The Deen Bros.  Lighter Sweet Potato-Chipotle Shepherd’s Pie

493 Fewer Calories
34 g Less Fat

Ingredients:

Potato Topping

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 canned chipotles en adobo, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

1 pound ground lean beef (5% or less)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 canned chipotles en adobo, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

To make the potato topping, place the potatoes in a large pot with enough cold water to cover; bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Add the chipotles, adobo sauce, butter, and salt; mash with a potato masher until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the beef, breaking the beef apart with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the oil to same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, zucchini, squash, and garlic; cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Return the beef to skillet along with the tomatoes, broth, chipotles, cumin, and salt; bring to boil. Spoon the filling into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the filling evenly with the cheese.

Spread the potato topping over the beef mixture. Bake until potato topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly along edges, 25–30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Test Kitchen Tip
Chipotles in adobo are canned smoked jalapenos in a spicy red sauce. They add a smoky heat to the sweet potato topping and filling. Look for them in the ethnic section of your supermarket or in Latin grocery stores. Store remaining chipotles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or lay them flat in a small food storage bag and freeze. This way, you can break off pieces at a time as you need them.

Nutritional Information:

Per Serving (1 1/4 cups): 260 Cal; 27 g Protein; 10 g Tot Fat; 5 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 13 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 5 g Sugar; 81 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 428 mg Sodium; 75 mg Cholesterol

Original Recipe by Paula Deen: Shepherd’s Pie
Take It Lighter recipe courtesy of Bobby and Jamie Deen, and the Paula Deen Test Kitchen

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: about 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy