Cottage pie is one of those staples that doesn’t get old. A classic comfort food with a hearty beef filling and a smooth potato topping. One day, when making this for dinner yet again, I decided to revamp my trusty recipe. The upgrade to sweet potato cottage pie was made, and it worked a treat!
Cottage Pie or Shepherd’s Pie?
For years I’ve been making this with beef and calling it shepherd’s pie, before the internet reminded me that shepherd’s pie is of course made with lamb. Either way, the base meat is easily interchangeable. Go with whichever you fancy! To make this vegetarian, Quorn mince also works great.
Why make the swap?
There’s no denying that smooth mashed potato is already a perfectly delicious topping for any cottage pie. But, swapping for its colourful cousin definitely adds an extra dimension to the flavour. Plus, sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber.
Storing Sweet Potato Cottage Pie
This stores brilliantly. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Just make sure it’s fully heated through in the oven or microwave before eating. You can also freeze portions for up to 3 months.
I hope you enjoy this twist on an old favourite. If you make it at home, I’d love to know what you think. Comment below or tag us on Instagram @BlueSkyEating. Happy cooking!
Sweet Potato Cottage Pie
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion (chopped)
- 500 g beef mince
- 1 stick celery (chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (chopped)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (I use Tesco Free From)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 180 ml red wine
- 1 heaped tbsp flour (gluten-free if necessary)
- 3 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped into approx 2" pieces)
- 2 tbsp salted butter (or dairy free spread + pinch salt)
- 1 tbsp almond milk (or alternative milk of choice)
- 50 g grated cheddar cheese or dairy-free alternative (optional)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the chopped onion on a medium heat for about 3 minutes
- Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 5 minutes until tender
- Turn the heat up to high, add the mince to the pan and cook until nicely browned, stirring frequently
- Reduce back to a medium heat, sprinkle over the flour and stir through
- Stir in the tomato puree, mustard, worcestershire sauce and thyme and allow to cook for one minute
- Pour in the red wine and stir for a few minutes as the alcohol cooks off
- Bring the heat down to a simmer, put a lid on the pan and cook for 25-30 minutes
- Meanwhile, prepare the sweet potato topping. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. add the chopped potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes or until tender enough for a fork to go through.
- Drain the potatoes through a sieve and return to the empty pan. Add butter, milk and salt & pepper to taste. Mash until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan
- Once the beef mixture has been simmering for 25 minutes, give it a stir and check the consistency. It should have a nice gravy-like thickness to it. If it hasn't thickened up enough, add another tablespoon of flour and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add your salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the beef mixture to a medium sized ovenproof dish and spead in an even layer across the bottom. I use an oval shaped one that measures approx 29 x 18cm.
- Spoon the mashed sweet potato on top and spread out to cover the beef mixture
- Use a fork to score some lines into the potato layer. This will help the top crisp up.
- If adding cheese, sprinkle over evenly before baking in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is nice and crispy
Please note that nutritional information is based on estimated quantities and therefore not always 100% accurate.
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