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You are here: Home / Recipes / Turkey

Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

By Susie Weinrich ยท Date Nov 18, 2021ยท 51 Comments ยท May contain affiliate links.

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Ground Turkey Shepherdโ€™s Pie is such a great comfort food dinner. Ground turkey is mixed with carrots, peas, beef broth, red wine and lots of herbs & seasonings then is topped with super flavorful creamy mashed potatoes. It all gets baked up in one skillet. It is a great family dinner that everyone will LOVE!!

cast iron skillet with turkey shepherd's pie cooked in it

Some other great family recipes that use turkey are Turkey Pot Pie, Turkey Chili, Tetrazzini, or Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.

Table of Contents hide
1 Why Itโ€™s SO Good!
2 Ingredients
3 Mashed Potatoes
4 Step by Step Picture Instructions
5 Listen To The Full Recipe
6 Serving
7 Side Dishes
8 Recipe Tips
9 Top Tips
10 More Delicious Comfort Food Dinners
11 Did you make this recipe?
12 Ground Turkey Shepherdโ€™s Pie Recipe + Video

Why Itโ€™s SO Good!

  • The potato topping has itโ€™s own delicious flavors of butter, sour cream and a little garlic.
  • Fresh rosemary lends amazing fresh flavor.
  • Ground sage adds just a hint of โ€œholidayโ€ that goes perfect with the turkey.
  • Red wine makes the filling deep and rich with flavor.
  • Using beef broth instead of chicken broth gives the filling a robust flavor.

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make Turkey Shepherdโ€™s Pie, plus some helpful tips on a few ingredients:

ingredients for ground turkey Shepherd's Pie

Ground Turkey โ€“ When you cook with ground turkey it is always good practice to use 93/7. It has enough fat to be flavorful and juicy. The 99% lean is to be avoided at all cost!

You can absolutely use ground beef, ground pork or ground chicken if that is what you have in your fridge/freezer.

Red Wine โ€“ I HIGHLY recommend that you do not skip the red wine! If you do not want to buy an entire bottle just grab a carton or small โ€œairplaneโ€ sized bottle. You only need ยฝ cup, but it makes all the difference.

Beef Broth โ€“ It may seem funny to use a beef broth in a turkey dish, but believe me it works! The beef broth adds a deepness of flavor that a chicken broth wonโ€™t. However if you are making this because you donโ€™t eat beef, you can absolutely sub chicken broth.

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes are the very best topping for Shepherdโ€™s Pie. There is a great recipe included below for the mashed potatoes. However, you could also use one of these options:

  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Frozen Mashed Potatoes (Trader Joeโ€™s has a great one!)
  • Leftover Mashed Potatoes
  • In a time pinch you can use potato flakes
  • Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes could even work!

Step by Step Picture Instructions

  • Boil the Russets and make the mashed potatoes. Set aside until assembly.
  • In a large oven safe skillet, sautรฉ the onions, carrots, and celery in the oil, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and ground turkey and crumble while cooking through.
ground turkey with onions, carrots and celery
  • Now add in the rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, onion powder, flour and tomato paste.
  • Deglaze the pan with the red wine and let it reduce for about 5 minutes.
  • Finish with the beef broth, frozen peas, Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 mins.
ground turkey, peas, carrots and herbs in a tomato and red wine base
  • Remove from the heat.
  • Dollop the mashed potatoes over the meat filling. Smooth it to the edges. To get nice browned bits on the top make swoops in the mashed potatoes.
dollops of mashed potatoes on top of Shepherd's Pie Filling
Spatula spreading mashed potatoes on Shepherd's Pie
  • If using a 10 inch skillet place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch spills.
  • Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Listen To The Full Recipe

Serving

Serve the Turkey Shepherdโ€™s Pie right in the skillet. Scoop out portions making sure to get a good filling to mashed potato topping ratio on each plate.

a scoop taken out of a Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Side Dishes

The nice thing about Shepherdโ€™s Pie is it has everything in one โ€“ starch, protein and veggies โ€“ so it can really be served by itself.

