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This sweet potato shepherd’s pie is an easy, comforting, and freezer-friendly meal. It’s gluten-free, paleo, and can be made AIP.

The sweet potato shepherd's pie in a baking dish.

 

Shepherd’s pie is a hearty dish traditionally made with ground lamb, carrots, celery, peas, broth, and tomato paste. Technically, what makes it a shepherd’s pie is the use of lamb, and one with ground beef is a cottage pie. However, for this recipe, I used ground beef!

This recipe combines sweet potato and coconut milk for the top layer and makes a delicious filling of onion, garlic, carrots, celery, coconut aminos, tomato paste, and ground beef. It’s paleo, whole30, and could be made AIP as well.

The Ingredients for the Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

  • Sweet Potatoes. You can use different types of sweet potato if you like.
  • Coconut Milk. 
  • Salt and Black Pepper. Omit pepper for AIP.
  • Avocado Oil.
  • White Onion, Garlic, Carrots, Celery, Coconut Aminos, Dried Rosemary, and Tomato Paste. These ingredients combine with the ground beef to make the filling!
  • Ground Beef. You can also use ground turkey if you prefer.
  • Parsley. For topping!

How to make Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

  • Boil and mash the sweet potato.

Mashed sweet potatoes in a bowl.

  • Prepare the filling with onion, garlic, carrots, celery, beef, coconut aminos and tomato paste.

The filling cooking in a pot.

  • Spoon the filling into the base of the greased baking dish. Spoon the sweet potato mixture over the filling until even.

The base of sweet potato shepherd's pie in a baking dish.

  • Use a fork to add a pattern, or a spoon to swirl the top if desired.

Sweet potato shepherd's pie in a baking dish.

  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly crisp. Serve topped with chopped parsley.

Sweet potato shepherd's pie after baking.

How to make Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie a Freezer Meal

To make a freezer meal, assemble as directed and allow to cool entirely before wrapping tightly and then freezing. I recommend packing this in a disposable pie pan like the one pictured below! Not only does it take up less room in the freezer, but you can just as easily transfer it directly to the oven without having to transfer to a casserole dish.

Disposable pie pans for making a sweet potato shepherd's pie freezer meal.

When you’re ready to cook it, transfer to the fridge overnight and bake as directed for 30-50 minutes (time will vary depending on whether or not the pie is still partially frozen) until totally cooked through.

Can you use different varieties of sweet potatoes for this shepherd’s pie?

You can easily use other varieties of sweet potato such as Hannah sweet potato which is a white sweet potato that has a more savory flavor. Though it will change the color and flavor just a bit, it will still be delicious!

Can you use different meat instead of ground beef?

You can also use turkey instead of ground beef if you prefer!

 

A serving of sweet potato shepherd's pie on a plate.

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Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

  • Author: Michelle
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp coconut milk
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper (omit for AIP)
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste (sub this for AIP)
  • 1 tbsp parsley, chopped.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease an 8×8″ baking dish with oil. Set aside.
  2. Add the sweet potato to a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil for 10-12 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Strain the water and mash the potatoes with coconut milk and salt. Set aside.
  3. Using a large, deep skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery and cook for 3 minutes or until lightly fork tender.
  4. Add the ground beef to the pan and crumble until browned. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, and stir in the coconut amios and tomato paste.
  5. Spoon the filling into the base of the greased baking dish. Spoon the sweet potato mixture over the  filling until even. Use a fork to add a pattern, or a spoon to swirl the top if desired.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is lighlty crisp.
  7. Serve topped with chopped parsley.

Notes

To make a freezer meal, assemble as directed and allow to cool entirely before wrapping tightly and freezing. Transfer to the fridge overnight and bake as directed for 30-50 minutes (time will vary depending on whether or not the pie is still partially frozen) until totally cooked through.

All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 261
  • Fat: 7.8g
  • Carbohydrates: 20.2g
  • Fiber: 3.4g
  • Protein: 26.8g