Clean Eating Shepherds Pie Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (2024)

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on X (Twitter)Share on Reddit <use href="#<svg width="1em" height="1em" viewBox="0 0 32 32" class="scriptlesssocialsharing__icon flipboard" fill="currentcolor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"><title>flipboard</title><path d="M24.997 13.001h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v-17.995h17.995zM1.004 1.004v29.991h29.991v-29.991z"></path></svg>" xlink:href="#flipboard"> Share on Flip it

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This clean eating shepherd’s pie is a healthy twist on a family classic!

This is the first time I’ve ever made or even eaten shepherd’s pie. I have to admit that the name conjured up images of me tending my flocks of sheep in the meadows somewhere.

Clean Eating Shepherds Pie Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (1)

I was never really 100% sure about what went in to a shepherd’s pie and to be honest, it didn’t appeal to me based on the name alone.

But I’ve gotten several emails from you all asking for a clean version. So I finally bit the bullet and made my first-ever shepherd’s pie.

All I can say is… DANG, I’ve been missing out!!! The flavors are simple, but it’s one of those dishes that grows on your with every bite.

In fact, I used a casserole dish that was 9X13 inches, and my ex-husband ate HALF of it for dinner! He just could not stop eating it!

Needless to say, he had to pack something different for lunch the next day because there was just none of it left when dinner was done.

Clean Eating Shepherds Pie Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (2)

So ya, this was yummy, in my humble opinion. I hope you’ll like it too!

More Healthy Casserole Recipes

  • Spaghetti Pie
  • Sweet Potato Casserole

Clean Eating Shepherds Pie Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (4)

Clean Eating Shepherd’s Pie

A family classic gets a clean eating upgrade!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate Add to Collection

Course: Casserole, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Irish

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 198kcal

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lb. ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 12 medium garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 large shallot (chopped)
  • 1 ½ cups chopped white onion
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • ¼ cup sliced celery
  • 1 ½ cups diced zucchini
  • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 3 lb. sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)
  • ½ cup chicken broth (no sugar added)
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • ¼ tsp. salt

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Place your sweet potatoes in the microwave for about 20-30 minutes, or until they are cooked all the way through.

  • While the potatoes cook, saute the garlic, shallot and onions together in the oil.

  • When the onions are translucent, add in the turkey meat, carrots, celery, zucchini, and balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until the veggies are cooked most of the way. They don’t have to be completely cooked because they will bake more in the oven. Just a bit tender is good.

  • When that is finished cooking, transfer everything to a casserole dish. (Mine was 9×13).

  • Using a thick towel so you don’t burn yourself, peel the potatoes while they are still hot.

  • Place them in a mixing bowl with the chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Blend with a hand blender until smooth. A food processor or regular blender will work too.

  • Smooth the potatoes over the meat in the casserole dish. Drag a fork lightly across the top to “rough up” the surface a bit for baking.

  • Bake at 350 degrees F. for approximately 30 minutes or until it’s nice and bubbly (you’ll see that if your casserole dish is clear glass).

  • Cut into 12 sections and allow to cool a bit before serving. The potatoes really hold onto their heat, so be careful.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 713mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 19705IU | Vitamin C: 9.3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1.4mg


Recipe from the Gracious Pantry archives, originally posted, 10/4/11.

Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on X (Twitter)Share on Reddit <use href="#<svg width="1em" height="1em" viewBox="0 0 32 32" class="scriptlesssocialsharing__icon flipboard" fill="currentcolor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"><title>flipboard</title><path d="M24.997 13.001h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v-17.995h17.995zM1.004 1.004v29.991h29.991v-29.991z"></path></svg>" xlink:href="#flipboard"> Share on Flip it

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Title: Journalist

Expertise: Food, cooking, travel

Bio:

Tiffany McCauley is a nationally syndicated journalist and an award-winning cookbook author. She is also a food blogger. She has been featured on MSN, Huffington Post, Country Living Magazine, HealthLine, Redbook, and many more. She has helped thousands of people learn to cook simple, clean, and healthy foods in their own home kitchens. She lives in Maine and loves Elvis, sunflowers, and a good seafood chowder, as well as travel writing.

