Turkey Shepherd’s Pie: the ultimate hug in a bowl. This meal is a perfect kid-friendly dinner to make for the family, or a delicious lunch to prep for yourself for the week. Turkey shepherds pie features ground turkey and sautéed vegetables topped with creamy mashed potatoes, baked to perfection. Easy to store and reheat, turkey shepherds pie tastes indulgent, but is comfort food you can feel good about eating.
All about turkey shepherd’s pie
Truth be told, I had never eaten shepherd’s pie until I created this recipe, but I knew the general idea was appealing; a mixture of ground meat and vegetables, slathered in mashed potatoes? Sign me up!
You might see a recipe like that and just assume it could never be healthy. I mean, mashed potatoes? Those aren’t “healthy,” right?
Wrong. As I always preach, everything in moderation. Just by making a few easy substitutions (i.e. ground turkey, fat free half and half) this recipe is easily lightened up. And let me tell you, it is certainly not lacking any flavor.
This recipe is so delicious and makes for a perfect meal prep. It stores really well in the fridge, and reheats so easily. My kids also really enjoy it, so it’s totally kid-friendly and approved for the family. You can’t beat it.
So, let’s get to cooking!
What you’ll need to make turkey shepherd’s pie
For the turkey and vegetable filling, you’ll need:
- light butter
- onion
- shredded carrots
- garlic
- ground turkey breast
- onion salt
- garlic salt
- dried oregano
- dried thyme
- tomato paste
- Worcestershire
- flour
- reduced sodium chicken broth
- frozen peas
For the mashed potato topping, you’ll need:
- russet potatoes
- fat free half and half
- garlic salt
- onion salt
A shortcut I took when I first created this recipe was using these Ore-Ida Steam ‘n Mash potatoes for the topping. It eliminates the need to peel, cut and boil potatoes. But, I will say… I enjoy using the real potatoes here. I feel there is a bit of a difference in the taste! But, if you’re in a pinch, you can totally use these frozen bagged ones as a shortcut.
How to prep the mashed potato topping
I always start this process first, since it takes the longest to prep and boil the potatoes.
Start by peeling the potatoes. For this recipe, I use 30 oz of potatoes (weighed raw). This equated to about three medium-sized russet potatoes, which yielded about 3 1/2 cups when chopped.
Peel the potatoes and chop them roughly into large chunks.
Fill a small pot with water and bring the water to a boil, then add the potatoes.
Cook the potatoes until they are fork tender. Then, strain them.
While the potatoes are cooking, you can prepare the filling for the shepherd’s pie; but for instructional purposes, let’s finish this part now!
Mash them with a fork to get the lumps out, and then add the half and half, garlic salt and onion salt. Stir to combine until they are creamy, like mashed potatoes. Set them aside until you’re ready to use them.
How to make the turkey and vegetable filling
First, get your oven ready by preheating it to 400F.
Cooking the vegetables and turkey
While it preheats, chop your onion and get your carrots ready. In a large, deep frying pan, melt the light butter. Once it’s melted, add the onions and carrots to the pan. Sauté the vegetables for eight to ten minutes or until they become soft and start to caramelize.
Once the vegetables are cooked down, get the turkey ready to cook. Here, I used 2 lbs of lean ground turkey breast. You can use chicken breast, or you can even use lean ground beef.
Get your spices ready too; that’s your garlic salt, onion salt, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Add some olive oil spray to your pan.
Add the turkey to the frying pan along with the spices. Use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey meat. Cook for another ten minutes, or until the turkey is no longer pink.
After ten minutes, it’s time to add some more flavor! Get your tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce ready to go.
Adding more flavor to the turkey and vegetables
Once the turkey is fully cooked, add the tomato paste and Worcestershire. Stir the mixture so that everything is incorporated.
Then, sprinkle the flour on top of the mixture. Make sure the flour coats the turkey. Then, add the chicken stock. Cook for just a couple of minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed into the meat.
Now that the mixture is all set, it’s time to stir in some frozen peas. Just add them to the pan, and stir everything together. There’s no need to cook them further; they will defrost super quickly in the mixture. Since we are cooking this all in the oven anyway, that’s all you need to do.
Putting it all together and baking Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Next, grab a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spray it with some cooking spray, and then pour the turkey and vegetable filling mixture in.
Next, plop those deliciously smooth mashed potatoes on top, and spread them out to cover the entire filling. I used an offset spatula to smooth it out.
Pop the pie in the oven at 400F and cook it for 20 minutes.
When it’s done, divide it into six equal (really huge, generous) portions and enjoy! I like to serve mine with green beans on the side.
Storing, reheating and meal prep
This is the most ideal recipe to make ahead of time. It stores really well if covered in the fridge. You can either store it in the dish you baked it in (make sure to tightly cover it), or you can portion it out into your meal prep containers.
