Spiced Sweet Potato Shepherd S Pie

I’m not a huge fan of fusion recipes for the sake of it, but this recipe truly makes so much sense. Follow me…

Spiced Shepherd’s Pie Filling

The filling is relatively similar to a Traditional Shepherd’s Pie filling, just without the herbs and with a lot more spices. The spices offer a Middle Eastern twang that really levels up the pie.

Thickening the filling

One key aspect of shepherd’s pie is making the sure filling is thick. The tomato paste will do this slightly, but we’re also going to use flour to thicken the sauce. It’s important to simmer the filling not only to develop the flavours but also to reduce the liquid. Process shots: fry onion, garlic and red chilli (photo 1), fry lamb (photo 2), stir in spices (photo 3), stir in tomato paste (photo 4), stir in flour then beef stock (photo 5), simmer (photo 6).

Sweet Potato Mash

Since the filling is so beautifully spiced, it makes perfect sense to use sweet potato mash on top.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are packed with a lot more water than regular potatoes. As such, we want to bake them instead of boil them. I find boiling adds water to the potatoes, which is the opposite of what we want. More water = wetter mash = more likely to sink into the filling. As such, baking is the better option. Plus baking the potatoes will intensify the sweetness of the potato.

Feta Mashed Sweet Potato

Feta lends itself to this recipe so beautifully to create a delicious sweet, salty and spicy combo. I love mashing the feta right in with the mash. It goes really soft once baked! Process shots: stab potatoes and coat in oil (photo 1), bake until knife tender (photo 2), open potatoes (photo 3), scoop out potato (photo 4), add to bowl with feta, butter, salt and pepper (photo 5), mash (photo 6).

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

One of the key steps when making a shepherd’s pie is trying to keep the two distinct layers. We don’t want the mash to sink into the filling, so here’s some tips to prevent that happening:

How do I prevent the mash from sinking into the filling?

Baking the potatoes – Boiling the potatoes just adds more moisture, so baking the potatoes is definitely preferable. Steaming – Leaving them for 5 minutes after you slice them will allow some unwanted moisture to escape. No added liquid – Don’t add sour cream or milk to the mash. It doesn’t need it flavour-wise and will add unwanted liquid. Cooling the filling – Allow the filling to cool in the baking dish is very important. The skin that forms will help prevent the mash from sinking in.

The top won’t properly crisp up like regular potato, but it will char a little and crisp up around the edges. Process shots: cool filling (photo 1), add mash (photo 2), rough with fork (photo 3), bake (photo 4).

Can I prep this ahead of time?

Yes! Just allow both layers to completely cool before coming. Then tightly cover in the fridge.

Can I freeze it?

Once you’ve prepped it you can freeze the whole thing. Just thaw in the fridge before baking.

Can I fully make it ahead of time?

You can bake and then let the pie completely cool, then tightly store in the fridge.

Serving Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

I’ve served with Green Beans, but you can check out my Sides for more inspo! Don’t feel like you need to add a side though, it’s a pretty hearty recipe. Alrighty, let’s tuck into this sweet potato shepherd’s pie shall we?!