Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is EASY to make, made from hearty turkey, peas, carrots, and corn in a savory gravy topped with mashed cauliflower and baked to perfection!
We’re meal prepping for the first week of the new year, and today we’re cooking up Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry, Beef Fajita Skillet, and Skinny Chicken Enchiladas!
TURKEY SHEPHERD’S PIE
TURKEY SHEPHERD’S PIETurkey Shepherd’s Pie is one of my all-time favorite dinner recipes made from healthy ground turkey and veggies in a seasoned gravy, topped with a mashed cauliflower and potatoes mixture, then baked until the top turn golden brown and slightly crispy.
It’s everything you could ask for in a dinner, protein, carbs, and veggies, in one filling dish. You can also make this with lamb, lean ground beef, or chicken. I try to stick with the leaner meat to keep the fat and calories in the dish down.
MASHING THE CAULIFLOWER
We’re topping this dish with a combo of mashed cauliflower and potatoes instead of just potatoes, lowering the overall carbs and calories of the dish. You can even make this mashed cauliflower as a separate side for dinner anytime.
If you want a faster method for everyday use, start with a bag of riced cauliflower. You can find it in the produce or freezer section of the grocery store. Because it’s already diced into tiny pieces, it will cook a lot faster. Boil the cauliflower (or microwave it) until tender, then drain and “mash” it in the food processor with seasoning and a small amount of butter or olive oil.
OTHER VEGETABLES TO ADD
- Parsnips
- Turnips
- Bell Peppers
- Sweet Potatoes
- Butternut Squash
- Mixed frozen veggies
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HOW LONG DO YOU BAKE A SHEPHERD’S PIE?
You want to bake your pie long enough for the turkey to cook through, and for the gravy to thicken enough for a great creamy texture. That’s why we’re going for a minimum of 30 minutes.
You also want to watch for that golden brown crust forming on top of the mashed cauliflower. If you start to see them burning before the pie is cooked through, tent the dish with tinfoil to stop it from burning further.
HOW LONG DOES SHEPHERD’S PIE KEEP?
This will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days when sealed tightly. You can also let it cool completely and freeze for 2-3 months.
MORE TURKEY RECIPES
TIPS FOR MAKING TURKEY SHEPHERD’S PIE
- You can also make this recipe with leftover turkey from a holiday, or from a leftover rotisserie chicken. Just cut up the chicken or turkey breast and add it to the recipe at the same time you’d add the ground turkey.
- You can mash the cauliflower with sweet potato, or leave the cauliflower out altogether to make a sweet potato shepherd’s pie!
- Add some spice with ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper. You can also add some hot diced peppers like poblano or jalapeno and sauté them with the onions.
- You can top this with regular mashed potatoes, but the cauliflower is just as tasty in my opinion and cuts down on the total calories and carbs in the dish.
- Use gluten free all purpose flour to make this dish gluten free.
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes peeled
- 3 cups cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1/4 cup warm 1% milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper divided
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup peas
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3 tablespoons extra sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Add potatoes and cauliflower to a pot, cover with water and boil for 20 minutes until fork tender then drain and mash well then add 1 tablespoon butter, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and reserve to the side.
- To a large cast iron skillet add remaining butter and onion, sautéing until softened, for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the turkey, garlic, carrot, corn, peas, flour, and the remaining salt and pepper stirring well for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add the turkey mixture to the baking dish, top with the mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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Thank you for this recipe as I used it with leftover turkey. Wasn’t sure what the 1 tablespoon of olive oil was for unless additional to sauté? Also it looks like you used cheese as a topper in the photos, yes? Was very tasty!
Oh no, I meant to remove that olive oil from the list. I updated the recipe! Glad you enjoyed it!