Moroccan Shepherd’s Pie
The warm, aromatic spices of Moroccan cuisine are combined with healthy ingredients in this robust dish reminiscent of a shepherd’s pie… Moroccan Shepherd’s Pie with sweet potato crust is pure comfort food with an exotic twist!
Without fingers, the hand would be a spoon.
~~Traditional Moroccan proverb.
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Moroccan Food
My earliest experience with Moroccan food was in the late 1980s when my husband was a professor at UC Irvine. It was his first job, and while money was still tight, we were no longer an impoverished grad student’s family. At age 28, I was already an accomplished home cook, so when we celebrated an anniversary, we looked for a restaurant that provided a unique experience… a food adventure.
We discovered the Marrakesh in Newport Beach. They’re still going strong 25 years later! Patrons are seated on low couches in private tent-like booths. The exotic atmosphere, and eating with one’s hands definitely qualified as “adventure” at that point in my life. I fell in love with the spices and combination of the sweet and savory flavors that are typical of Moroccan cooking.
What makes this Moroccan shepherd’s pie “Moroccan?”
A typical spicy stew from Morocco might contain warm and aromatic spices like cinnamon, cumin, and paprika, hearty vegetables like sweet potatoes, eggplant, and zucchini, and proteins like chick peas (awesome for vegetarians), lamb and mutton, chicken, and beef. It has only been in the last decade, that I began experimenting with the Moroccan flavor profile, and coming up with my own recipes. I would say this is “Moroccan inspired” rather than “Moroccan.”
Ground lamb would be more traditional, and would be a worthy substitute, but I chose lean ground turkey to reduce the fat. Raisins, currants, and dried cherries would be a standard Moroccan addition, but I love the dried cranberries. I love the textural impact of chick peas in the stew, so I use both ground turkey and chickpeas. A vegan/vegetarian could easily omit the ground turkey, add an extra can of chick peas, and enjoy this flavorful and healthy dish.
Zucchini is available year-round in Las Cruces, and works well. However, eggplant would also be delicious. It just takes a little more time to prepare. I add chopped fresh cilantro just before turning the heat off. We do have a friend that has an aversion to cilantro. Scientific research shows that there is a genetic explanation for this aversion to cilantro that is linked to taste and smell. If cilantro is a problem, either omit it, or substitute chopped Italian parsley.
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
For the Moroccan Stew
- ground turkey – In the interest of reducing fat and calories, I use either ground chicken or ground turkey. Ground lamb is fantastic, but not as healthy. Ground bison is another healthy option, and ground beef is fine if you prefer it.
- onion
- garlic – Minced garlic in a jar or tub is a great time saver.
- ground cumin
- ground ginger
- allspice
- paprika – I like hot smoked paprika.
- zucchini – Eggplant and yellow squash are good substitutions.
- bell pepper – I love color, so I choose red, orange, or yellow. Green is of course fine as well.
- canned diced tomatoes
- canned chickpeas – Also known as garbanzos, this recipe starts with cook chickpeas. Of course you can use cooked from dried chickpeas as well. I often have them in my refrigerator.
- dried cranberries – Dried cherries, apricots, currants, raisins, dates are good as well!
- lemon – You’ll need the zest for the sweet potatoes, and the fresh juice for the stew mixture.
- cilantro – Parsley is a good substitute.
Sweet Potato Topping
- sweet potatoes – When I originally posted this sweet potato pie, I was able to get red garnet sweet potatoes. They result in the most intense red-orange color. The updated photos had “regular” sweet potatoes. See 14 Types of Sweet Potatoes for more information.
- ground cinnamon
- lemon zest
- creamer – As I mentioned above, I like to use a plant-based creamer because it has the body of half and half. You can use half and half, milk, or broth if you prefer.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Step 1 – Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Step 2 – To a large pot or dutch oven, add ground turkey, onion, and garlic with a drizzle of olive oil. Over medium high heat, break up turkey, and cook until browned. NOTE: I love this meat masher tool for breaking up ground meat.
- Step 3 – Add cubed sweet potatoes, salt, and water to a pot. Bring to a boil, and simmer until tender.
- Step 4 – Add cumin, allspice, ground ginger, and paprika. Sauté until spices are completely incorporated and mixture is fragrant (about 1-2 minutes).
- Step 5 – Add zucchini and bell pepper. Sauté 3-5 minutes until they start to soften.
- Step 6 – Add diced tomatoes, chick peas, cranberries, lemon juice (zest the lemon first!), and cilantro. Stir to combine. Cover. Simmer gently while you mash the sweet potatoes – 5 to 10 minutes. NOTE: If the meat mixture is dry, you can add a little broth.
