Go Back
Top down view of a large oven dish containing sweet potato cottage pie, with one portion on a white plate next to it
Print Pin

Sweet Potato Cottage Pie

A comforting classic with a twist. Cosy cottage pie with a delicious sweet potato topping.
Course Main Course
Cuisine British
Keyword Beef, Cottage Pie, Shepherd's Pie, Sweet Potato
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Calories 615kcal

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