Cottage Cheese Ground Beef Casserole (Printable Version)
Savory baked casserole with ground beef, cottage cheese, sweet potatoes and melted cheeses for a hearty family meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium onion, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach (optional)
→ Dairy
06 - 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry Staples
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
13 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Place diced sweet potatoes in a medium pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add lean ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until fully browned throughout, 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in drained diced tomatoes, dried oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to combine flavors. Fold in baby spinach and cook until wilted, if using.
06 - Arrange half of the parboiled sweet potatoes in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
07 - Spoon the seasoned ground beef mixture evenly over the sweet potato layer, spreading to cover uniformly.
08 - Dollop cottage cheese over the beef layer and spread into an even coating using the back of a spoon or spatula.
09 - Layer the remaining sweet potatoes on top. Scatter shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses evenly over the surface.
10 - Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.
11 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow layers to set.
# Quick Tips:
01 -
- Sweet potatoes and cottage cheese together sound unusual but create this ridiculously creamy, slightly sweet contrast to the savory beef that you will not stop thinking about.
- Everything bakes in one dish, which means cleanup is minimal and leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day.
02 -
- Do not skip draining the diced tomatoes because excess liquid is the fastest way to end up with a watery casserole instead of a firm, sliceable one.
- Letting the casserole rest those 5 minutes before serving is not optional: it allows the cottage cheese layer to set so everything stays layered on your plate.
03 -
- Salt the water you boil the sweet potatoes in just like pasta water because it is your only chance to season them from the inside out.
- Pat the boiled sweet potatoes dry with a clean towel before layering them to remove surface moisture that could make the bottom of the casserole soggy.