Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie (Thanksgiving Dinner Shortcut!)
This Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie is the dinner you need when you want the nostalgic flavor of turkey dinner, but you don't want to roast a whole turkey or spend your entire day making it happen. Ground turkey, cozy herbs, vegetables, and comforting gravy get topped with spoonfuls of cranberry sauce and tucked under a layer of creamy mashed potatoes, then baked until bubbling.
It's all the cozy Thanksgiving flavors in one pan, without the whole turkey dinner ordeal.
Bonus: This pie comes in at about 360 calories and ~26 grams of protein per portion and is incredibly satisfying.
Why you'll love this ground turkey shepherd's pie
You don't need a special occasion, a giant turkey, or a house full of people to make this. Ground turkey keeps things simple, and good ol' poultry seasoning brings that familiar Thanksgiving flavor without having to make stuffing and gravy separately.
The filling cooks in a big skillet on the stovetop, then the cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes go straight on top. You'll need a saucepan for the potatoes, but there's no juggling a roasting pan and five different side dishes.
It's also a great option if you're cooking for one or feeding a small family. Have a cozy dinner now, then freeze the extra portions for another night. (Souper Cubes are especially handy for this!)
Note: Traditional shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb (hence the shepherd) and cottage pie is made with ground beef. This is neither, because it's made with ground turkey, but we're calling this a shepherd's pie recipe because it's the most widely known. OK, back to the pie!
Ingredients you'll need
For the turkey filling
- Butter: For sautéing the onion and mushrooms. You can also use olive oil if you prefer.
- Avocado oil or pan spray: To brown the turkey.
- Onion: To build a savory base for the filling.
- Mushrooms: To add savory flavor and texture to the gravy.
- Carrot: To add a little sweetness and moisture.
- Celery: To add depth of flavor to the filling.
- Lean ground turkey: The hearty main protein in the filling.
- Salt: To season the filling and mashed potatoes.
- Black pepper: To taste.
- Garlic powder: To add savory garlic flavor.
- Poultry seasoning: To bring classic Thanksgiving herb flavor.
- Dried thyme: To add an earthy herbal note.
- All-purpose flour: To thicken the gravy.
- Turkey or chicken broth or stock: To make the gravy and keep the filling moist.
- Frozen peas: To add color, sweetness, and tender bites. You can swap for frozen corn or green beans if you prefer.
- Cranberry sauce: Make life easy and buy a can of whole-berry cranberry sauce. The leftovers are great in your morning porridge!
- Optional: Sometimes I sprinkle a bit of paprika over the potatoes before baking, and/or finish with fresh parsley after baking.
For the mashed potato topping
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold or russet are best for mashing.
- Plain yogurt: Balkan-style (not Greek) because we want the moisture.
- Salt: Season the potatoes to taste.
- Avocado oil spray: To help brown the top of the potatoes while baking. (You can also brush butter on the potatoes if you prefer.)
- Milk: Just a splash, and it's optional. If the yogurt has enough liquid in it, you won't need it.
This is essentially the same as my go-to Yogurt Mashed Potatoes recipe.
How to make turkey shepherd's pie
Step 1: Heat the oven. Preheat to 425°F (220°C).
Step 2: Cook the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and chop them into roughly 1-inch chunks. Put the potatoes in a medium-sized pot and add enough cold water to come halfway up the potatoes. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. Drain well and let them steam dry for a minute or two.
Step 3: Brown the turkey. Meanwhile, heat up your skillet over medium-high heat. Give it a light spray with avocado oil or cooking spray, add the ground turkey and cook for 5-7 minutes. Leave it alone at first to brown on one side, then break it up into small pieces.
Step 4: Soften the vegetables. Add the butter (or oil), onion, mushrooms, celery, and grated carrot to the skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
Step 5: Make the gravy. Add the pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, thyme, and half of the salt to the turkey mixture. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the gravy thickens, then stir in the peas. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Once the peas are in, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
Step 6: Mash the potatoes. Mash the drained potatoes with a potato masher or ricer, along with the yogurt and remaining salt. If they're too stiff, add a small splash of milk. Taste and adjust the seasoning. You can also add butter and/or sour cream. Basically just make your mashed potatoes however you like them!
Step 7: Transfer the turkey mixture to a 9 x 12-inch baking dish, casserole dish, or another combination of dishes that fits the mixture. (Sometimes I use a 9 x 9-inch square dish + two 2-cup Souper Cubes to freeze and bake another time.)
Step 8: Top and bake. Drop 6 spoonfuls of cranberry sauce over the meat mixture, evenly spaced so each portion gets a bit of cranberry sauce. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling and gently spread them to the edges. Rough up the top with a fork, or leave it smooth. Spray the top with a bit of avocado oil or a little brushing of butter to help brown the potatoes, then bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and golden brown.
Step 9: Rest and serve. Let the pie rest for at least 10 minutes so it's easier to scoop.
Storage, freezing, and reheating this pie
In the refrigerator
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking, dividing them into shallow airtight containers so they cool quickly. Keep in the fridge for up to four days. Leave the lids off while they cool, then cover.
To reheat a portion, microwave loosely covered until hot throughout, or heat in an oven-safe dish at 350°F (175°C), covered with foil. Remove the foil near the end if you want to dry out the top a little. Reheated portions should reach 165°F (74°C) in the center.
In the freezer
This is the kind of dinner that's worth making even when you don't need six servings. Freeze individual portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality.