Similar Posts

3 Bean Salad Recipe

Fresh Cranberry Smoothie Recipe

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

Clean Eating Margarita Mix Recipe

Copycat Chick Fil A Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce Recipe

Blueberry Lemon Mug Cake

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Haha! Thanks for pointing that out! Had no idea!

    Reply

  2. My pleasure! So glad you enjoyed them!

    Reply

  3. I’m new to this clean eating thing (although most lf my meals i make from scratch). Shepherds Pie is a staple in our house. Never thought of topping it with sweet potato rather than regular potato mash. One quick question from the novice – is there any reason why you chose turkey mince over lamb mince? That is how the dish got it’s name after all…

    Reply

    1. Personally, I can’t stand lamb. So I never use it. Feel free to if that’s your preference.

      Reply

  4. I finally got around to making this with my own spin on it and it was delicious! OMG the sweet potato I am gonna also make them this way for other dishes too. I used only half and onion and 4 cloves of garlic because it seemed like too much and I am glad I did because hubby made a comment on it was too oniony. I didn’t have any shallots or zucchini so I omitted those and added peas instead.

    Reply

    1. Janel – Glad it worked out! 🙂

      Reply

  5. Just made this dish for my husband and I. Really enjoyed it. Very fresh/flavorful. love your website

    Reply

    1. Jessica – Thanks so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply

  6. My friend made this casserole and shared it with me! Yummy Now I must make this myself ! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful and healthy recipes.

    Reply

    1. Patti – My pleasure! Enjoy! 😀

      Reply

  7. Just popped this in the oven, tasted all the components before sticking it in the oven and it was “DA’ BOMB”. Surely cannot wait until that timmer beeps and we can eat this fantastic meal.
    P.S. When I try to check the box to notify me when you reply it won’t check.

    Reply

    1. JenniferSheppard – Awesome! I hope you enjoy it! And thanks for letting me know about the box. I’ll look into it.

      Reply

  8. I made this tonight for dinner and it was tasty but didn’t turn out well. My husband is really sensitive to garlic so i only used 3 cloves and then added some salt and pepper to the meat mixture to help add some more flavour. Once baked, it ended up really watery, probably from the zucchini. It ended up in mushy piles on everyone’s plates. Next time, I’ll stick to green beans. I’ll also stick turn the broiler on for the last few minutes so the sweet potatoes dry out a little and brown on top. The flavours were good though.

    BTW, in the ingredients list, you have black pepper but don’t actually say where to add it. Since its listed with the potato ingredients, i assumed thats where it was supposed to go.

    Reply

    1. Melanie – I’m sorry you didn’t care for it. It is possible that it was the zucchini. Some are more watery than others.

      Reply

Clean Eating Shepherds Pie Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (2024)

FAQs

How do I thicken my shepherd's pie? ›

The easiest way to thicken shepherd's pie filling is by sprinkling a few tablespoons of flour into the ground beef mixture as it cooks before adding it to the baking dish. The starch in the flour will absorb the extra liquid and create a thick gravy.

Why do you put flour in shepherd's pie? ›

Flour: All-purpose flour will thicken the beef gravy. Ketchup: Ketchup will add a little tang to the ground beef mixture. Beef Broth: Beef broth creates a gravy-like consistency in the middle. Cheese: Top the shepherd's pie with extra Cheddar for a cheesy finish.

How do you make shepherd's pie less salty? ›

Oversalted Your Recipe? These are the Best (and Worst) Ways to Save It
  1. Increase the amount of non-salty ingredients.
  2. Add salt-free stock or water.
  3. Mask the saltiness with an acidic or sweet ingredient.
  4. Add a whole potato—or not.
Dec 4, 2018

Does Ina Garten have a recipe for shepherd's pie? ›

This Shepherd's Pie is the real deal. It is full of flavor and utterly delicious. A great filling and an even better topping make this truly a stand-out. Bacon, onions and ground beef are cooked along with carrots and peas in a flavorful gravy composed of Guinness Beer, beef broth and spices.

