Shepherd’s pie is a centuries-old dish that originated in the UK. Classic shepherd’s pie consists of a filling of ground lamb, sometimes with a few vegetables included, that’s topped with a pillowy crust of mashed potatoes. When beef is used in the filling instead of lamb, it’s referred to as “cottage pie.” The dish likely originated in the North of England and Scotland where there are large numbers of sheep (hence the name) and was probably created as an inexpensive way to use up leftover meat. It’s the ultimate, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food- the kind of dish you want to tuck into on a cold winter’s day.
But like many traditional comfort foods, this dish is loaded with calories and fat. So I set out to make a lighter version that would be more nutritious without sacrificing flavor. To put my own spin on it, I decided to infuse this classic dish with Southwest ingredients like chipotle peppers, cumin, oregano and cilantro. And instead of white potatoes, I make my topping with sweet potatoes whose natural sweetness nicely complements the spices in the filling.
Here are the reasons why my dish is healthier than traditional Shepherd’s pie:
- Lean ground turkey instead of lamb
o By substituting lean turkey for lamb or beef you’re cutting calories and saturated fat. Ground turkey comes in many different varieties so make sure to choose a lean or extra lean variety. To make up for the leaner cut of meat, I add a lot of spices to up the flavor factor without adding calories.
- Sneak in lots of vegetables
o Traditional shepherds pie has a lot of meat mixed with a few vegetables like onions, carrots and sometimes peas. My version uses more than a pound of mixed vegetables. To save time, take a little help from the grocery store and use frozen vegetables or a mixture of fresh and frozen like I do in this recipe. Frozen vegetables sometimes get a bad rap but they are flash frozen at their peak ripeness, a time when they’re the most nutrient-packed. So they are a good choice in the winter months when fresh produce is not at its peak.
- Sweet potatoes instead of Russet/Idaho potatoes
o Sweet potatoes have about the same amount of carbohydrates as white potatoes but they are full of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. And they’re low in calories (a medium sweet potato has about 100 calories), low in sodium and virtually fat and cholesterol-free. Their rich orange color means they’re high in beta-carotene, which gets converted to Vitamin A in the body. One medium sweet potato provides more than 400% of the recommended daily intake for Vitamin A! Vitamin A is important for vision, immune health, growth and reproduction. Sweet potatoes are also high in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, manganese and potassium. And if all of this isn’t enough, they also are a good source of fiber, which is important for digestive health and keeps you feeling full longer.
- No butter and cream in the potato topping
o The mashed potato topping is usually made with lots of cream and butter, which add a significant amount of calories and saturated fat. Sweet potatoes are naturally creamy and sweet so you don’t need to do too much to them. I just add a little chicken stock for flavor and reduced fat sour cream to make the topping nice and fluffy.
Southwest Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 ½-2 teaspoons chopped chipotles in adobo (seeds removed) plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from the can
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 lb. lean (93/7) ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons flour, preferably white whole wheat
- 1½ cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 bag (1 pound) mixed frozen vegetables (I used corn, carrots, green beans and peas)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Topping:
- 2½ pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
- 1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
- ½ cup reduced sodium chicken stock, heated
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sliced scallions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- To make the filling, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until slightly softened, 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic, chipotles, adobo sauce, cumin, oregano, and tomato paste and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is no longer pink. Stir in the flour and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, frozen vegetables and cilantro and simmer another couple of minutes until thickened. Season the filling with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan or 6 individual gratin dishes.
- To make the topping, pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Place them on a plate and microwave 8-10 minutes until soft, turning them over halfway through. Once cooled slightly, cut the potatoes in half and remove the skin. Place the flesh in a bowl along with the sour cream and chicken stock. Mash the mixture together with a potato masher until smooth. Alternatively, you can pass the sweet potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer and then stir in the other ingredients. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
- Spread the sweet potato topping evenly over the filling, spreading it all the way to the edges. Alternatively, you can pipe the topping on with a pastry bag.