But if you want to make it more of a dinner experience you can serve it with dinner rolls, a roasted veggie or side salad.

Recipe Tips

Top Tips

  • If you have leftover mashed potatoes this makes a great recipe to use them up!
  • Make Swoops in the mashed potatoes topping, the peaks brown beautifully in the oven.
  • Donโ€™t skip the red wine! It lends amazing depth of flavor to the Turkey Shepherdโ€™s Pie.
  • If rosemary isnโ€™t your jam, sub in fresh thyme.
  • If you like a soupier filling, add ยผ-1/2 cup of beef broth.
  • Pick a red wine you will like to drink. You only need ยฝ cup so you can enjoy the rest of the bottle.
  • Do not use 99% lean ground turkey. Go for the 93/7!
  • If you use a 10 inch skillet, place a rimmed baking sheet underneath to catch spills in the oven.
  • If ground turkey isnโ€™t your thing you can absolutely use ground beef, ground pork, or ground chicken in this recipe.

More Delicious Comfort Food Dinners

  • turkey pot pie with a slice taken out
    Homemade Turkey Pot Pie
  • chicken tetrazzini in a casserole dish
    Deluxe Chicken Tetrazzini
  • a bowl of chicken and dumplings with a dumpling split open
    Creamy Chicken Stew and Dumplings
  • a close up of pot roast,cooked carrots and mashed potatoes
    Beef Pot Roast with Gravy

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie in a cast iron skillet

Ground Turkey Shepherdโ€™s Pie Recipe + Video

A delicious family dinner that has layers of ground turkey mixed with seasonings and herbs, carrots, and peas, all topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked in the oven.
5 from 38 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 443kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • 10-12 inch oven safe skillet (cast iron works great)

Ingredients

Mashed Potato Topping

  • 2 โ€“ 2 ยฝ lbs. Russet potatoes - โ€“ peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
  • ยผ cup sour cream
  • 5 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 Tbsp. whole milk or half and half
  • 1 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1 fresh garlic clove - minced

Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie Filling

  • 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1 small onion (yellow or white) - diced
  • ยฝ cup celery - diced
  • ยฝ cup carrot - peeled and diced
  • 3 garlic cloves - โ€“ minced
  • 1 pound ground turkey - โ€“ 93% lean (93/7)
  • 1 tsp. (heaping) fresh rosemary - chopped (could sub fresh thyme)
  • ยผ tsp. ground sage
  • 1 ยฝ tsp. Kosher salt
  • ยฝ tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1 ยฝ cup beef broth
  • ยฝ cup red wine - (Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec would all work!)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mashed Potatoes

  • Place the potato chunks into a large pot and add cold water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium low and simmer uncovered until the potatoes are fork tender (about 15 minutes).
    2 โ€“ 2 ยฝ lbs. Russet potatoes
  • Drain the potatoes and return to the pan. Smash the potatoes using a hand held mixer or a potato masher. Add the sour cream, butter, milk and salt.
    ยผ cup sour cream, 5 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. whole milk or half and half, 1 tsp. Kosher salt, 1 fresh garlic clove
  • Taste and adjust seasoning. Set the mashed potatoes aside until assembly.
  • Can also use a store-bought refrigerated mashed potato, not instant potato flakes! Just boost the flavor with sour cream, butter, cream cheese and a garlic clove!

Ground Turkey Filling

  • For the filling, heat oil in a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet (or oven safe pan) over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
    1 Tbsp. Olive oil, 1 small onion (yellow or white), ยฝ cup celery, ยฝ cup carrot
  • Add the ground turkey and garlic, and crumble/cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
    3 garlic cloves, 1 pound ground turkey
  • Stir in the rosemary, ground sage, salt, pepper, onion powder, flour and tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
    1 tsp. (heaping) fresh rosemary, ยผ tsp. ground sage, 1 ยฝ tsp. Kosher salt, ยฝ tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. onion powder, 2 Tbsp. tomato paste, 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • Deglaze the skillet with the red wine and reduce, about 4-5 minutes .
    ยฝ cup red wine
  • Stir in the beef broth, frozen peas and Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Simmer filling for 2-3 minutes.
    ** If you like your filling a little soupier you can add ยผ-1/2 cup beef broth at this point and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
    1 ยฝ cup beef broth, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Assembly & Baking

