Cottage Cheese, Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Casserole

This Cottage Cheese, Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Casserole is packed with fiber, protein and flavor! A healthy, hearty, comforting recipe that’s also absolutely delicious!

Cottage cheese sweet potato beef bowls were recently trending on TikTok and definitely the inspiration behind this new recipe. Meet my Cottage Cheese, Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Casserole (I know, it’s quite a mouthful).

You got the spice from the ground beef, you got the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the creamy tangy topping made with cottage cheese – a layer upon layer of yumminess!

It’s sort of a spiced Shepherd’s Pie with a roasted sweet potato topping under a blanket of cottage cheese bechamel. You gotta love a dish that’s loaded with good stuff – all the protein and fiber – AND appealing to kids!

Here’s What You’ll Need

You will need a large casserole dish (I used my cast iron braiser) that can go from the stove to the oven for this recipe. But let’s take a look at the ingredient breakdown first, shall we?

• Ground beef (beef mince) – I used lean ground beef.
• Diced onion and minced garlic
• Beans – I love adding beans to casseroles and stews to help them stretch further. This time I used canned pinto beans but other types of beans can also be used like black beans or kidney beans.
• Canned tomatoes – crushed tomatoes or chopped tomatoes.
• Beef broth (or stock made using a stockpot, cube or bouillon).
• The spices: ground cumin, garlic powder, sweet paprika, cayenne, fajita seasoning.
• Sweet potatoes: I used two very large sweet potatoes and roasted them before slicing for the topping. You can also use sweet potato mash if preferred.
• Cottage cheese: I used 4% cottage cheese, blended with eggs, salt, mustard powder, grated Parmesan for the topping.

How to Make This Recipe

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

Make the Ground Beef Base

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the ground beef, onions and all the seasoning. Brown over medium heat for 10 minutes, breaking the beef down with the back of your spoon.
2. Add the minced garlic, tomatoes, beef broth and pinto beans. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Prepare the Sweet Potatoes

1. Scrub the sweet potatoes, pierce them with a knife and roast for 20-30 minutes at 400°F (200°C) in oven or the air fryer. The potoatoes are ready when you can easily pierce them with a knife.
2. Peel the skin off once the are cool enough to handle and sliced into disks.

Assemble the Casserole

1. Make the cottage cheese bechamel. Add the cottage cheese, eggs, grated Parmesan, mustard powder and salt to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.
2. Top the ground beef with the sliced sweet potatoes. Add the blended cottage cheese mixture and spread to cover. Transfer to a preheated oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and top has set.
3. Cool slightly before serving – you will be amazed by just how filling and tasty this dish is! A small serving will keep you satisfied for ages and is a full meal in itself but you can add some steamed greens on the side if you like.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to four days in an air tight container. Reheat in the microwave or the air fryer until hot all the way through before serving.

The assembled casserole is not suitable for freezing (that cottage cheese topping doesn’t do well frozen) but you can prep and freeze the ground beef base for up to three months.

Recipe Variations

• Instead of layering the elements and cooking them together, you can serve the baked sweet potatoes topped with the beef and add a portion of cottage cheese on the side.
• Peel and boil the sweet potatoes until soft. Mash well, stirring in butter and a little milk until you have a smooth mash. Top the beef with the sweet potato mash instead of the sliced roast sweet potatoes.
• You can use ground turkey instead of the ground beef, or even a plant-based alternative if you prefer.
• Want some extra spice? Increase the amount of cayenne pepper and add some crushed chipotle (chipotle paste) for a bold smoky flavor.

More Cottage Cheese Recipes

Bread, Muffins, Donuts and Pastries

Cottage Cheese Bread

Side dishes

Healthy Cottage Cheese Dip with Roasted Tomatoes

BREAKFAST

Blueberry Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bake

Pancakes

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Slimming

Cottage Cheese Frittata

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