Sweet potato ground beef casserole — Here’s a meal satisfying enough for the whole family. Ground beef is simmered in braised onions and tomato sauce and covered with a creamy sweet potato mash. The result? A crowd-pleasing dinner you can feel good about serving.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the sweet potato ground beef casserole
Makes 6 servings:
- 1 pound (450g) ground beef
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
- 4 medium potatoes, cubed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 medium can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 handful of parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth (or 1 bouillon cube + water, just reduce salt when adjusting seasoning)
- 4 oz (110g) mascarpone
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumb
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To make the sweet potato ground beef casserole: Cook potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes, or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for 1 minute, then add garlic and ground meat and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomato flesh and bay leaf and continue cooking, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, add chopped parsley and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
4. In the meantime, drain the potatoes and sweet potatoes and mash them with a fork until smooth. Stir in mascarpone and 1 or 2 ladles of the cooking juice from the beef. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside. Meanwhile, cook beef for a few minutes more on medium-high heat to reduce water if necessary.
6. Remove the bay leaf and evenly spread the beef mixture into the baking dish. Spoon the sweet potato mixture on top and smooth with a spatula. Top with breadcrumbs and a few dollops of salted butter.
7. Bake the sweet potato beef casserole in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling at the edges. Serve immediately – Enjoy!
Notes: Leftover mashed potatoes can be used in place of the sweet potatoes. The mashed potatoes and the filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated before assembling and baking the dish.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