  • Dollop the mashed potatoes evenly over the filling in the cast iron skillet. Using a spoon or spatula, spread the potatoes evenly over the filling and all the way to the edges of the skillet.
    Pro Tip: Make some swoops in the potatoes, the peaks will brown nicely in the oven!
    dollops of mashed potatoes on top of Shepherd's Pie Filling
  • Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
    Pro Tip: If using a 10 inch skillet you may want to put a baking sheet or foil under the skillet to catch any drips as it is very full
    Spatula spreading mashed potatoes on Shepherd's Pie
  • You can place under the broiler for 5 minutes at the end if you want the top to be golden brown.
  • Let the Shepherdโ€™s Pie rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Instant Pot Mashed: you can also make your Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot!
Recipe Tip To Remember:
  • If you have leftover mashed potatoes this makes a great recipe to use them up!
  • Make Swoops in the mashed potatoes topping, the peaks brown beautifully in the oven.
  • Donโ€™t skip the red wine! It lends amazing depth of flavor to the Turkey Shepherdโ€™s Pie.
  • If rosemary isnโ€™t your jam, sub in fresh thyme.
  • If you like a soupier filling, add ยผ-1/2 cup of beef broth.
  • Pick a red wine you will like to drink. You only need ยฝ cup so you can enjoy the rest of the bottle.
  • Do not use 99% lean ground turkey. Go for the 93/7!
  • If you use a 10 inch skillet, place a rimmed baking sheet underneath to catch spills in the oven.
  • If ground turkey isnโ€™t your thing you can absolutely use ground beef, ground pork, or ground chicken in this recipe.
Ground Turkey: You can absolutely use ground beef, ground pork or ground chicken if that is what you have in your fridge/freezer.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
Jump to Comments
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1246mg | Potassium: 1335mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2517IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg

About Susie Weinrich

Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

Comments

    5 from 38 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Diane Nichols says

    May 13, 2025 at 11:21 am

    5 stars
    This is the absolute BEST cottage pie recipe I’ve ever tried. It is moist, not at all dry inside with the perfect balance of flavors. I’m thrilled to have found this new family favorite. Thank you so much! Its a winner.

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      May 13, 2025 at 3:29 pm

      Ahhhhh – I love this. First of all, I love that you called it Cottage Pie, Im not as familiar with that name.
      And I love that you said it isn’t dry inside. EXACTLY!! I wanted something a little saucy to go with the potatoes
      on top. Thank you so much for the great comment and rating. I hope you will browse around for more recipes.

      Reply
  2. JS says

    March 23, 2025 at 7:15 pm

    Absolutely delicious!!!! All the ingredients come together magically.

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      March 24, 2025 at 9:23 am

      Love the description!!

      Reply
  3. Donna says

    March 16, 2025 at 11:29 am

    What instructions can you give us for using an air fryer

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      March 17, 2025 at 8:48 am

      I am so sorry but I don’t have an airfyer so I wouldn’t know how that works. Can you put pans in the airfyer?

      Reply
  4. Susan says

    March 05, 2025 at 9:54 am

    I bring dinner to a shelter every so often and I’d like to make this, it looks great! It’s for a group of about 22 people, could I double the recipe and make it in a large foil baking pan? I’m guessing I would need to make 4x the original recipe? I’d love your advice – do you think this would work, and how would it affect the cooking time? Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      March 05, 2025 at 12:05 pm

      Yes, I think you could definitely 4x the recipe and make it in a big foil pan, or two foil pans. Really you are just heating everything together during the cooking time. So I think you could add 10 minutes and be ok. Just make sure the center is heated through.

      Reply
      • Susie Weinrich says

        March 05, 2025 at 12:06 pm

        If you are assembling, refrigerating, and then baking in the larger pans, you may want to bake it at 350 for 20 minutes covered with foil, remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes to make sure it heats through.

