This healthier fall edition variation of a traditional Sheperd’s Pie features tasty mushrooms and meat topped with sweet and creamy mashed buttercup squash for a delicious, hearty, and comforting family meal.

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Fall is the season of cozy and colourful foods
As the temperatures drop, the leaves start to turn color, and the days get shorter, we’re faced with the fact that the summer is ending, and the fall is coming. Even though I love the hot and careless summer days spent outdoors (find all the benefits of spending time outdoors here), I love the feeling of a fresh start that comes with the fall.
And, of course, I love all the fall food! From pumpkin pie spice flavorured coffee, to sweet and savory recipes featuring freshly picked apples and pears (such as this pear and ginger natural gelatin), colourful berry jams, and, needless to say, squashes and pumpinks!
With the days getting shorter and colder, I also find myself more motivated to spend time in the kitchen, cooking and baking delicious foods for my family. Fall foods, in my opinion, must be hearthy, warm, comforting, and full of nutrients to help us get ready for the colder months both physically and mentally. Bone broth is a must for the colder season because of all its precious nutrients and healing properties. You can add bone broth to any soup or stew, or any other recipe that calls for a liquid, including this delcious Sheperd’s Pie!
A fall-inspired variation of a classic Sheperd’s Pie
A Sheperd’s Pie is a comforting food by definition. With a protein- and taste-filled base made with meat, vegetables, broth, and herbs, and a creamy, indulgent top of mashed potatoes, butter, and cheese, you can never go wrong with a Sheperd’s Pie! They make perfect comforting family meals, and are also great to impress your guests.
For this fall-varition of a more classic Sheperd’s Pie, I decided to enrich the filling with freshly picked chantarelle mushrooms, and substitute the potatoe topping with a buttercup squash one. From the taste to the colors, this Sheperd’s Pie immediately calls for fall!

A nutritionally-superior Sheperd’s Pie variation
Nutrition-wise, this variation also results in a Sheperd’s Pie that is lower in carbs and calories, and higher in nutrients than the classical recipe. This is thanks to the higher nutritional value of winter squashes compared to potatoes.
Despite both being starchy vegetables, winter squashes have about half of the calories and carbs than potatoes, but are overall superior in terms of vitamin and mineral content (especially betacaroten and calcium). Winter squash also has a lower glycemic index compared to potatoes, which makes it a healthier choice to keep your blood sugar and energy levels consistent.
Finally, potatoes contain high amounts of antinutrients such as saponins and lectins, which interfere with our body’s digestion and nutrient absorption, and can trigger inflammation and increase the chances of leaky gut, when consumed in excess.
Ingredients for this Shepherd’s Pie Fall Edition with Mushrooms and Squash
- 2 pounds (~1 kg) of ground beef or other meat
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 pound (~250 grams) of chantarelle or other mushrooms
- 1 cup of bone broth or water
- 1 small (2-3 pounds) buttercup or kabocha squash
- 6 tablespoons (~80 grams) of butter
- 1 egg yolk
- Sea salt (to taste)
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic (optional)
- Spices and herbs to taste (parsley, green onion, sage, rosemary, black pepper)
- Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

How to make this Shepherd’s Pie Fall Edition with Mushrooms and Squash
- Chop the onion, garlic (if desired), and mushrooms
- Turn on the Instant Pot on sauté mode and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped onion, garlic and mushrooms, combine, and let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spatula
- In the meantime, wash your buttercup or kabocha squash well under running water, rubbing any dirt off the skin with a cloth
- Turn off the Instant Pot sauté mode, add 1 cup of bone broth or water, and combine well, scraping down the sides
- Place the Instant Pot rack over the mushrooms and onions, and place the whole squash on the rack. Turn on the Instant Pot pressure cook function for 15 minutes (or longer, if your squash is bigger)

- Once the pressure cook cycle is over, quick-release the pressure and safely open the Instant Pot lid. Remove the squash with the rack and set aside
- Heat your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the pan is hot and the butter melted, add the ground meat and the cooked mushrooms and onions (including all the liquid) from the Instant Pot

- Season the meat with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs (I used fresh green onion and parsley and dry sage and rosemary), combine together and let it cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid evaporates. Stir frequently with a wooden or metal spatula

- In the meantime, prepare the squash topping. Once the squash is still hot but cool enough to handle, cut it in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, and remove the outer skin with a knife

- Mash the squash using a fork, add 3 tablespoons of butter, 1 egg yolk, and season with salt to taste. Combine well until the mixture is smooth and creamy

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
- Remove the cast iron pan from the stove, level the meat with a spatula, and top it with the squash mixture. Spread the squash evenly and create a pattern with a fork, if desired. If wanted, sprinkle the top with grated parmesan cheese

- Bake the Sheperd’s pie in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned. Serve warm
Notes
You can use any ground meat for this recipe. Lamb goes particularly well with this combination of flavors. You can also use your choice of mushrooms (wild or cultivated), and season with your favorite herbs and spices. Make sure you taste the filling and topping separately to ensure they are properly seasoned.
Make sure the squash is properly cooked and soft before mashing it for the topping. If once you take it out of the Instant Pot, the middle is still hard, place it back on the rack and let it pressure cook for 5 additional minutes.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, cook the mushrooms in the cast iron pan for about 20 minutes, or until soft, and then add the meat directly. Bake the squash (whole) in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or until soft throughout.
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Lodge 10-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet
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Shepherd’s Pie Fall Edition with Mushrooms and Squash
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet or casserole dish
- 1 Instant Pot pressure cooker optional
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (~1 kg) of ground beef or other meat
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 pound (~250 grams) of chantarelle or other mushrooms
- 1 cup of bone broth or water
- 1 small (2-3 pounds) buttercup or kabocha squash
- 6 tablespoons (~80 grams) of butter
- 1 egg yolk
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic optional
- Spices and herbs to taste parsley, green onion, sage, rosemary, black pepper
- Grated parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Chop the onion, garlic (if desired), and mushrooms
- Turn on the Instant Pot on sauté mode and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped onion, garlic and mushrooms, combine, and let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spatula
- In the meantime, wash your buttercup or kabocha squash well under running water, rubbing any dirt off the skin with a cloth
- Turn off the Instant Pot sauté mode, add 1 cup of bone broth or water, and combine well, scraping down the sides
- Place the Instant Pot rack over the mushrooms and onions, and place the whole squash on the rack. Turn on the Instant Pot pressure cook function for 15 minutes (or longer, if your squash is bigger)
- Once the pressure cook cycle is over, quick-release the pressure and safely open the Instant Pot lid. Remove the squash with the rack and set aside
- Heat your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the pan is hot and the butter melted, add the ground meat and the cooked mushrooms and onions (including all the liquid) from the Instant Pot
- Season the meat with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs (I used fresh green onion and parsley and dry sage and rosemary), combine together and let it cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid evaporates. Stir frequently with a wooden or metal spatula
- In the meantime, prepare the squash topping. Once the squash is still hot but cool enough to handle, cut it in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, and remove the outer skin with a knife.
- Mash the squash using a fork, add 3 tablespoons of butter, 1 egg yolk, and season with salt to taste. Combine well until the mixture is smooth and creamy
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
- Remove the cast iron pan from the stove, level the meat with a spatula, and top it with the squash mixture. Spread the squash evenly and create a pattern with a fork, if desired. If wanted, sprinkle the top with grated parmesan cheese
- Bake the Sheperd’s pie in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned. Serve warm