Healthy Turkey Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

When I say I grew up eating traditional shepherd’s pie, I mean quite literally my mom made it for us every week. I think she loved how it covered all the food groups in one simple casserole dish for dinner and it was absolutely delicious! This healthy shepherd’s pie recipe is a twist on this classic comfort food dish that is loaded with veggies, lean ground turkey, rich homemade gravy and topped with my healthy mashed potatos gravy. What makes them healthier? Well they are packed with hidden veggies as well! Hope your family loves this on their dinner table.

Why You’ll Love This

• High protein – we are using ground turkey in this instead of ground lamb or ground beef which reduces the saturated fat, but packs in 22 grams of protein per serving.
• Extra veggies – not only are we throwing in extra veggies into the filling for a boost of fiber, vitamins and essential nutrients, but we are adding a whole head of cauliflower into the mashed topping!
• Lighter mash – you are going to love my healthy mashed potato recipe where we are cutting the potatoes in half and adding in a whole head of cauliflower for a creamy yet lower-carb topping. You could also used mashed cauliflower.
• Customizable – this healthy shepherd’s pie recipe is easily customizable with a variety of veggies and lean protein.
• Great for a crowd – this easy recipe makes a ton so not only is it a great option to feed a crowd, but we love this comforting casserole for meal prep!

What is the Difference Between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?

Classic shepherd’s pie uses only ground lamb and the name came from shepherds looking after their sheep. A traditional cottage pie is one that uses ground beef instead.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• ground turkey – I used 93% lean ground turkey and you could go even leaner, but the turkey will be drier and not as flavorful. You could also use ground chicken, extra-lean ground beef or ground pork.
• vegetables – we are using chopped onions, celery and carrots along with frozen corn and frozen peas. I also used a whole head of cauliflower in the mashed potatoes.
• olive oil – I like to use a good olive oil to sauté the veggies. Doesn’t have to be expensive, just make sure it’s cold-pressed and organic for the most flavor.
• mashed potatoes – I always use this recipe which uses a mixture of yukon gold potatoes (or russet potatoes) and cauliflower. Feel free to use whatever mashed potato recipe you like best. You could also mix in a little cheddar cheese into the mash for more flavor.
• flour – you just need 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken the mixture. I used gluten-free flour so this would be a gluten-free shepherd’s pie, but you could use all-purpose flour or other flour you prefer.
• chicken broth – you’ll need 1 cup of chicken broth, but you could also use beef broth, vegetable broth or any stocks in your pantry.
• tomato paste – you’ll need a tbsp tomato paste which adds rich tomato flavor along with thickening the gravy mixture up a bit. You could also use tomato sauce.
• worcestershire sauce – boost of flavor!
• garlic – I recommend using fresh chopped garlic cloves or minced garlic from the jar, but garlic powder will work in a pinch.
• fresh herbs – a combination of fresh thyme leaves and fresh rosemary.
• salt and black pepper – needed to season the shepherd’s pie and add flavor.

How to Make Healthy Shepherd’s Pie

1. Cook potatoes and cauliflower. Place the potatoes only (hold off on the cauliflower for now) in a large pot of salted water on the stove top. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let the potatoes simmer for about 15 minutes. Add in the fresh cauliflower florets and continue to simmer for an additional 8-9 minutes. The cauliflower and potatoes should be soft and fork tender.
2. Make mashed potatoes. Drain the potatoes and cauliflower then add them back into the pot they were cooked in or a large bowl. Add the milk, Greek yogurt, chicken broth, butter, garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes using a potato masher or blend everything using an electric mixer until you get a nice creamy texture.
3. Brown the meat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and brown the ground turkey, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked turkey to a plate and set aside.
4. Sauté the vegetables. Drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil in the hot skillet and add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until veggies are tender.
5. Make the meat filling. Add the ground meat back into the pan along with some salt and pepper. Sprinkle the meat mixture with flour and toss to coat, continuing cooking 1 more minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, worcestershire sauce, and chopped herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
6. Assemble casserole. Mix in the frozen corn and green peas with the turkey mixture and spread evenly into a casserole dish. Carefully spoon the mashed potatoes over the turkey mixture. Smooth into an even layer using a spatula or back of a wooden spoon.
7. Bake and serve. Bake shepherds pie in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Garnish with fresh thyme or fresh parsley on top of the mashed potatoes before serving.

Variations

• More veggies – you could also add in some shredded or chopped zucchini, fresh mushrooms, green beans, sweet potatoes, or other vegetables.
• Extra protein – this recipe uses lean ground turkey, but feel free to stir in a handful of cooked quinoa or chickpeas for a boost of protein.
• Dairy-free option – to make this dish dairy-free, simply swap out the milk in the mashed potatoes with almond milk or coconut milk. You could also swap out the Greek yogurt (or sour cream) for a dairy-free alternative.
• Vegan option – swap the ground turkey for lentils or a plant-based meat alternative for a vegan or vegetarian shepherd’s pie. You can also swap the milk for coconut milk or almond milk in the mash.
• Low carb option – I made this using my healthy mashed potato recipe, but feel free to top with my easy cauliflower mash for a lower carb option.
• Sweet potatoes – another way to boost nutrition in this recipe is to use mashed sweet potatoes rather than traditional potatoes for a delicious sweet potato shepherd’s pie.
• Spice it up – add in a pinch of smoked paprika, chili flakes, hot sauce or sriracha for a warming kick.