Our Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie Is a Comfort Dinner You'll Want to Make on Repeat (2024)

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We love this version with ground turkey even more than the beefy original.

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire.

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Updated on March 1, 2024

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.

Ingredients

For the Filling

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds lean ground turkey
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
¾ teaspoon chipotle or regular chili powder
2 tablespoons plus 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
6 ounces frozen peas (about 1 ½ cups)

For the Topping

1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 parsnips (6 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Our Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie Is a Comfort Dinner You'll Want to Make on Repeat (3)

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.
Rice potatoes:
Pass potatoes and parsnips through a ricer.
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Add yogurt:
Stir in yogurt and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Season with pepper.
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.
Add turkey:
Add turkey; cook, breaking up any large pieces, for 5 minutes.
Season meat:
Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the thyme, and chili powder; season with pepper.
Mix cornstarch:
Whisk together cornstarch and reserved 2 cups cooking liquid; add to turkey.
Boil and add peas:
Boil for 1 minute. Stir in peas.
Assemble dish:
Transfer to a 2-quart round or oval baking dish; top with potatoes.
Bake:
Bake until bubbling and top is browned, 35 minutes.

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.

Other Shepherd's Pie Recipes to Try:

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Cheddar-Topped Shepherd’s Pie
Colcannon Shepherd’s Pie
Sweet-Potato Shepherd's Pie

Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, February 2010

Updated by

Victoria Spencer

Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.

Our Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie Is a Comfort Dinner You'll Want to Make on Repeat (2024)

What Is Shepherd's Pie?

Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven; cook potatoes and parsnips:

Rice potatoes:

Add yogurt:

Cook vegetables for filling:

Add turkey:

Season meat:

Mix cornstarch:

Boil and add peas:

Assemble dish:

Bake:

Storage

Reheating

Freezing

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Shepherd's Pie Recipes to Try:

References