Turkey Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

Ever get tired of making the same skillet meals again and again? Need something new that feels like comfort food and yet it’s simple? Meet my Turkey Skillet Shepherd’s Pie Skillet, dinner. It’s a rustic dish and the epitome of comfort food!

Shepherd’s Pie was originally called “Cottage Pie,” can you believe it? I wonder if shepherds lived in cottages or what but I love the English sound of that. What hasn’t changed, however, is the essence of the recipe: layered meat and veggies at the bottom of a pie dish topped with creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes! What’s not to love?

This dish reminds me of my childhood and grandmother. She often made shepherd’s pie with leftover meat from a roast and baked potatoes. It didn’t always start with ground meat; she’d use whatever meat was leftover for this.

She was also a huge potato fan. I don’t blame her, she fed five kids and was a post-war child. So, I’m sure potatoes were more than just a staple for her.

There were baked potatoes at least once a week, often twice. She’d use them for dinner, then in a potato salad, and whatever was left into potato pancakes or reinvented for inner; like in this meal.

While I meal plan a lot, potatoes aren’t something I have a lot of leftovers, so this meal gets made ahead of time easily by making the mashed potatoes ahead of time and then putting it together in the skillet in about 20-minutes any night of the week.

I love making this for my family, especially during cold months, when we all crave warm, hearty foods that make us feel cozy in the inside; and this is one of those dishes. ,

Over the years, I’ve created a version to fit my family’s needs, using ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground beef -whatever I had available around.

Inspired by my grandmother’s method of preparing ahead, I’ll make a big batch of slow-cooker potatoes and use them to make my Loaded Baked Potato Soup, the extra for the mashed potatoes in this recipe.

Sometimes a batch of my mashed no-tatoes, or mashed cauliflower, whenever I want to skip the starch. That version is included in my grain-free cookbook, The Best Homemade Grain-Free Meals on the Planet. It still tastes incredible, and no one even misses the potatoes!

Should you have leftover roast or stew meat and you want to use that as a starter, just add it to the bottom of the pan and continue on with the recipe. If you don’t use dairy, consider using your favorite non-dairy milk for the mashed potatoes, no one will know, I promise.

What’s your favorite comfort food recipe? 

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Turkey Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

• Author: Laura Fuentes
• Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

6 medium russet baking potatoes, unpeeled and washed

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 pound ground turkey

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch slices

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons salt, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 to 3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Set aside a baking sheet.

 

Over medium-high heat, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the potatoes and let cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

 

Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron skillet or oven-safe skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter, over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and onion, cook for 6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is browned and the onions have softened

 

Add the carrots, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic to the skillet, season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 7 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Stir in the peas, cook for an additional 2 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the flour and broth and then stir the mixture into the turkey and veggies. Add the peas and thyme, stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

 

Meanwhile, drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash with milk, remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, 1/3 cup Parmesan, remaining salt, and black pepper.

 

Top the turkey mixture with the mashed potatoes and spread to the skillet’s edges. Place the skillet on the baking sheet, then place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and lightly browned.

Turkey Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

• Author: Laura Fuentes
• Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 medium russet baking potatoes, unpeeled and washed
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan,
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Chives, for garnish

Instructions

1. Over medium-high heat, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the potatoes and let cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter, over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and onion, cook for 6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is browned and the onions have softened
3. Add the carrots, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic to the skillet, season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the tapioca starch and broth. Stir the mixture into the turkey and veggies. Add the peas and thyme, stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, mash the potatoes with milk, remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, 1/3 cup Parmesan, remaining salt, and black pepper.
6. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the turkey mixture and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the potatoes are heated through. Garnish with chives and serve.

Notes

If you would like a cheesy crust on top the potatoes. Set your oven on broil. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese over the mashed potatoes and place the skillet in the oven. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.