What is the best pie thickener? ›

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed. We like tapioca in blueberry, cherry or peach pies.

What is the best thickener for meat pies? ›

FINO PIE THICKENING is a balanced blend of cereals and starches especially designed for thickening and stabilising pie meat.

How do you keep shepherd's pie from falling apart? ›

How do you keep shepherds pie from falling apart? The eggs in the mashed potatoes help keep the pie together. You should also make sure to spread the potatoes and press down a bit.

Is flour or cornstarch better for pie filling? ›

Cornstarch as Pie Filling Thickener

Cornstarch is faster-acting than flour and forms a smooth, relatively clear filling. Just be aware that too much cornstarch can create a slimy texture.

How do you thicken shepherd's pie without cornstarch? ›

Arrowroot Powder – If you're following the Paleo Diet then Arrowroot Powder is a great alternative to using cornstarch to thicken gravies and sauces.

What if I add too much salt to a recipe? ›

Here are ways to fix salty food:
  • Dilute by adding more water or broth to reduce saltiness.
  • Addition of acidic ingredients such as tomato sauce for the counterbalance of flavors.
  • Addition of starchy ingredients such as potatoes.
  • Add Sugar for balance.
  • Add fatty ingredients such as dairy to complement and neutralize.
Aug 29, 2022

How much salt is in shepherds pie? ›

Nutrition
Typical ValuesPer 100gPer Portion
of which are saturates (g)2.810.9
Fibre (g)1.35.1
Sodium (g)0.271.05
Salt (g)0.6752.625
6 more rows

What to do if you add too much seasoning? ›

Dilution or Add Bulk

One of the easiest ways to balance a seasoning mistake is to add bulk or dilute the dish. For example if your soup is salty, add more vegetable stock or water. If your rice is salty, make a small amount of unsalted rice, and mix with your salty rice. The volume will help lower the salty taste.

What is original shepherd's pie made of? ›

Shepherd's pie comes to us from England, and is traditionally made with lamb or mutton. Here in the states we are more of a beef eating culture than a lamb eating one, and when one is served "shepherd's pie" here, it is most often made with ground beef.

What is duch*ess pie? ›

duch*ess Pie: sour cream custard studded with. blackberries, topped with oat crumble. Creamy, tart, sweet, crunchy... perfect.

Why is my shepherd's pie soggy? ›

Classic shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb, gravy, mashed potatoes, and veggies like peas, corn, celery, and carrots. Why is my shepherd's pie soggy? Avoid a soggy pie by simmering the meat mixture for at least 8 minutes. Be sure to cook down the mixture to remove excess moisture.

What is the best way to thicken meat pie filling? ›

Flour as Pie Filling Thickener

Teaspoon for teaspoon, you will need to use about twice as much flour as you would cornstarch or tapioca to achieve the same thickening effects. Adding too much flour to your pie filling will turn it cloudy and pasty, with a distinctly floury taste.

What to do if your pie is too runny? ›

The best way to thicken runny apple pie filling before baking it is to add some cornstarch, tapioca starch, or flour to your mix. To fix a runny pie that's already been baked, simply let it cool to see if it will congeal naturally. If not, you can stick it back in the oven for a bit longer.

What can I add to pie filling to make it thicker? ›

When thickening a fruit pie filling, there are several options to consider. Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6650

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Birthday: 2001-07-17

Address: Suite 794 53887 Geri Spring, West Cristentown, KY 54855

Phone: +5934435460663

Job: Central Hospitality Director

Hobby: Yoga, Electronics, Rafting, Lockpicking, Inline skating, Puzzles, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.