I love a festive holiday meal. We ate this “lighter” version of a classic shepherd’s pie for our St. Patrick’s Day dinner with and roasted asparagus. My husband described it as a delicious blend of meatloaf and chicken pot pie. 🙂

The recipe was adapted from today.com, contributed by Kelly Vaughan. I modified the method and proportions. I loved the wine and the herbs in the filling. It was saucy and tasty.

Yield: Serves 6

  • 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and halved (I used 2 potatoes)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half, plus more as needed
  • 5 T unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste
  • 2 T neutral oil, divided (I used canola oil)
  • 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 6 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 T all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F, preferably on convection.
  2. Make the topping: In a medium pot, add the potatoes and cover with 1-inch cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 22 minutes.
  3. Heat the cream and 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
  4. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper to the cream and butter. Stir to combine.
  5. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
  6. Press the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer into the pot containing the seasoned cream and butter. Stir to combine. Set aside.
  7. Make the Filling: In a large straight-sided skillet set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering. (I used a stainless sauté pan.)
  8. Add the ground turkey and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned, 7 to 9 minutes.
  9. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat from the skillet to a bowl and set aside.
  10. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrots and celery, and sauté until softened and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
  11. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and sage, and cook for about 1 minute.
  12. Add the turkey back to the skillet and stir to combine.
  13. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
  14. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the white wine and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  15. Add the chicken stock and 1 tablespoon butter, and cook, stirring to combine, about 1 minute.
  16. Add flour and stir to combine, bring to a simmer and mix until the liquid has slightly thickened.
  17. Add the peas and cook, about 2 minutes.
  18. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  19. Transfer the turkey mixture to a 2-quart oval baking dish and spread in an even layer. Top with mashed potatoes and spread evenly to cover the filling.
  20. Bake for 20 minutes on convection or up to 25 minutes in a standard oven.
  21. Broil on high for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the potatoes begin to brown. Serve immediately.