- Step 7 – Drain cooked sweet potatoes. Return to the pot. Add cinnamon and lemon zest. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher or immersion blender. Add cream or milk until soft and creamy. Add a pat of butter if you like.😊 Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Step 9 – Divide stew among the ramekins. Top with a generous scoop of sweet potato mash. Spread over the stew. Bake 30 minutes (24 minutes convection) until edges begin to firm and crisp.
- Step 10 – Drizzle ramekins with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
❓FAQ
It can be warmed up in a ramekin for up to 5 days. I have not tried freezing the entire dish. However, I have made the entire batch of Moroccan stew, filled 2 ramekins, and frozen the remainder for another meal or two.
💭 Tips
Make extra Moroccan stew. I’m cooking for two most nights, so I don’t want to make six servings for one sitting. However, I do love having the remainder of the stew in the freezer for a second meal or two. It’s great on top of couscous or rice as well as topped with mashed sweet potatoes!
On photo day, I wanted to make 2 ramekins. I made the full batch of Moroccan stew, and froze 2/3 of it. I cooked 1 sweet potato for the 2 of us, and it was perfect. The recipe is flexible!
Make this a vegetarian shepherd’s pie by omitting the ground meat (or substituting Impossible ground meat). Double the chickpeas if not using the Impossible burger.
I really have no idea if a Moroccan home cook would cooking and eating this shepherd’s pie. Like so many of my other recipes, I like to use flavor profiles to create new dishes. If you like Moroccan flavors, you’re likely to enjoy this healthy and flavorful shepherd’s pie recipe!
Moroccan Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the stew:
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 ½ lb. lean ground turkey
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon paprika - I prefer hot smoked paprika
- 1 small zucchini - cubed
- 1 small red bell pepper - chopped
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
- 14.5 ounce can chickpeas - rinsed and drained
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- juice of 1 lemon*
- cilantro - stems removed, coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt +/- to taste
For the topping:
- 2 large sweet potatoes - peeled and cut in chunks
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- zest of 1 lemon*
- 2-4 teaspoons coconut creamer - or milk
- sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- To a large pot or dutch oven, add ground turkey and olive oil. Over medium high heat, break up turkey, and cook until browned.
- Meanwhile, cover sweet potatoes with water. Add salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender. Turn off heat.
- Add onion and garlic to browned ground turkey. Cook until onion is translucent and mixture is fragrant. Add cumin, allspice, and paprika. Stir and cook until spices are completely incorporated.
- Add zucchini and bell pepper. Stir and cook 3-5 minutes until they start to soften.
- Add diced tomatoes, chick peas, cranberries, lemon juice (zest the lemon first!), and cilantro.
- Stir to combine. Cover. Simmer gently while you mash the sweet potatoes – 5 to 10 minutes.
- Drain cooked sweet potatoes. Return to the pot. Add cinnamon and lemon zest. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher or immersion blender.
- Add coconut creamer* or other liquid until soft and creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
To finish:
- Divide stew among 6 large ramekins. Top with a generous scoop of sweet potato mash. Spread over the stew. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil (optional), and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 30 minutes (24 minutes convection) until edges begin to firm and crisp.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Hello. I really enjoyed this recipe. Savory with a bit of sweet from cranberries. O used low sugar dried cranberries. I did notice there was no salt listed for meat/ veggie portion. I added salt. Salt is flavor. I o my had Smoked Paprika. It needed heat so next time I’ll use the Hot Smoked. Added Cayenne but I guess not enough. Thank you.
OMG Katie, thanks for calling the lack of salt to my attention on this very old recipe post! I salt everything (including most sweets)! I have planned to update this post, but I will add salt immediately. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
My husband and I travelled through the Atlas Moutains and into Marrakesh. We loved the food and my mouth was on flavor overload. So many incredibly spices perfectly balanced. I am intrigued by your spice repertoire! Love the cranberries an chickpeas. YUMMY!
You’re so well-traveled! I use “flavor profiles” to come up with this stuff, and the Moroccan spices are so appealing! Thanks Cindy!
Must try this looks amazing reminds me of the mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallow I had at my friend’s house one on thanksgiving I’m Moroccan btw thank you so much such kind words about the cuisine.
Your comment made my day! Yes, I love Moroccan cuisine, and I’ve got ideas in the pipeline for more recipes that focus on Moroccan flavors! Thanks for taking the time to stop by… 🙂
Coconut creamer will give the creaminess of half n half with far few calories. It is also lactose free, and I have kids that are lactose intolerant. However, it does have additives that may or may not bother you… It is not, however, loaded with trans fats like fake coffee creamers 😉
Wow, this is one I MUST try! The color is beautiful. I have never heard of coconut creamer, is it hard to find? Is it a good substitute for half n half in other thing like mashed potatoes or even coffee?
The color of those garnet sweet potatoes blew me away! Coconut creamer is getting to be more widely available, and YES!, it is a great substitute when you need the creaminess of half n half. I’ve used it in mashed potatoes and coffee!