- Place the pie(s) on a baking sheet and bake in the oven 20-25 minutes until filling is warm and topping is lightly browned. Remove from oven and garnish with scallions. Cool 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 57.2g | Protein: 22.1g | Fat: 9.9g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Fiber: 8.97g
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Chef Gordon Ramsey has said that shepherd’s pie is his ultimate comfort food. What’s your favorite comfort food? Leave a comment below and let me know!
YUMMY! I would have never guessed… the photo looked so pretty that I thought it was dessert. -rox
oh and my favorite comfort food = new england clam chowder. I think Jarone's is a toss up between chili dogs and spaghetti and meatballs.
I love New England clam chowder- you're in the right place for it now! I think my faves would be mac and cheese and one of my mom's dishes- rice and kadhi.
This was delicious! My favorite comfort food has to be pasta- spaghetti carbonara, baked ziti, fettuccine alfredo, I'll take any or all of them!
our family favorites are the simple soul foods and samosas.
the pictures of the shepeard pie are so realistic and recipe looks simple. I will definitely try the sweet potato version. Did not realise the wealth of nutritional value in sweet potatoes.
I forgot about samosas! Yes, the homemade samosas I grew up with are one of my favorite foods too.
Looks so good. Will make it tonight!
Great- let me know how it goes if you make it!
wow..sounds scrumptiously tasty
chanced upon your space while blog hopping..
very interesting space you have..
excellent posts with stunning cliks
happy following you
do stop by mine sometime
Tasty Appetite
Melanie O'Neil told me about your blog and I'm so glad she did. You've managed to make Shepard's Pie healthy and beautiful too. Comfort food- anything from scrambled eggs to chili. I guess the common link for me is consistency, comfort food is soft and mushy. And now I'm hungry.
Thanks, Lauren! Your site is great- I especially love your post about Paula Deen!
Looks absolutely delightful! My fave comfort food is the Filipino beef bulalo, which is bone marrow slow cooked in broth, with some potatoes, and cabbage.
Thanks for your comment! I've never had beef bulalo but it sounds like something I have to try. Your site is great- I just added it to my blogroll!
Incredible this is brilliant and so creative what a beautiful dish
Thanks so much!
How pretty! I love the rosettes, and I really prefer sweet potatoes so this looks like a winner.
I love the presentations of your Shepherd's pie!
I just found your blog and I loved it! Am a happy follower now!
Visit me at: my-greek-cooking.blogspot.com
Hope to see you around!
Your site is great- I just joined! Thanks for stopping by!
I've never seen it with sweet potatoes. Looks and sounds delish.
Thanks, Andrea! I like the combination of the spicy filling with the sweet potatoes. Your site is great- I just joined!
I made the high calorie one..I had never made it before but I love your spin on it with sweet potatoes..Thanks for sharing and helping cut some calories..M.J.
Thanks M.J.! I've also made the traditional Shepherd's Pie, which is great. I think this one comes very close plus you won't feel guilty at all when you're eating it!
I think this is my new comfort food now Sonali although before I discovered this dish chunky veg soup was my fav.
Great recipe and going to try it out soon!
Beverley xoxo
Thanks, Beverley! Chunky vegetable soup sounds yummy. Let me know how it goes if you try this dish!
I just shared this recipe on Amee's Savory Dish for her "Fit and Fabulous Fridays," head on over to see so many other wonderful, healthy dishes!
http://www.ameessavorydish.com/2012/04/fit-and-fabulous-fridays-29.html
Your potatoes look like little clamshells. I like the idea of changing up the potatoes. I use lots of veggies in mine too.
Thanks for stopping by!
I linked up this recipe on Katherine Martinelli's skinny blog hop. http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2012/taco-salad-with-skinny-chipotle-ranch-dressing/
What a fabulous resurrection of Shepard's Pie! I love the way you made it "skinny" and the use of sweet potatoes is perfect! Wonderful comfort food! What's my comfort food? Too many to list but when I'm cold and need to feel normal, I whip up some enchiladas.
That sounds great, I love enchiladas!
It looks super delicious! Can’t wait to try it!