Change up this hearty comfort food and make it in the slow cooker!
If you’re a regular Skinny Ms. reader, you probably know our thoughts on the Slow Cooker. The versatile appliance makes cooking warm, comforting meals possible to virtually everyone- master chefs and kitchen novices alike. Besides making meals easy, your slow cooker can:
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- Save energy, by using up less energy than your standard oven or microwave
- Save you time; thanks to its convenience, you can leave your cooker unattended for hours on end without worrying about overcooking your food!
- Take the stress out of cleanup; a one-pot appliance means no messy pile of pots and pans to take care of afterwards.
- Boost the flavor of your meals thanks to the extending cooking time
- Free up your stove and oven for other uses
The bottom line? The Slow Cooker definitely tops the list when it comes to must-have kitchen appliances, and we can’t praise it enough!
In my experience, I always thought we, as culinary enthusiasts, reserved the Slow Cooker for soups and stews. Little did I know the appliance could create so, so much more.
We’re talking casseroles, pasta dishes, enchiladas, tacos, and *drum role please*… pies! Yes, you heard me correctly! You can actually use the magical appliance to create mouthwatering pies, and I’m going to show you how.
Here at Skinny Ms., we’ve created a downright delicious Shephard’s Pie that you can whip up easily with your slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
I don’t consider myself an exceptionally talented chef at all; in fact, I’d probably rate myself a little above average at best. That said, the prospect of creating a Shepherd’s Pie earned a spot only on my list of recipe goals I usually left unachieved.
I’ve always wanted to make the classic holiday recipe and ultimate comfort food.
The drool-worthy dish is hearty enough to satisfy a crowd of hungry guests, and convenient enough to store as leftovers throughout the week!
So as soon as I came across this recipe, I realized I might actually have a shot at creating what seemed like a pretty advanced dish.
And thanks to the slow cooker, this recipe required far less effort and time than I had anticipated!
So what’s actually involved? This recipe has you simply tossing meat, veggies, and liquid ingredients into the slow cooker, and cooking on low for 4 hours or high for 2, depending on what’s convenient for you.
Afterwards, boil and mash the russet potatoes, mixing them with milk until mostly smooth. The final step asks you to spread the potato mixture over the slow-cooked meat mixture in an even layer, sprinkle with cheese and parsley, and serve. Bon appetit!
You might think this sounds great and all, but wonder what’s actually in the recipe. Before cooking up this recipe, I always thought Shepherd’s Pie had a notoriously unhealthy reputation.
Well, lucky for us, our scrumptious Shepherd’s Pie recipe serves as the exception.
First off, the recipe boasts an impressive nutritional profile that puts conventional Shepherd’s Pie recipes to shame. To me, nutritional value ranks #1 on my list of eating priorities. Our version at Skinny Ms. calls for lean ground turkey instead of ground beef, sparing you a considerable chunk of fat and calories without skimping on protein!
Meanwhile, it calls for a handful of superfoods like garlic, carrots, mushrooms, corn, and peas. These veggies pack in filling fiber and satisfying vitamins your body will love.
Finally, we’ve swapped some traditional ingredients with lighter alternatives that wont wreak havoc on your waistline. For example, instead of conventional cheese and milk, this recipe opts for low-fat cheddar cheese and skim milk.
Meanwhile, to turn the sodium dial down a few notches, our Shepherd’s Pie calls for low-sodium soy sauce and low-sodium tomato paste.
These details might sound minor, but they do a great job to limit the meal’s fat and sodium content. As a result, instead of feeling stuffed and sluggish after a heavy meal, you’ll feel energized and satisfied after diving into this recipe!
This recipe will satisfy the entire family, and is an absolute must on chillier nights when you crave something warm and comforting, but also nutritious.
I mean seriously, the one-hit-wonder dish is a meal in itself; it’s hearty, delicious, and packed with satisfying protein and nutritious veggies.
So, what are you waiting for? Get ready to dive in to this thick, creamy, and comforting pie you can enjoy sans guilt, and let us know what you think!
Slow Cooker Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey cooked and broken into small pieces
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 4 carrots medium, peeled and diced small
- 2 cups button mushrooms chopped
- 1 cup corn frozen (thawed)
- 1 cup peas frozen (thawed)
- 3/4 cup chicken broth low-sodium
- 1/4 cup tomato paste low-sodium, no sugar added
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese low-fat, shredded
- 1/4 cup parsley fresh, chopped
Instructions
- Place the cooked ground turkey into the slow cooker with the garlic, carrot, mushrooms, corn, and peas. In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, tomato paste, soy sauce, and oregano. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
- Meanwhile, Place the potatoes in a large soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes or until tender.
- Drain and place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash until mostly smooth with the skim milk.
- After the cook time is complete for the meat and vegetables, skim off any excess liquid. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the meat mixture in an even layer and sprinkle cheese on top. Cover and cook another 20 minutes on high.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Nutrition Information
Have you made this recipe?
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Even better, chop the potatoes and put in a roasting bag on top of the meat in the slow cooker, then just remove and mash when soft. No boiling required.
Would this recipe work well with mashed sweet potatoes instead of russet potatoes?
Alisa, Sweet potatoes can replace Russet potatoes. 🙂
Can this be made in the oven?
You sure can. 🙂
I’m curious to know if anyone has replaced the russet potatoes with cauliflower. What are your thoughts on that?