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A close up of shepherd's pie on a plate.

Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie

A mouthwatering, savory shepherd’s pie that marries fluffy mashed potatoes with a surprise ingredient: ground turkey! Treat your family to this feast on a cold weekend night.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Mashed Potatoes

  • 2 lbs. russet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
  • 1-2 heaping tbsp. salt
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter melted
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Meat

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 lbs. ground turkey
  • 3 tbsp. flour all purpose
  • ½ cup red wine
  • ⅔ cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary chopped
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves chopped
  • ½ cup corn fresh or frozen
  • ½ cup green peas fresh or frozen
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Start the Potatoes

  • After you peel and cube the potatoes, add them to a large saucepot or stockpot. Fill the pot with cold water until the water level covers the potatoes by about an inch.
  • Add 1-2 heaping tablespoons of salt to the water and stir with a large spoon. Don't worry, the potatoes will cook in the salty water but they won't come out overly salty.
  • Set the stove temperature to high and bring the potatoes to a boil.
  • Boil the potatoes for 10-12 minutes, until they are fork-tender. While the potatoes cook, prepare the filling.

Prepare the Filling

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add onion and carrots to the pan and cook over medium-high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add 2 lbs. of ground turkey and brown, stirring and mixing until there is no pink. Season the mixture with a large pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Sprinkle the meat mixture with 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour and cook for 2 minutes. If brown bits begin to develop at the bottom of the pan - awesome! That's the good stuff!
  • Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping the brown bits up from the bottom of the pan (I like to use a wooden spoon for this). Add beef broth and stir.
  • Add Worcestershire Sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, rosemary, and thyme leaves. Season with one more large pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and then simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes.
  • Add peas and corn, stir and cook for 2 more minutes. Add mixture to a deep casserole dish.

Finish the Potatoes and Bake the Shepherd's Pie

  • When the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them and place them in a large mixing bowl.
  • Stir butter and half and half into the potatoes.
  • Using a hand mixer, whip the potatoes until they are light and fluffy and there are no lumps. Taste the mixture and season with a pinch of salt, if needed. (The salty water should have seasoned the potatoes).
  • Spread the potato mixture on top of the meat filling, making sure to create a seal of potatoes around the edge of the casserole dish. Create a design on top of the potatoes by dragging a fork across the top.
  • Place casserole dish on a large sheet pan (in case of bubbling over). Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Allow casserole to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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