

Reheating

Reheat individual portions in the microwave. Reheat larger portions in a casserole dish covered in foil in a preheated 350-degree oven.

Freezing

Make sure the pie is completely cold, then cover it well with a double layer of plastic wrap and freeze. Always freeze the pie on the day that you make it.

Defrost in the fridge overnight, then cook as per the recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my shepherd’s pie sloppy?

If you follow our recipe, your shepherd’s pie should be not too thin or too thick. If you end up with a shepherd’s pie that is runny, you will need to cook the ground meat mixture a little more to reduce the amount of liquid. It’s important to think about the consistency of the meat filling before you assemble the pie.
Why does the potato sink into the filling of my shepherd's pie?

The main reason the potato topping sinks into the filling of a shepherd's pie—rather than sitting on top—is when the heavy potato topping is placed on top of a still-hot meat filling. Let the filling cool before you add the mashed potato topping and you will not encounter this problem.
Can you make shepherd's pie without using meat?

Yes! There are many ways to make shepherd's pie without meat. For a vegetarian shepherd's pie you can make a lentil and vegetable filling or one with any kind of beans from cannellini to red kidney.