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Shepherd's pie in a white baking dish.
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5 from 7 votes

Best Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Ground turkey and veggies mixed with broth and red wine to make a pie filling. Cover with a layer of creamy and fluffy mashed potatoes!
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cooling time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British, English
Keyword: Easy Healthy Dinner, Gluten Free, Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie, Homemade Easy, Shepherd's Pie
Servings: 5
Author: Stacey Adams

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes *see note below

  • 2 & ½ lbs russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup nonfat milk *or non-dairy milk of choice *see note below
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Pie Filling

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey *I use 93/7 *see note below
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 3 large carrots *peeled & diced *see note below
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic *see note below
  • 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen corn *see note below
  • 1 cup frozen peas *see note below
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup beef broth *chicken or veggie broth will work in a pinch
  • ½ cup red wine *sub extra broth if desired
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
  • 1 teaspoon salt *see note below
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons cold water

Toppings

  • Chopped parsley *optional

Recipe notes: 

Mashed potatoes: to save some time, you can use instant potatoes
Milk: if you have trouble spreading mashed potatoes atop filling, add a little more milk. This will make them a little easier to work with. 
Ground turkey: feel free to sub ground beef or chicken if desired.
Minced garlic: I always keep a jar of minced garlic in my refrigerator. It's a huge time saver. I love garlic but I don't always want to mince by hand, this is a great alternative.
Carrots, peas & corn: if you prefer, use a frozen veggie mix to save time.
Salt: I use 1 teaspoon of salt in this recipe, but I recommend adding the salt slowly and taste testing to see if you need more. Canned broth & tomatoes have different levels of sodium (depending on the brand) so you may need less!

Instructions

  • Place a large pot of salted water on the stovetop and turn heat to high. While waiting for water a boil, peel and cube potatoes. Carefully and gently add cubes to boiling water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Once soft, drain potatoes and set aside.
    2 & ½ lbs russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
  • Peel and dice onion and carrots.
  • Place a large sauté pan on the stove top and turn heat to medium. Add ground turkey and allow it to fully brown. (Tip *I recommend using a 2.5 quart sauté pan, or larger. You'll be adding all other ingredients to this pan so you need adequate space. You can also use a large pot instead of a sauté pan.)
    1 lb lean ground turkey
  • Once your meat has completely browned, drain excess fat (if necessary) and return it to the sauté pan. Place pan back on the stovetop and reduce heat to medium low.
  • Add diced onions and carrots. Allow onions, carrots and turkey to cook together for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer.
    1 medium yellow onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 3 large carrots
  • Add frozen corn, frozen peas, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, red wine, bay leaf, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
    1 15oz can diced tomatoes, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup beef broth, ½ cup red wine, 1 bay leaf, 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Increase heat to medium high. Once filling mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • While filling simmers, finish making your mashed potatoes. Combine boiled potatoes, butter, milk and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to mash potatoes until smooth.
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup nonfat milk, ½ teaspoon salt
  • Measure corn starch and cold water into a small bowl and whisk. Add this mixture to the simmering pie filling on the stovetop. Stir and allow the mixture to continue simmering for 5-10 more minutes, it will begin to thicken. Remove from heat.
    2 teaspoons corn starch, 2 tablespoons cold water
  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Transfer pie filling to a 2 - 3 quart baking dish and cover with a layer of mashed potatoes about an inch thick.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until filling begins to bubble. Turn oven to the high broil setting and allow the top of the pie to brown slightly (this will not take long at all, keep a close eye on the pie during broiling).
  • Remove pie from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Add dried or fresh parsley flakes on top, if desired.
    Chopped parsley
  • Serve and enjoy!