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Southwestern Sweet Potato Cottage Pie
Smoky, sweet, and deeply savory, this Southwestern twist on classic cottage pie trades traditional mashed potatoes for a bright, smoky sweet potato topping. The hearty ground sirloin base gets its bold flavor from poblano chiles, green chile salsa, black beans, and sweet corn. A touch of adobo sauce mixed into the mash adds a subtle heat that balances the natural sweetness of the potatoes. It's a comforting, flavor-packed casserole that'll quickly become a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 3 lb. sweet potatoes (4 medium)
- 1½ Tbsp. canola oil
- 1½ lb. ground sirloin
- 2 medium-size red or yellow bell peppers, chopped (2 cups)
- 2 medium poblano chiles, chopped (1½ cups)
- 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (1¼ cups)
- 1 (16-oz.) jar green chile salsa (such as Chi-Chi’s Salsa Verde Mild)
- 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears) or frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1 (1-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
- 2 Tbsp. adobo sauce from can
- 1 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. garlic salt 1 tsp. chili powder
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 375°F and coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- 2Add the ground sirloin to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to break the meat apart as it browns, until it's partially cooked through.
- 3Stir the chopped bell peppers, poblano chiles, and yellow onion into the skillet. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the beef is fully cooked.
- 4Mix in the green chile salsa, drained black beans, corn kernels, and taco seasoning. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- 5Peel the cooked sweet potatoes and discard the skins. Transfer the flesh to a large bowl and mash it with a fork. Stir in the adobo sauce, melted butter, garlic salt, and chili powder until smooth and well combined.
- 6Transfer the beef and vegetable filling into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- 7Drop spoonfuls of the mashed sweet potato mixture over the beef filling. Use a fork to gently spread the potatoes into an even layer, creating a decorative pattern on the surface.
- 8Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the filling bubbles around the edges and the sweet potato topping develops golden brown spots. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. This resting time helps the layers set so they don't fall apart when scooped.
Notes
- Prep: Ensure your sweet potatoes are fully cooked and tender (either baked, boiled, or microwaved) before peeling and mashing.
- Garnish: Top the baked pie with fresh cilantro leaves and diced jalapeño chiles for a bright, fresh finish.
- Make ahead: Assemble the casserole up to a day in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time if cooking straight from the fridge.