Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie for 2 with Cauliflower Potato Mash

This is a classic recipe we used to eat growing up. It was a specialty of my dad's. It's made with simple ingredients I had in my pantry and freezer and made slightly leaner through ground turkey and adding cauliflower in to my mashed potatoes. Trust me they taste completely like normal potatoes- I just add some cauliflower to bulk them up!

I like using a cast iron skillet for this recipe because then everything can be made in the skillet. I sauté the veggies and turkey with the spices, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and then just smear the potatoes over the top before transferring everything to the oven.

You can easily make this recipe the night before and save for later. Or make it in a casserole dish and freeze for another time.

It is a perfect recipe to make ahead of time and then just toss in the oven and forget about it until dinner. For busy parents, this is one even the kids could throw in when you're on your way home. I made the recipe to make two large servings in an 8" skillet. I recommend doubling (for an 8x8) or tripling (for a 9x13) the recipe to make in a larger casserole dish.

This recipe also sneaks in tons of veggies

There's carrots, corn, peas, zucchini and onions all mixed in with the saucy meat and piled beneath a spoonful of potatoes. You shouldn't receive any veggie complaints for this meal!

I like to sprinkle a little bit of cheese over the top and mixed in to the potatoes.

The cheese on top gets brown and crispy and is my favorite part but for a dairy free version feel free to omit!

Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie for 2 with Cauliflower Potato Mash

2 large servings | Cook time: 1 hour

Notes: A simple meal with all the comforts of home cooking. I kept the serving size small but mighty on this. Feel free to double (8x8) or triple (9x13) it to fit in the corresponding casserole dish to feed the whole family. The only difference is the filling will have to be prepped in a separate dish on the stove!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peas

• 1/2 cup corn

• 1/4 cup onions

• 1/2-1 small zucchini, diced (~100g)

• 1/2 cup carrots, diced

• 1 clove garlic

• 1/2 lb 93% ground turkey

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1/2 cup low sodium beef broth

• 1 small russet potato (~1.5 cups or ~210g), peeled and cut into chunks

• 1.5 cups cauliflower florets (I used frozen)

• Salt and Pepper

• Optional for potatoes: 1 tsp butter, splash of milk, 1/8-1/4 cup Colby jack cheese)

• 8" cast iron skillet

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Add potatoes and cauliflower florets to a medium pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, salt and lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until everything is fork tender.

3. Drain the potatoes and mash them using a potato masher or hand mixer. For creamier potatoes add in milk and butter and season with salt and pepper. If using cheese, fold in half of the cheese. Set aside.

4. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and spray the bottom with nonstick spray. Add the ground turkey to the pot and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break it up and brown. Once the meat is about 3/4 of the way cooked, add all of the vegetables (carrots, zucchini, onions, corn and peas, garlic) to cook. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.

5. Sprinkle everything with flour and add in Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper. Combine everything until well coated and allow to cook for another minute or two.

6. Stir in the beef broth and turn off the heat. Use a spatula to push the meat and vegetable mixture to cover the entire skillet in an even layer.

7. Use a spatula to scoop the potato cauliflower mixture over the filling. Smooth the potatoes out to cover all of the filling. You want the potatoes to completely cover everything with no holes. It should seal in the filling by touching all sides of the skillet.

8. Cover the pie with tin foil and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the foil, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. The pie is done when the top starts to brown, you can turn it up to broil for the last few minutes to really brown the top.

9. Remove from the oven and allow it to set for a few minutes prior to serving.

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Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.