Sweet Potato Cottage Pie

A JSHealth version of an old classic. Warming, hearty and family-friendly. This is a great meal to cook up on a Sunday as there is sure to be leftovers! See Notes for plant-based swaps.

Time to cook: 40 minutes 

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 500g (17.6oz) grass-fed organic beef mince
• 400g (14.1oz) tin lentils, rinsed and drained
• 400g (14.1oz) tin diced tomatoes, no added salt
• 1 tbsp tomato paste, no sugar added
• 1 bunch basil, leaves roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup (125ml) water, or stock 
• sea salt & black pepper, to taste

For the topping

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks 
• 75g (2.6oz) parmesan, grated, or nutritional yeast flakes 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C or 360°F. 
2. To make the topping, steam the sweet potato until it is cooked through. Mash until smooth and season to taste. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Sauté the onion, celery and carrot for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for a further 2 minutes. And the mince to the pan and break up any clumps using a wooden spoon. Brown for 3-4 minutes whilst stirring. Pour in the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste.
4. Pour the cottage pie mince mix into the base of a large ovenproof baking dish. Spread the mashed sweet potato over the top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes, if using.
5. Place in the oven to bake for 15-20minutes, or until golden on top. Once cooked, serve topped with fresh parsley.
6. Any leftovers can be kept in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving.

Notes:

For a plant-based alternative, omit the beef mince and add in an extra tin of lentils or kidney beans. 

This recipe, along with more than 500 others, can be found in the JSHealth App, offering nutritionally-balanced, delicious and simple recipes to cater to all dietary needs!