Everything really should be dressed up fancy to embrace the holidays, even your dinner! A few quick changes to your traditional Shepard’s pie will transform it into this Holiday Shepherd’s Pie, a fantastically festive flavor fountain! Caramel-y sweet potatoes mingle with rich butter and sharp parmesan for a wonderfully creamy and fluffy top, nestled atop a succulent pork sausage and sunny corn mixture, brightened with tomatoes and other garden veggies. You might actually feel a little underdressed sitting next to Holiday Shepherd’s Pie this year!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, skin-on and cut into thirds
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated, plus more, to taste, shredded for garnish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more, to taste
- 1 pound ground pork sausage, can substitute ground beef or half ground beef and half ground pork sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
- fresh rosemary leaves, optional, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Add the sweet potatoes to a pot of salted, cold water.
Step 2 –Place the pot on the stovetop and bring the water to a boil.
Step 3 –Cook the sweet potatoes until they are tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 4 –Drain the sweet potatoes and cool until they are cool enough to handle.
Step 5 –Remove and discard the sweet potato skins.
Step 6 –In a large bowl, add the sweet potato flesh, the butter, 1/4 cup of the grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and mash to combine. Set the mashed sweet potatoes aside.
Step 7 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 8 –Lightly coat six to eight individual casserole dishes with nonstick spray.
Step 9 –In a large skillet over medium-high, add the ground pork and cook, while crumbling, until it is no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 10 –Drain the fat from the skillet.
Step 11 –Transfer the cooked meat to a plate and wipe the skillet clean.
Step 12 –In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil.
Step 13 –Add the onion and the mushrooms to the oil and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 14 –Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 15 –Add in the broth, the tomatoes and their juices, the dried rosemary, and the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.
Step 16 –Bring the broth mixture to a boil.
Step 17 –Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thickened.
Step 18 –Add the cooked pork, the corn, and the peas and carrots mix to the broth mixture and stir to combine.
Step 19 –Taste the pork mixture for seasoning, adding the extra salt and the extra pepper as needed, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Step 20 –Divide the pork mixture evenly among the prepared casserole dishes.
Step 21 –Spread an even amount of the mashed sweet potatoes over the pork mixture in the casserole dishes.
Step 22 –Place the baking dishes on a large baking sheet.
Step 23 –Bake uncovered until the tops are lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 24 –Serve garnished with the extra shredded parmesan and the fresh rosemary leaves.
