British sweet potato cottage pie

Joanne Hart Joanne Hart Nuffield Health Nutritional Therapist
Swapping white potatoes for vitamin A-rich sweet potatoes creates a healthier cottage pie recipe.


  • 200g lean minced beef 
  • 1 medium onion 
  • Can of tomatoes 
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree 
  • Handful of frozen peas 
  • Handful of chopped carrots 
  • Stock – cube or bone broth (1/2 pint) 
  • Sweet potato -1 or 2 
  • Olive oil or butter

Preparation method

  1. Fry the minced beef and drain off the excess fat 
  2. Add chopped onions, tomatoes, the tomato puree and cook lightly 
  3. Add finely chopped carrots and peas
  4. Create a stock by adding ready-made stock or using a bone broth and add this to the mixture. Aim to see some liquid but not too much 
  5. Lightly steam/bake the sweet potatoes and mash with a tablespoon of olive oil or a knob of butter. Add a splash of milk for a smoother mash
  6. Top the pie with the mashed potato
  7. Cook in the oven at 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 25-30 mins until golden.

Nutritional information

The use of sweet potatoes here not only adds a vibrant colour to the pie it is also a valuable source of vitamin A, often known as a vitamin for the eyes. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin so the added butter or oil in the pie is there to boost the amount absorbed.

Sweet potatoes have benefits for blood sugar balancing and might be particularly useful for those with diabetes type 2, and beef is a good source of protein and iron too.

Intolerance information
For gluten-free use a gluten free stock cube.
For dairy-free use oil in place of butter.

Last updated Monday 30 March 2020