Baked Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Mash

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-08 · Updated 2026-05-08

A comforting layered casserole featuring savory ground beef and vegetables topped with creamy mashed sweet potatoes, baked until golden. This british-inspired beef ready in about 60 minutes layers ground beef, medium, diced carrot, medium, diced onion into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium, diced carrot
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 large (about 1.5 lbs) sweet potatoes
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp chopped (optional) fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and chop 2 large sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place in a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 15 minutes until tender.
2. Step 2: While potatoes cook, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion and 1 diced carrot, sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 lb ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for 7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 cup beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.
4. Step 4: Drain the sweet potatoes and return to pot. Add 3 tbsp butter and 1/4 cup milk, mash until smooth and creamy. Season with a pinch of salt.
5. Step 5: Transfer the beef mixture into a 9x9-inch baking dish and spread evenly. Spoon the mashed sweet potatoes on top and smooth with a spatula.
6. Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the edges of the mashed potatoes start to turn golden and the filling is bubbling. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.