Recipe: Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pies

If the only thing you use a muffin pan for is to bake up a batch of, well, muffins, boy are you selling this versatile kitchen tool short. Whether you’re looking for make-ahead meal options to keep you sane on busy weeknights, want to spend less time in the kitchen putting a meal on the table or need something that is easily portable or perfectly portioned, the muffin pan can get the job done. Start out with this muffin-pan main and get ready to have fun with your food.

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pies Recipe

These Instagram-worthy individual pies bring to the table plenty of immune-boosting vitamin A (courtesy of sweet potato and lean turkey protein) to help your muscles recover and rebuild.

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

• 1-1/2 lb peeled and chopped sweet potato
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 2 chopped shallots
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• ¼ c tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• Parmesan cheese (to taste)

Preparation

Steam peeled and chopped sweet potato until very tender. Place in a bowl and mash with all-purpose flour, butter, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Whisk together eggs in a large bowl and stir in grated carrot, frozen green peas, chopped shallots, minced garlic cloves, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in lean ground turkey and crumbs. Divide turkey mixture among 12 standard-sized greased muffin cups. Top each cup with potato mixture and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees, or until pies reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Matthew Kadey, M.S., R.D., is an author and journalist who specializes in sports nutrition and is the recipient of the 2013 James Beard Award for Food Journalism.