Arts & Entertainment

Amazing Pumpkin Shepherd's Pie

On rainy cold days, nothing tastes better than good old-fashioned comfort food.

I've been debating the last few weeks about making a pumpkin recipe. I love pumpkin, but I couldn't decide if I wanted to make a sweet dish, or a savory dish.

This week, as I was browsing the Internet, I decided to check the Libby's Pumpkin website. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of savory pumpkin recipes they had other there, and decided to try my hand at a twist on the old classic Shepherd's pie.

Pumpkin pairs so well with the mashed potatoes and meat in this Shepherd's pie. Best of all, this dish warms up great the next day so save any leftovers. The pumpkin also adds additional vitamins to this dish and, along with the vegetable I added, was a healthy comfort dish perfect for this time of the year.

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To make this dish you'll need the following:

  • 1 large russet potato (about 3/4 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 can (15 oz.) of pumpkin (not the Pumpkin Pie)
  • 1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 3/4 lb. extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup reduced-sodium fat-free beef broth
  • 2 cups of sliced mushrooms

To start preheat the oven to 425 degrees, then peel and cut your potatoes, carrots and onions. Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water and boil until soft. While the potatoes boil, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

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By now, the potatoes should be soft. Drain the water and place the potatoes back in the pot. Add 1 cup of pumpkin, 1/4 cup of cheese, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper to pot. Using a hand-mixer, mash together the ingredients until smooth. Cover and set aside.

Next, add the beef, flour, garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper to the onions and carrots. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Once the meat is cooked, add in the broth and the remaining pumpkin. You can also add in any other vegetables, I added mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly.

Place the beef mixture into a large baking dish, then spread the potato mixture over the top and sprinkle with cheese (I used cheddar). Bake in the oven until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven, enjoy!

For step-by-step instructions scroll through the gallery above.


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