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I suspect this would freeze really well, too.
To reheat, I simply pop a portion at a time into the microwave.
Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Equipment
- large deep frying pan
- sauce pan
- mixing bowls
- baking dish, 9 x 13
Ingredients
Turkey and Vegetable Filling
- 1 tablespoon light butter
- 2 cups onion, chopped
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lbs ground turkey breast, 99% fat free
- 1/2 tsp onion salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 c frozen peas
Mashed Potato Topping
- 30 oz russet potatoes, raw, peeled, approximately 3 medium russet potatoes
- 1 cup fat free half and half
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp onion salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
Prepping the Mashed Potato Topping
- Peel and roughly chop the potatoes.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
- Add the potatoes and boil until they are fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes, and then mash them with a fork.
- Add the half and half, garlic and onion salt, and stir until smooth.
Turkey and Vegetable Filling
- Melt the light butter in a large frying pan over medium high heat.
- Add the onions and carrots. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until they start to become very tender and cooked down.
- Add the garlic and cook for a minute.
- Add a spritz of olive oil spray to moisten the mixture.
- Add the turkey meat and break it up with a spatula.
- Add the garlic salt, onion salt, oregano and thyme.
- Stir to combine and cook until the turkey is no longer pink and is cooked through, approximately 10 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the flour on top and stir into the mixture.
- Add the chicken broth and cook for another 5 minutes or until the liquid is almost fully absorbed.
- Add the frozen peas and stir to combine.
- Spread the mixture in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
- Pour the mashed potato mixture on top of the turkey filling and spread evenly with a fork.
- Bake at 400 for 25 minutes
Notes
- 6 WW points (green plan)
- 4 WW points (blue plan)
- 2 WW points (purple plan)
Jenn says
As always Steph’s meals are packed with flavor. This was great and super moist and delicious. I am a potato snob but actually loved the frozen ones. Thanks!
Amy S. says
The best comfort food recipe by far. Reheats really well too.
Rachel G says
So delicious- and reheats really well
Vicki says
Love this filling hearty lunch.
Maureen Whitney says
Honesty. So flavorful. I was worried as I’m Irish and like a traditional shepherd’s pie with beef and gravy. This is so moist and has so much flavor. My husband loved it. Struggle to find frozen mashed potatoes so that adds time for me. Love this!!! Thanks Steph!
Leah Young says
This is the ultimate comfort food and is INCREDIBLE! Makes large portions too – used for meal prep! 😋
Liz says
Perfect for meal prepping lunches! So good!
Kathy says
Omg so good!!!!!
Jess says
Delicious & perfect for lunch throughout the week!
Nicole M says
Great meal! But the frozen peas were not included in the ingredients lists so I didn’t know to have them on hand.
Beth says
I made this recipe for my lunches a few weeks ago. It was so easy and turned out way better then I expected! I had a few extra servings so I froze them. I dethawed them this week and they came out perfectly. So, if you want to freeze servings you can! Thanks Steph!
Yazmin says
I have made this several times and everybody in the family LOVES it!!!
Diana says
Delicious! Takes some time to make but worth it. I had a bit more turkey than 2 lbs so my proportion was a bit off. Even though I weighed 3 Oz of potatoes it looks like Stephanie’s layer was thicker than mine. I would bulk up more on the potatoe next time and maybe add some more worcestshire.
Laura says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious and so filling! Everyone from my husband, to my 10 year old stepson, to my 23 month old son loved it and any dinner I can get everyone to eat is a huge win, especially when it’s healthy. I will definitely be making this again.
Melissa Pidal says
I made this and it was SO good. I subbed frozen bell peppers and onions for the carrots and peas, since i prefer those vegetables. It was amazing!! So excited about my meal prep dinners for the week!
Ashley says
Made this for meal prep this week and it’s unreal! Used sweet potatoes that I had on hand, and the flavor is just out of this world. Will absolutely be a new staple!
Kim says
This is an awesome recipe. Very flavorful and the serving size is generous.
Julie says
Would never have thought that I needed this dish in my life, but there’s no going back now. I think it’s even better the day after. Thanks!
Amanda says
I had seen this recipe on Steph’s Instagram a few times and even though I objectively knew I’d like it if I made it, it does not photograph super well (a smooth layer of mashed potatoes covers most the detail) so I never made it. What finally convinced me was Steph showing the step by step of her process making it on Instagram stories. This is one of the more complex recipes I’ve made of Steph’s – not because its difficult AT ALL but because it has a few more steps and ingredients than the ones I usually gravitate towards. But WOW is it worth the extra work! It was in the negatives where I live when I had this and it warmed my body and soul! And, like everything Steph makes, was so filling and so much bang for your buck! I will definitely make this again.
