Cottage Cheese Ground Beef Casserole (Printable Version)
Layered bake of ground beef, cottage cheese and sweet potatoes topped with mozzarella and Parmesan.
# What You 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
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
13 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Boil the diced sweet potatoes in salted water until just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing until softened, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, dried oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. If using spinach, fold it in and cook until wilted.
06 - Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange half of the parboiled sweet potatoes in an even layer across the bottom.
07 - Spoon the seasoned beef mixture evenly over the sweet potato layer.
08 - Dollop the cottage cheese over the beef layer and spread it into an even coating.
09 - Arrange the remaining sweet potatoes over the cottage cheese, then sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.
10 - Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.
11 - Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cottage cheese melts into the beef layer and creates this creamy, almost ricotta like texture that nobody ever guesses.
- Sweet potatoes and savory beef are a combination that sounds unusual but tastes like comfort food you grew up with.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, making it ideal for meal prep or a no stress second dinner.
02 -
- Do not skip draining the diced tomatoes because the extra liquid will turn your beautifully layered casserole into a soupy mess.
- Under boil the sweet potatoes slightly because they will continue cooking in the oven and mushy potatoes ruin the texture.
- Letting the casserole rest for those 5 minutes is not optional because it helps the layers set and makes serving dramatically easier.
03 -
- Shred your own mozzarella from a block because pre shredded varieties have anti caking agents that prevent proper melting and create a grainy texture.
- Press the sweet potato layer down firmly before adding the next layer because this keeps everything compact and makes the casserole slice beautifully instead of sliding apart.