Sweet Potato Lasagna Recipe with Meat
I just loooove sweet potato recipes! Recently, I found myself stuck on what to make next because I’ve created so many dishes with sweet potatoes over the past month. Then, it hit me—why not take my classic lasagna squash recipe and swap the squash for sweet potatoes? And that’s exactly how this sweet potato lasagna recipe with meat was born.
Why Will You Love this Recipe?
- Healthy Comfort: It’s a comforting dish with a healthy twist, using sweet potatoes instead of noodles.
- Meal Prep Magic: Perfect for meal prep, as it reheats well for lunches or dinners throughout the week.
- Sweet Potato Creativity: It’s a creative way to enjoy sweet potatoes in a hearty, family-friendly meal.
Recipe Variations
- Cheese Lover’s Dream: Experiment with different cheeses like smoked provolone or sharp cheddar for a new taste experience.
- Vegetarian Delight: Skip the meat and layer in grilled vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, and eggplant for a vegetarian version.
- Spice It Up: Add some heat with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of spicy arrabbiata sauce to kick things up a notch.
Tools You’ll Need
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Air Fryer Chicken Caprese Recipe
- Lasagna Soup (Recipe With Ricotta)
- Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells
- Low-Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks
- Caramelized Onion and Mushroom
Sweet Potato Lasagna with Meat Recipe
This recipe guides you through making lasagna using layers of thinly sliced sweet potatoes instead of traditional noodles, layered with a savory meat sauce and creamy bechamel. It's a straightforward dish that swaps pasta for sweet potatoes, making it a bit healthier and adding a unique twist.
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 carrot
- 1.1 lbs ground meat (I used turkey, but you can choose)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1⅓ cups tomato passata
Bechamel Sauce
- 4 tbsp butter
- 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 pinches nutmeg
- 3½ cups milk
- ⅔ teaspoon salt
- A bit of freshly ground black pepper
Additional
- 1 large sweet potato (or two smaller ones)
- 14 oz cheese like Gouda
Instructions
- Prepare the sweet potatoes by peeling them and slicing into thin disks about 2 mm thick. They must be thin, otherwise, they will not cook through. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- To make the meat sauce, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped garlic and onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes with a bit of salt, then add the bell pepper and carrot and continue sautéing until the vegetables soften.
- Add the ground meat to the pan and cook for a few minutes while stirring. Season with salt, oregano, pepper, and add the bay leaf.
- Stir the tomato passata into the meat mixture, reduce the heat, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf at the end.
- For the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in another pan over low heat. Add flour and nutmeg, and stir for about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the milk while continuously stirring to avoid lumps. Season with salt, nutmeg, and black pepper. Cook on low heat until the sauce thickens.
- Take a baking dish and arrange a layer of sweet potatoes at the bottom as the base. Evenly spread a layer of bechamel sauce over the sweet potatoes, then add the meat and cheese.
- Repeat the layering until all ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of bechamel sauce on top. Sprinkle cheese over the final layer of bechamel sauce.
- Bake the lasagna in a preheated oven at 400°F (200 °C) for about 45-50 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender, and the cheese on top is brown. If the cheese starts to brown too much, lightly place aluminum foil or parchment paper on top. Do not cover the lasagna completely, just lightly cover.
- Let the lasagna cool before cutting and serving, at least 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 21.7gProtein: 32.6gFat: 27.8gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8.6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 118.7mgSodium: 1.224mgPotassium: 712.2mgFiber: 2.6gSugar: 10.5gVitamin A: 6.572IUVitamin C: 24.3mgCalcium: 510.4mgIron: 1.7mg
