Family meals: Easy beef stew with sweet potato topping

Family meals: Easy beef stew with sweet potato topping

Perfect for the whole family, this freezable pie makes a great meal for toddlers and teens alike and has plenty of hidden veg

Recipe uploaded by

member_thumb Caroline Hire

4 stars 16 ratings 4

Recipe by Caroline Hire

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves a family of 4 - 6 or makes 6-8 toddler meals

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 30 mins

Freezable

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the onions and cook for 2 mins, then add the carrot and celery and cook until softened. Add a little water if the mixture sticks.
  2. Add the braising steak and cook until browned, then stir in the garlic and cinnamon and cook for a further 1 - 2 mins until the aromas are released.
  3. Add the stock cube to 500ml boiling water and stir into the meat, along with the tomato purée and parsley stalks. Bring to the boil and simmer covered for 1 hour, then take off the lid and simmer for another hour or until the meat is very tender. Stir in the chopped parsley leaves.
  4. Transfer the stew into a medium-sized ceramic dish (that would be big enough for four adults), or into 6 - 8 large ramekins for make-ahead toddler portions.
  5. Meanwhile, steam or boil the sweet potatoes until tender. Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/ gas mark 6. Drain the potatoes well and mash with the butter. Spoon on top of the meat, sprinkle with the cheese and cook on the top shelf for around 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
  6. Alternatively, cover and freeze the pie or mini pies for another time. Defrost thoroughly before cooking - you can do this by leaving it in the fridge overnight if you like. Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/ gas mark 6 and cook for around 30 - 35 mins or until golden, bubbling and hot throughout.

PER SERVING (4)

474 kcalories, protein 31.2g, carbohydrate 56g, fat 14.1 g, saturated fat 5.7g, fibre 10.9g, sugar 19g, salt 1.4 g

Recipe from bbcgoodfood.com, June 2012.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo ChellyM

    27 June 2012

    ChellyM rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Tried this recipe on Sunday! Wasn't sure if my partner would enjoy sweet potato or not but he had seconds, i just put the stew in the slow cooker until the meat was lovely and tender. I would probably use a little bit more potato next time but that is my own preference.

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  • Binder photo SJW

    01 July 2012

    SJW rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Tried this tonight for my husband and I and our 2 year old daughter. Went down well with all! During cooking I needed to add lots more liquid than stated, I would guess at nearly double and ideally would have liked a bit more gravy around the meat than we ended up with, so would add more again. This was just using the hob though and not sure my lowest light was low enough so may have boiled off some of the liquid that was meant to stay. I also used half sweet potato and half normal potato weight wise. Tasted good, though proportionally sweet potato must be lighter as there was a lot more of that than the other!

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  • Binder photo Emma

    07 July 2012

    Emma rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Sam B

    04 October 2012

    Sam B commented on this recipe

    I cooked this last night and had 5 empty plates, Totally delicious and very easy to make.

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  • Binder photo karen-kelley

    21 October 2012

    karen-kelley rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Mrs Scott

    27 October 2012

    Mrs Scott rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Lou

    03 November 2012

    Lou rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Super recipe! Really east and tasted delicious.

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  • Binder photo Miche88

    07 November 2012

    Miche88 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Very tasty! Next time i would use more liquid and cook it in the slow cooker so the meet is extra tender.

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  • Binder photo sameb

    08 November 2012

    sameb rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Determined dieter

    08 November 2012

    Determined dieter rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Me and my partner loved this. I did the beef in the slow cooker and it was so succulent. Instead of butter and cheese on top, I just mashed the sweet potatoes with garlic and herb Philadelphia. Great if you're on a diet too, served mine with spiced red cabbage. Definitely a staple in our house now.

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  • Binder photo Jane

    28 November 2012

    Jane rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This recipe is gorge although I had to use normal mash for my husband! Quick note though, if you go overboard slightly on the cinnamon as I did, I found a dollop of mustard sorted it right out!! Happy eating X

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  • Binder photo Mrschenj

    30 November 2012

    Mrschenj rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Yum! Never thought e sweet potatoes would make such a delicious difference. Everyone loved it!

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  • Binder photo profilea2

    02 December 2012

    profilea2 commented on this recipe

    great family supper. recommend making the meat a day ahead, or pop in the slow cooker the morning as its really a two stage dish. I substituted about 1 third potato with the sweet potato to firm it up a bit and make it easier t spread the topping. And I found putting it it oven made the cheese much nicer and bubblier than under the grill.

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  • Binder photo profilea2

    02 December 2012

    profilea2 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    oops forgot to rate!

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  • Binder photo LisaMcD

    03 December 2012

    LisaMcD rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    The meat would have been alot better tender so next time will do in the slow cooker and my kids werent so keen on the sweet potato so would do normal mash but part from that its great tyvm :)

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  • Binder photo BonBon

    25 January 2013

    BonBon rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Loved by everyone!!! Great dish.

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  • Binder photo Splash

    25 February 2013

    Splash rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    Really easy to make, although it takes a lot of time. Empty plates all round. Also froze really well :)

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  • Binder photo Jacqui D-G

    27 March 2013

    Jacqui D-G rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    This recipe did not go down well with my family. The beef mixture was extremely tasty but the topping was yuk!!! I will make the beef stew again but next time will serve with new pototoes and veg.

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  • Binder photo elma lauder

    26 April 2013

    elma lauder commented on this recipe

    could calorie count be added to recipies

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves a family of 4 - 6 or makes 6-8 toddler meals

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 30 mins

Freezable

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion , finely chopped
  • 2 carrots , finely diced (about 130g)
  • 1-2 sticks celery , finely diced (about 130g)
  • 2 fat cloves garlic , crushed
  • 400-500g braising steak
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 low-salt beef stock cube
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 x 25g pack parsley , stalks and leaves finely chopped separately
  • 1kg sweet potatoes , peeled and diced
  • knob of butter
  • handful grated cheddar
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PER SERVING (4)

474 kcalories, protein 31.2g, carbohydrate 56g, fat 14.1 g, saturated fat 5.7g, fibre 10.9g, sugar 19g, salt 1.4 g

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