Jacqueline Ruiz says
So delicious. Took a little bit longer to prep but flavors are great and six generous servings. Not fake generous like hearty servings!
Brittney says
This was such a warm and comforting meal prep! I used premade garlic mash to make my life a smidge easier, but it was super flavorful and the portions are generous!
Nancy says
Made this last night. It was delicious. I was going to reduce the number of servings since it is just my husband and myself but left it as is and put it in the freezer for my daughter. Before she leaves for work in the morning she can pull it out of the freezer and just heat it up when she gets home. Once again this was another home run for Steph.
Diane says
Made this delicious dish for the second time today. I halve the recipe, and bake it in an 8 x 8 Pyrex dish. It’s a great meal plan, and I cut it into four slices, and then eat it over the next few days. I love this recipe!
Krista says
Loved this Shepherd’s Pie! Great reheated as well.
Donna says
Ok I love using the frozen mashed potatoes. I’ve made this twice for meal prep. So easy and yummy
Rita May says
Absolutely delicious and so hearty, while staying on my health journey of tracking! Love all Steph’s recipes! I literally sit down with her site every weekend before food shopping so I can meal plan.
Vicky says
I made this for St. Patricks Day. Since it is just my husband and I, I divided into two pans and shared with some friends. 8 thumbs up from us.
Nancy says
A filling comfort food that I’ve already made twice. So good!
Terry says
Yum
Deb K says
Easy and tasty meal for a cold snowy April Fool’s Day! Family loved it and thanks Steph for your great meal prep recipes!
Christina Acampora says
Even my kids loved this! And it does go great with your green beans 👌🏼 Thx so much!
Cynthia says
Made this for dinner tonight , followed recipe except I used mashed sweet potatoes. Very good , packed with flavor , entire family including daughter who dislikes pea’s and didn’t leave one on her plate . So happy I made this , sometimes it’s difficult to find good recipes using ground Turkey , tired of taco and burgers.
Alicia says
My husband was very skeptical of this dish as he had shepherd’s pie growing up and didn’t like it. He was pleasantly surprised with how flavorful this recipe was and went back for seconds!
Carlisha says
This was a great lunch option! I didn’t originally plan to make this dish but had all the ingredients and decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed! I love the flavors and how it comes together. I may add a little more seasoning to the meat mixture next time but overall I’m loving this recipe. I also added cheese to the potatoes and it gave a nice flavor to them!
Tamar says
This was outrageously good! It was a lot of ingredients I didn’t have on hand, but it was completely worth it. I will definitely be making this again!
Dayna says
Perfect! I made a few substitutions- didn’t have garlic salt or onion salt so I used a mixture of kosher salt, onion powder, and minced onion and it still tasted perfect!
Sailmaker says
Ramped it up with a red bell pepper, can of corn and a hand full of green beans. 2 bay leaves, white pepper instead of black, and some liquid smoke. Sprinkled paprika over the spuds mashed with blue cheese dressing, almond milk and Parmesan garlic powder blend.
Amy says
Delicious! My kids and husband all loved it!
Diane says
One of my favorites. It’s in the oven right now!
Jessica says
This is SO good!! Thank you for the recipe!!!
Jill says
I didn’t have turkey so subbed 93/7 ground beef. This dish is amazing! Thanks for sharing such great recipes!🥰
Savannah says
It wasn’t bad, but it had no flavor.
Rachel says
How many servings does this make? Trying to determine how big ‘1 slice’ should be. Can’t wait to try!
Steph says
6!
Darlene H says
After a week on vacation and eating out, this was a perfect comfort dish to welcome the new week! Added frozen corn along with the peas for some extra yum!
Noreen says
Made it tonight and loved it! So flavorful and moist. It was amazing. Definitely surpassed my expectations😊
Kim says
Okay, I just made this, and the only modification was that I was pretty generous with everything but the amount of turkey and potatoes. Delicious and my home smells great right now! And agreed with everyone else who mentioned the generous portion sizes.
Kerry says
I had forgotten just how good this recipe is! It’s packed with flavor, and you don’t miss a thing using turkey. It does take me longer than I usually like to prep but it’s worth it and makes a ton, so it’s more than one meal for us. So glad I looked through my recipe app and pulled this one back into rotation for the winter.
Celia Thorn says
Out of the dozen or so recipes I’ve made this is by far my least favorite. Maybe I made it wrong but it was extremely dry and not very flavorful. I actually couldn’t even finish it.
Lynn says
I followed this recipe as written except that I used leftover turkey gravy instead of the flour and broth. Scrumptious, The woke family gobbled it up (pun intended).
Kaylie says
Holy **** this is the first turkey sheppards pie I’ve ever had and I’m amazed at how delicious it is, 10/10 sending this to my mom to try next! So much flavour!!