This is a great twist on a basic shepherd's pie that has a ton of flavor with butternut squash, ground turkey, and sweet potatoes. A lighter, but still hearty version of a great comfort food! Also very adaptable depending on what you have on hand.
Ingredients
- butternut squash: 1 piece (halved lengthwise)
- extra-virgin olive oil: 1 Tbsp (divided)
- salt and ground black pepper: (to taste)
- sweet potatoes: 1 piece (diced)
- medium onion: 1 piece
- clove garlic: 1 piece (chopped)
- ground turkey: 1 pound (to taste)
- turkey gravy: 0.5 cup
- Worcestershire sauce: 1 tsp
- thyme: 0.25 tsp (to taste, dried, optional)
- oregano: 0.25 tsp (to taste, dried, optional)
- butter: 1 Tbsp
- milk: 2 tsp (to taste)
- frozen corn: 0.5 cup
- frozen peas: 0.5 cup
- chili powder: 0.25 tsp (to taste)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
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Place squash halves on a baking sheet. Brush insides with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
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Bake in the preheated oven until squash is tender enough to scoop out and mash, about 30 minutes. Leave oven on.
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Place sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.
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Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; stir in onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until onion has softened and browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
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Remove 1/3 of the onion-garlic mixture. Add ground turkey to the skillet with the rest of the onions. Saute until turkey is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Add turkey gravy, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and oregano. Cook and stir until flavors combine, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Remove and discard squash seeds and scoop insides into a bowl. Add sweet potatoes, reserved onion-garlic mixture, butter, and milk; mash together until smooth.
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Spread turkey mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan. Top with corn and peas; add the sweet potato mash last. Sprinkle with chili powder.
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Bake in the hot oven until top begins to brown, 30 to 45 minutes.