Cottage Pie with Turkey
One of my favorite meals to celebrate  St. Patrick’s Day is cottage pie, which is normally made with ground beef. To keep it healthier, I made this cottage pie with turkey recipe I found on the Food Network Kitchen. I adapted it by doubling the recipe, adding a touch of Worcestershire sauce, and using russet potatoes instead of red potatoes. It was a comforting, delicious, and guilt-free dinner that paired nicely with our house salad and some crusty bread.
Cottage Pie with Turkey
For the Potatoes:
- 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ¼ + 2 tbsp cup warm milk
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- ½ cup extra-sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 green onion, chopped
- Sea salt, to taste
- White pepper, to taste
Turkey Mixture:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 16 ounces ground turkey 93/7
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 1-2 tsp Worcestershire to taste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 4 tsp flour
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Sea Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
How to Make Cottage Pie with Turkey
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat the small baking dishes or ramekins with butter or cooking spray.
Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until tender when pierced with a knife.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot over low heat. Stir the potatoes for a couple of minutes to dry them out.
Add the warmed milk, butter, cheese, and green onions, then mash with a hand masher until smooth. Season with sea salt and white pepper, to taste.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and onions; cook until tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the turkey and thyme, and continue to cook, breaking the turkey up with a spoon, until the turkey is cooked through and lightly browned.
Add the minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, then cook until slightly caramelized.
Stir the chicken broth and flour together in a small bowl until smooth, then pour into the skillet. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Ladle the turkey mixture evenly into the baking dishes. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling.
Place in the oven and bake until the potatoes are lightly browned and the turkey filling is bubbly around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes.
Let the cottage pies cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle with green onions, serve, and enjoy.
Equipment
- 8 Ramekins or Small Baking Dishes
Ingredients
For the Potatoes:
- 3 russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- ¼ + 2 tbsp cup milk warmed
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- ½ cup extra-sharp Cheddar shredded
- 1 green onion chopped
- Sea salt to taste
- White pepper to taste
Turkey Mixture:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 1 small onion chopped
- 16 ounces ground turkey 93/7
- 1 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 1-2 tsp Worcestershire to taste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 4 tsp flour
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Sea Salt and Freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat the small baking dishes or ramekins with butter or cooking spray.
- Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until tender when pierced with a knife.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot over low heat. Stir the potatoes for a couple of minutes to dry them out.
- Add the warmed milk, butter, cheese, and green onions, then mash with a hand masher until smooth. Season with sea salt and white pepper, to taste.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and onions; cook until tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the turkey and thyme, and continue to cook, breaking the turkey up with a spoon, until the turkey is cooked through and lightly browned.
- Add the minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, then cook until slightly caramelized.
- Stir the chicken broth and flour together in a small bowl until smooth, then pour into the skillet. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.Â
- Ladle the turkey mixture evenly into the baking dishes. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling.Â
- Place in the oven and bake until the potatoes are lightly browned and the turkey filling is bubbly around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes.Â
- Let the cottage pies cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle with green onions, serve, and enjoy.
Looks yummy. Where did you get the little oval oven safe bowls from? Have been looking for some for quite sometime, Thanks!
Tina,
I got the individual baking dishes at Home Goods but I have also seen them at Cost Plus World Market.
Pam
This is one of my favourite comfort foods no matter whether you call it cottage pie or shepherds Pie.
Total comfort food! Love the healthy substitutions!
This looks like a perfect supper for a cold raw night … and Lord knows we’ve had our fair share of those of late! You done an excellent job of lightening things up, diet-wise here too! Terrific recipe!
This is one of my favorite dishes and your version just made me very hungry,
Yum! I’ve never had cottage pie…it looks delicious! Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Pam!
Oh, this looks like something I’d want for Sunday lunch!
I like your little baking dishes. They made for a very pretty dinner. Happy St. Patrick’s day to you and yours!
Great redo Pam. The cottage pie looks delicious.
It has been eons since I made Cottage Pie, Pam. I haven’t even seen a recipe for it in sooooo long. I love that you made this with ground turkey. It is just perfect in this dish. I must remember to make it soon. It’s just perfect for chilly weather.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Pam…Thank you so much for sharing…
These look super duper delicious, Pam. Thanks for sharing!
Angie
The turkey is a nice switch out, not just for calories but also for taste. Nice one, Pam.
Made this tonight – easy and tasty!
My husband couldn’t wait for it to brown all the way. It turned out great. He loved it! I added some tobasco to the meat. Or some smoked chili powder would have done the trick if you don’t have tobasco. Fool proof recipe. Chicken bone stock instead of meat broth is what I used. It came out awesome. I took a photo, but didn’t see an option to upload it. Thank you!
Jodi,
Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Adding some Tobasco or chili powder is a good idea.
-Pam