Sweet Potato Cottage Pie [Healthy Comfort Food]

Raising an active family, I often find myself running short on time. Even with fall’s busier schedule of school and sports, it remains important for me to keep my family fueled with a healthy diet. To keep everyone energized, I serve healthy comfort meals, offering a hearty balance of both protein and vegetables like this sweet potato cottage pie.  It is a crustless meat pie covered in mashed potatoes- in this case made with ground beef and sweet potatoes.

Fueling Your Family with Healthy Comfort Food

So many people believe they need to eliminate meat from their diets to stay fit; however the nutrients and protein meat provides give us the energy to make it through a busy day. It fuels our children with the energy to handle school, extracurricular activities and homework.

You don’t need to eliminate meat, but you do need to keep portion control in mind. One healthy serving of lean beef is four ounces of pre-cooked beef. Some people like to use smaller plates to encourage smaller portions. Others add plenty of vegetables to a serving of lean meat to make up substantial servings that are always healthy and always satisfying. I also like to use lean beef. Is an excellent source of protein, providing fuel that propels our bodies through the day. It also cuts down on the greasy, heavy feeling that you sometimes get with a more fatty beef.

So in the bustle of fall activities, remember to fuel your family with a hassle-free comfort food meal. To get started, stay energized with a hearty one dish recipe, such as this sweet potato cottage pie. This Cottage Pie recipe is easy to make ahead and have ready to heat up when it’s time for dinner at the end of a busy day.  This great recipe for ground meat was provided by Barb Freda who is a food blogger and personal chef.

What is Cottage Pie?

Cottage pie is a traditional British dish made with a savory filling of minced (ground) beef, cooked with onions, carrots, and sometimes peas, all topped with mashed potatoes. The dish is then baked until the potatoes form a golden, crispy crust.

The term “cottage pie” is often used interchangeably with “shepherd’s pie,” though traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, while cottage pie is made with beef. Both are hearty, comforting meals typically served hot.

Can you use ground turkey for cottage pie?

Yes, you can definitely use ground turkey for cottage pie! Ground turkey is a leaner alternative to beef, and it works well in the dish. The turkey provides a lighter flavor while still maintaining the hearty, comforting qualities of traditional cottage pie.

When using ground turkey, you may want to add extra seasonings or herbs like thyme, rosemary, or garlic to enhance the flavor, since turkey can be milder than beef. Additionally, ensure that the turkey is cooked through and combined with vegetables and gravy before topping it with mashed potatoes and baking it.

Turkey is a non-traditional choice of meat just as sweet potatoes are a non traditional choice of potatoes for this dish. But, they do make fun substitutions to try for health or variety.

Easy Cottage Pie Recipe with Sweet Potato Topping

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes stove top, 25 minutes in oven
Serves: 6

Cottage Pie Ingredients:

• 1 pound Laura’s 92% Lean Ground Beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 1 ounce flour
• 2 cups beef stock (or beef broth)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley plus additional for garnish
• 2 15-ounce cans sweet potatoes in syrup, drained and rinsed well

How To Make Cottage Pie:

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until pink is gone. Stir in onion, peas and carrots, and mushrooms; cook about 5 minutes more. Sprinkle flour over the meat mixture and stir to coat. Cook 2 minutes, then add stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from bottom. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and let thicken (about 5 minutes).

2. While sauce thickens, mash sweet potatoes (I prefer a hand masher or potato ricer, leaving some small lumps). When sauce is thickened, remove skillet from heat. Stir parsley into beef mixture and transfer mixture to a pie dish or small baking pan. Spoon creamy mashed potatoes over all, spreading to cover filling.

3. Place dish, uncovered, in preheated oven and cook until potatoes start to brown lightly, about 25 minutes. (If pie is made ahead and chilled, heat for 45 minutes in oven.)

4. Sprinkle extra parsley over the top and serve immediately. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

This sweet potato cottage pie makes the perfect family dinner for the fall and winter season!

Printable Sweet Potato Cottage Pie Recipe Card

What To Serve With Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is a filling dish on its own, but you can complement it with sides to balance the richness. When it comes to what to eat with cottage pie, I enjoy it with a simple garden salad tossed with vinaigrette. Sides of Pickled onions or chutney could also work for a tangy bite.

Conclusion

Cottage pie has a rich, savory, and comforting flavor. The filling is made with beef sautéed with onions, carrots, and other vegetables, and simmered in a gravy. This mixture creates a deep, meaty flavor that’s also flavorful from the vegetables and savory seasonings. The mashed sweet potato topping adds a creamy, buttery layer that complements the meat filling. When baked, the potatoes develop a golden, crispy crust on top, providing a nice contrast in texture. Overall, cottage pie is hearty and flavorful, with a balance of savory meat, vegetables, and sweet potatoes.

If you haven’t tried a cottage pie before, it is very similar to a Shepherd’s Pie but instead of ground lamb, it uses ground beef. This easy cottage pie recipe also features a twist by using sweet potatoes instead of Russet potatoes. I think it makes it extra tasty! Let us know what you think! Tag us on social media @familyfocusblog with your photos of this comforting meal.

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