Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
By Vallery LomasPublished on April 22, 2025
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 small sweet potatoes (8 ounces each), unpeeled, each lightly pricked with fork in 3 places½ cup half-and-half 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1½ pounds ground lamb 1 teaspoon paprika ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg ½ teaspoon pepper 1 onion, chopped fine2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin crosswise2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 2 cups beef broth 2 tablespoons cornstarch ½ cup frozen peas 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Before You Begin
If your sweet potatoes are slightly larger, increase microwaving time in step 1. You can make this recipe in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
Instructions
- Place potatoes on large plate and microwave until easily pierced with fork, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh; discard skins. Add sweet potato flesh to bowl and mash with potato masher until smooth. Stir in half-and-half, melted butter, and ½ teaspoon salt; set aside.
- Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add lamb, paprika, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes, breaking up meat with wooden spoon. Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb to bowl. Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat left in skillet.
- Add onion, carrots, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in broth, cornstarch, and lamb (discarding any lamb fat that has accumulated at bottom of bowl). Increase heat to high and bring to boil, stirring to dissolve cornstarch. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is thickened and carrots are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peas and Worcestershire sauce.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Spread meat mixture into even layer over bottom of skillet. Using spoon, dollop sweet potato mixture evenly over filling, smoothing into even layer. Use tines of fork to make ridges over surface, then transfer skillet to oven and broil until beginning to brown in spots, about 6 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
4 small sweet potatoes (8 ounces each), unpeeled, each lightly pricked with fork in 3 places
½ cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1½ pounds ground lamb
1 teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin crosswise
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Ingredients
4 small sweet potatoes (8 ounces each), unpeeled, each lightly pricked with fork in 3 places
½ cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1½ pounds ground lamb
1 teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin crosswise
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Ingredients
4 small sweet potatoes (8 ounces each), unpeeled, each lightly pricked with fork in 3 places
½ cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1½ pounds ground lamb
1 teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin crosswise
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Why This Recipe Works
This take on shepherd’s pie is a nod to the classic preparation with a base of highly seasoned lamb, but with a twist: Instead of the usual white potato topping, we swapped in earthy sweet potatoes. Microwaving the sweet potatoes was the fastest, easiest way to cook them, while stirring in a little half and half and butter ensured the topping was rich but not stodgy. Flavoring the lamb with warm spices—paprika, cardamom, and nutmeg—was a playful spin on the usual fare and paired beautifully with the natural sweetness of the potatoes. Using beef stock and just a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce boosted the meatiness of the dish. Building and serving the shepherd’s pie in one skillet limited cleanup and made serving a breeze.
Before You Begin
If your sweet potatoes are slightly larger, increase microwaving time in step 1. You can make this recipe in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
Instructions
- Place potatoes on large plate and microwave until easily pierced with fork, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh; discard skins. Add sweet potato flesh to bowl and mash with potato masher until smooth. Stir in half-and-half, melted butter, and ½ teaspoon salt; set aside.
- Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add lamb, paprika, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes, breaking up meat with wooden spoon. Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb to bowl. Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat left in skillet.
- Add onion, carrots, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in broth, cornstarch, and lamb (discarding any lamb fat that has accumulated at bottom of bowl). Increase heat to high and bring to boil, stirring to dissolve cornstarch. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is thickened and carrots are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peas and Worcestershire sauce.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Spread meat mixture into even layer over bottom of skillet. Using spoon, dollop sweet potato mixture evenly over filling, smoothing into even layer. Use tines of fork to make ridges over surface, then transfer skillet to oven and broil until beginning to brown in spots, about 6 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.
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