This has to be my go to meal prep dish. I was never a fan of traditional cottage pie, but I absolutely love this version. It’s packed with veggies so super nutritious, but also has bags of flavour and texture.
I usually split the mince between two oven dishes, then freeze the one. Which you can do with or without the sweet potato topping. It’s sometimes nice to make the topping fresh, but it also freezes really well.
When I halve the recipe I still get enough out for a regular size and two small portions which are great for a lunch dish.
The seeds on top are totally optional. I just like the extra crunch factor, as well as the extra nutrients. I use minced/ground beef, but feel free to use lamb mince or a combination.
If you need to stretch this dish even further, serve it with rice, cauliflower rice or your choice of grain/starch. If you do not have or like sweet potato, feel free to omit this or use normal potatoes. I like the colour of orange sweet potatoes, but these are not always easy to find so use any variety you wish.
For a veggie version, omit the meat completely and double the amount of veg and lentils. You can also add some beans to bulk it up.
Sweet Potato Cottage Pie
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Mash Topping
- 500 grams Sweet Potatoes Peeled and chopped
- 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- ½ tsp Brown Sugar Optional
- Salt to taste
Meat and Veg Filling
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Spice mix Optional
- ½ Cup Onion Finely chopped
- ½ Cup Carrot Finely chopped
- 2 Cloves of garlic Crushed
- 500 grams Minced/ground beef Feel free to use lamb mince or a combination, or omit for a veggie version
- 1½ tsp Dried Italian Herb Mix
- 1 Tin of chopped tomatoes (400g)
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ½ Cup Peas Fresh or frozen
- ½ Cup Sweet Corn Kernels Tinned, fresh or frozen
- 1 Tin of lentils (400g) Or equivalent amount freshly cooked lentils
- 2 Tbsp Fresh herbs or chives, Finely chopped Optional
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- ¼ Cup Seeds or Seed Mix of your choice Optional
Instructions
Sweet Potato Mash Topping
- Peel and chop the sweet potatoes
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the chopped sweet potatoes. Cook until soft, around 20 minutes (while preparing the meat and veg filling)
- Drain well and place in a bowl. Add the butter, sugar (optional) and salt to taste and mash until smooth
- Set aside
Meat and Veg Filling
- Add the olive oil and spice if using spice to a large pan and bring to medium heat. Then add the onion and carrots and cook for about two to three minutes, just softening the veg, not browning them, then add the garlic and stir through
- Add the minced beef, breaking it up and ensuring that it is all covered in the spices. Continue to cook and stir for about two to three minutes. You can turn up the heat slightly to give the meat some colour but do not have it too high and do not cook the meat through totally. Season the meat with the dried herbs, salt and pepper
- Add the tin of tomatoes and the sugar (this balances the acid from the tomatoes) and let it cook on medium heat for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Preheat the oven to 180°C
- Add the peas and sweetcorn and cook for around 3 minutes, then add the drained lentils and cook for a further 2 or so minutes. Taste the mixture and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Add the fresh herbs or chives at this point and stir through
- Remove from the heat and add to your oven dish. (I usually split my mixture in two and freeze one if I'm meal prepping. Alternatively I make one large dish and two small portions for us to have for lunch at some point)
- Spoon the mashed sweet potato on top and gently smooth to cover the meat and veg filling (If meal prepping freeze the dish at this point, or before adding the sweet potato)
- Sprinkle with your seed mix if you choose and bake for around 30 minutes
- Remove from the oven and serve
Notes
Remove the frozen dish from the freezer the evening before or morning of serving and follow the baking instructions once defrosted. This is a very forgiving dish though, so you can totally bake it if it’s not completely defrosted. Just add to the baking time. If you need to stretch this dish even further, serve it with rice, cauliflower rice or your choice of grain/starch. If you do not have or like sweet potato, feel free to omit this or use normal potatoes. I like the colour of orange sweet potatoes, but these are not always easy to find so use any variety you wish.
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