Sweet potato and carrot cottage pie

A comforting cottage pie with a smooth, orange sweet potato and carrot purée, hiding a mushroom and quinoa filling. A balanced and kid-approved dinner.

Ingredients

  • 500 g sweet potato
  • 200 g carrot
  • 400 g ground beef
  • 100 g fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • 100 g fresh enoki mushrooms
  • 30 g dried wood ear mushrooms
  • 100 g quinoa
  • 250 ml vegetable broth
  • 2 pieces scallion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 100 ml low-fat milk
  • 30 g breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper

Method

  1. Rinse the quinoa and cook it in a pot of boiling salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in a bowl of hot water for 20 minutes. Drain, remove the hard parts, and thinly slice.
  3. Peel the sweet potatoes and carrots, and cut them into pieces. Put them in a large pot and cover with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender.
  4. Meanwhile, cut the shiitake and enoki mushrooms into very small dice. Finely slice the scallion and mince the garlic clove.
  5. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and scallion for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it, until browned. Add all the sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Fold the cooked quinoa into the skillet and mix. Add a little broth (about 50 ml) to keep the mixture moist. Set aside.
  7. Drain the sweet potatoes and carrots (reserving a little broth). Mash them into a smooth purée using a potato masher or blender. Add the butter and warm milk, and mix. Adjust the texture with a little broth if necessary. Salt lightly.
  8. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (gas mark 6-7).
  9. In a baking dish, spread out the meat mixture. Cover with the purée, smoothing the surface well. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and dabs of butter.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden and gratinéed.
  11. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally garnish with sliced scallion.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy
596.2 kcal
Protein
27.99 g
Carbohydrate
50.94 g
Fat
31.55 g
Fibre
11.52 g
Calcium
120.64 mg
Iron
4.51 mg
Magnesium
151 mg
Indicative, non-medical nutrition estimate; values depend on brands, actual weights, and whether ingredients are raw or cooked.