Beef Shepherds Pie Sweet Potato (Printable Version)

Savory beef filling topped with smooth sweet potato mash and baked until golden and delicious.

# What You Need:

→ Sweet Potato Mash

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→ Beef Filling

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# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain well.
03 - Mash sweet potatoes with milk, butter, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and carrots; cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
07 - Stir in frozen peas and cook for 2 more minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Transfer beef mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Spread sweet potato mash evenly over the top, using a fork to create ridges.
09 - Bake for 20 minutes, or until the mash is lightly golden. For extra browning, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end.
10 - Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

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  • The sweet potato topping adds a lovely natural sweetness that balances the rich beef filling perfectly
  • It is one of those rare comfort foods that freezes beautifully so you can make it ahead for busy weeks
  • The entire house smells absolutely incredible while it bakes which is basically free aromatherapy
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  • I once skipped draining the beef fat and ended up with an oil slick on top so definitely spoon some off
  • The mash layer should not be spread too thin or it will dry out in the oven so be generous
  • Creating those ridges with your fork is not just for looks it creates more crispy surface area which is arguably the best part
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  • Half sweet potato half regular potato creates a milder flavor if the orange variety is too sweet for your taste
  • Adding a splash of red wine while the beef simmers deepens the flavor in ways I cannot properly explain

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