      • Susan says

        March 05, 2025 at 1:29 pm

        Thank you for answering me so quickly! I will give it a try, I’ll 4x the recipe and cook in 2 big pans for a little longer as you suggested. Thank you also for the cooking instructions if I refrigerate it first – so helpful!

  5. Randy says

    March 03, 2025 at 11:32 am

    5 stars
    Very good. Plan on making this many times in the future

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      March 03, 2025 at 12:46 pm

      Great! Thank you for the comment and rating

      Reply
  6. Sarah says

    February 19, 2025 at 9:47 am

    5 stars
    This is so good! Itโ€™s my favorite shepherdโ€™s pie recipe. Have you ever tried prepping and freezing it?

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      February 19, 2025 at 10:23 am

      I haven’t, but that should totally work. Freeze it for 2-4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake!

      Reply
  7. Sara says

    January 14, 2025 at 5:31 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! So savory and satisfying. This is a perfect winter warming meal.

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      January 15, 2025 at 7:11 am

      We agree!!

      Reply
  8. Jackie Foskett says

    December 18, 2024 at 10:01 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this once before. Very good. I transfer everything to a baking dish. Tonight I made the mashed potatoes with baked sweet potatoes. Very yummy. No sour cream…just used plain yogurt and extra 1/2 and half.
    I put all in baking pan and then refrigerator and I’ll bake it tomorrow for a holiday party. Thank you. It’s a recipe one can adlib on some of the ingredients.

    Reply
  9. Jessica says

    December 09, 2024 at 12:33 pm

    If you don’t have an over-safe skillet, can you transfer the filling into a 9×13 or smaller casserole dish, assemble with mashed potatoes and bake in that dish? If so, would it still be at 350 degrees?

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      December 09, 2024 at 3:57 pm

      Absolutely!!! Same cook time and temp.

      Reply
  10. Dane Rasmussen says

    November 25, 2024 at 8:08 am

    5 stars
    A whopping 5.0โ€ฆEasiest recipe to follow and the tastiest dinner Iโ€™ve eaten in 77 years. My wife allowed me to help make itโ€ฆvery cool!

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      November 25, 2024 at 12:45 pm

      What HIGH PRAISE!!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. You made my day.

      Reply
  11. Barb says

    May 11, 2024 at 11:39 pm

    5 stars
    This was absolutely the best Shepardโ€™s pie I have ever made. Everyone loved it!!

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      May 12, 2024 at 10:42 am

      Thank you so much, Barb! That was a perfect comment โค๏ธ Save the recipe for the fall too!

      Reply
  12. Jenna says

    May 02, 2024 at 11:38 am

    5 stars
    This Sheppardโ€™s pie was so incredible and different from the typical tomato based version. The rosemary, sage and beef broth were so savory and awesome! 100% recommend as will be putting in the comfort food rotation!

    Reply
  13. Carmen says

    April 16, 2024 at 5:27 pm

    5 stars
    So good! I donโ€™t drink wine so I substituted with 1/4 c water and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar. I also used Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream in the potatoes. This is a keeper!

    Reply
  14. Dana says

    December 18, 2023 at 1:54 pm

    This is one of our favorite meals! Is it possible to freeze this? What would the reheating steps be if it can be frozen?

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      December 19, 2023 at 7:22 am

      You should be able to freeze this, although I have not tested this.
      Bake the Shepherd’s pie as directed and then let cool completely. Freeze for up to 3 months.
      Then you can let thaw in the fridge overnight and bake, covered with foil, at 350 for around 30 minutes. Or bake from
      frozen, covered with foil, at 350 for about an hour.

      Reply
      • Paula says

        February 07, 2024 at 11:34 am

        Why do you suggest not using 99% fat free turkey? Because it will be dry? Thatโ€™s all I have in the freezer because itโ€™s all I ever buy and I was planning on making this for dinner tonight

      • Susie Weinrich says

        February 08, 2024 at 9:01 am

        Yes, 99% fat free it is pretty dry and rubbery. BUT it will definitely still work! The recipe has enough “sauce” and flavor to make up for it.

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