If you have Souper Cubes or oven-safe glass dishes, you can freeze the assembled, unbaked pie, or bake it and freeze it. Either way, make sure the pie is chilled well before freezing to avoid excess ice crystals. Once solid, pop the portions out and transfer them to a labeled freezer bag. You've now got a small stash of ready-to-reheat turkey dinners.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating when possible.
- For a frozen unbaked portion: Thaw in the fridge overnight then bake as you would a fresh one, or defrost it on medium power in the microwave for 10 minutes, then finish it in the oven.
- For a frozen and baked portion: Remove it from the freezer tray and transfer it to a microwave-safe or oven-safe dish.
Reheat the portions until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Assemble the pie and bake it within 2 days. A chilled pie will take longer than the freshly assembled version, so check that the center reaches 165°F (74°C). If the top browns before the middle is hot, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
Yep. You'll need enough to make an even layer over the filling, roughly 4 cups. If they're thick from being in the fridge, warm them slightly so they're easier to spread over the turkey mixture.
You can, but pure sweet potato is a little on the sweet side. If you want to incorporate some sweet potato into the mix, I'd use half regular potato, half sweet potato in the mash.
Somewhat, but it has a decidedly more turkey-dinner-inspired flavor profile. The poultry seasoning really gives it that flair.
Yes, and that's one of the best things about it. Freeze each portion before or after baking in an airtight container or in Souper Cubes, then bake or reheat just what you need. You get the turkey dinner experience without committing to a whole week of leftovers.
While traditional shepherd's pie is often topped with cheddar cheese, I don't normally add it to this one. Mostly because it doesn't fit (in my mind) with the Thanksgiving vibe. But if you want it, go for it!
Nope. The turkey, vegetables, gravy, and mashed potatoes are already here. Cranberry sauce baked right in gives it that Thanksgiving feel. Add a salad or some extra vegetables if you want, but it's a full dinner without it.
Yes. Either works well, so use whichever you have. If your stock is quite salty, start with less added salt and adjust once the gravy has simmered.
Try these cozy fall and winter recipes next:
- Easiest Lasagna with Cottage Cheese and Spinach (No Chopping!)
- Ground Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry (20 Minute Dinner)
- Simple Instant Pot Chicken Stew Recipe
- Creamy Sausage and Potato Soup
- Creamy Carrot Tahini Soup
Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie (Thanksgiving Dinner Shortcut!)
Equipment
- large skillet to cook the filling
- 9 x 12 inch baking dish to bake the pie
- 9 x 9 inch baking dish optional - if baking 2 portions separately (Souper Cubes method)
- 2 cup Souper Cubes optional - to make-ahead and freeze
- medium pot to cook the potatoes
Ingredients
For the turkey filling
- Avocado or cooking oil spray to brown the turkey
- 454 grams ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 200 grams mushrooms diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 500 milliliters chicken or turkey stock low sodium if store-bought
- 135 grams frozen peas
For the cranberry blobs
- 175 milliliters whole-berry cranberry sauce divided into 6 spoonfuls (one per portion)
For the mashed potato topping
- 1 kilogram Yukon Gold or russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 100 grams plain Balkan-style yogurt not Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- A splash of milk if needed
- Avocado oil spray or a bit of melted butter, to help the potatoes brown.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Start the potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and chop them into roughly one inch chunks. Put the potatoes in a medium pot and add cold water halfway up the potatoes. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. Drain well and let them steam dry for 1-2 minutes.
Make the turkey filling
- Meanwhile, heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat, spray with avocado oil or cooking spray, add the ground turkey and flatten it out to brown. Once browned on one side, break the turkey into smaller pieces.
- Add the butter to the turkey skillet, and add the onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt, the garlic powder, poultry seasoning, black pepper, and thyme. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Stir in the frozen peas, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Mash the potatoes
- Mash the drained potatoes with the yogurt and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add a small splash of milk if needed to make them easy to spread. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Assemble the pie
- Transfer the filling to a 9 x 12-inch baking dish (or 9 x 9-inch + two 2-cup Souper Cubes). Spoon 6 evenly-spaced dollops of cranberry sauce over the filling, one for each portion.
- Top with the mashed potatoes and gently spread them to the edges. Rough up the top with a fork, or leave it smooth. (Or get really fancy and use a piping bag!) Spray the top with a bit of avocado oil or a little brushing of butter to help brown the potatoes.
Bake
- Bake the pie for about 30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and lightly browned on top. The center of the filling should reach 165°F (74°C).
- Let the pie rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cranberry sauce: Canned whole-berry cranberry sauce works well. Add as much or as little as you like, in dollops between the turkey filling and mashed potatoes.
- Mashed potatoes: Use your favorite mashed potato recipe instead if you prefer. Leftover mashed potatoes work too, you'll need roughly 4 cups. Warm them slightly if they're too firm to spread.
- Optional: Sometimes I sprinkle a bit of paprika over the potatoes before baking, and/or finish with fresh parsley after baking.
- Baking dishes: You can divide the pie between smaller dishes instead of using one large dish. A 9 × 9-inch dish plus two 2-cup portions works well if you want to freeze some for later. Only bake in containers rated for oven use, and adjust the baking time for smaller portions. If your skillet or dish is very full, set it on a baking sheet to catch any bubbling gravy.
- Make ahead: Assemble the pie in advance and bake within two days. A chilled pie will need extra baking time. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns before the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Storage and reheating: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers and use within 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in an oven-safe dish at 350°F (175°C), covered, until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Freezing: Freeze well-chilled portions before or after baking for up to 3 months for best quality. If using Souper Cubes, freeze until solid, then transfer the portions to a labeled freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge when possible. Transfer to a suitable baking or reheating dish and heat until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
