Crispy Roast Potato & Bolognese Bake
This recipe came together when I was staring into my all but empty fridge, trying to come up with something different to eat. I knew I had some mince in the freezer and my first thought was to make a delicious pasta bolognese, however I’ve eaten a lot of pasta recently and didn’t fancy something so heavy, so I got to thinking. That’s how I put together this Crispy Roast Potato & Bolognese Bake, which combines a rich bolognese sauce, packed with vegetables, with crispy herb covered potatoes, pulled together with a touch of tasty melted cheese. Gorgeous!
Is This Crispy Roast Potato & Bolognese Bake Slimming World Friendly?
To my shame I have not been the best at following the Slimming World plan in recent months, but I’m determined to get back on track and this is now one of my new go to ‘on plan’ meals! It’s totally syn free, counting half of your HexA per portion if you add the cheese (which I sincerely recommend!).
The best part about this meal on Slimming World however is not how great it tastes or how easy it is to make, it’s that it’s packed with speedy vegetables which makes it perfect for you, but they’re cooked into the sauce which makes it the perfect family meal…especially if you have kids!
Although I don’t have kids myself, I’m always mindful of how tough it can be to follow Slimming World when you do have a family. I always hear from people that they’re cooking two meals, one for themselves and one for the rest of their family. It’s for that reason I try and make as many of my recipes as possible totally family friendly, so you and your family can eat together and enjoy that quality time that makes meal times the best!
Another fantastic thing about this Roast Potato & Bolognese Bake recipe is that the leftovers work perfectly for lunch the next day, both eaten cold and heated up! This means that provided it’s not polished off at the dinner table, you’ve got a fuss free, syn free and delicious lunch that will make the whole office green with envy!
Making Crispy Roast Potato & Bolognese Bake
As the name suggests, this recipe is made up of two main components. Fist there’s the rich, thick and syn free bolgonese sauce, with lean mince, vegetables and tonnes of flavour. Then there’s the crispy roast potatoes, small and cubed, covered in mixed herbs and baked to perfection.
Despite having two halves, which are cooked separately and then added together, this recipe is surprisingly quick to make! Once the roast potatoes are in the oven you can set about making your bolognese sauce, and by the time the roasties are done you’ve got a thick, rich sauce to put them on! You then simply bake again to let the two layers settle and the cheese melt, and then serve.
I put this all together in a cast iron casserole dish, not just because it looks stunning, but because it helps retain heat at the dinner table, making sure the meal stays hot. I also find that casserole dishes disperse heat really well, making sure you get a meal that is hot all the way through, not just melted on top! I picked mine up from TK Max, however Amazon has a great selection for pretty cheap!
Cliona Keane
Yields 4
Serves 4
A rich syn free mince recipe topped with crispy cheesy potatoes!
10 minPrep Time
30 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 4-5 Large Roasting Potatoes
- Fry Light
- 2tbsp Mixed Herbs
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
- 60g Grated Cheddar Cheese (optional)
- 250g Lean Mince
- 2x Red Peppers (chopped small)
- 1x Onion (diced)
- 2x Cloves Garic (minced)
- Fry Light
- 1x Beef stock pot
- 1 Pint Boiling Water
- 1x Tin Cherry Tomatoes
- 2tbsp Tomato Puree
- 2tsp Mixed Herbs
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
- Chop the potatoes into cubes, roughly 1cm x 1cm, and put them in a microwave safe bowl along with plenty of Fry Light, the mixed herbs and salt & pepper.
- Microwave for 1min 30secs, stir and then microwave for a further 30secs.
- Tip out onto a baking tray sprayed with Fry Light, shaking to make sure they're evenly distributed, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Make sure to turn the potatoes half way through and check regularly towards the end.
- Meanwhile, fry the onions in a deep based frying pan along with Fry Light until they're soft and going golden.
- Add the garlic and stir.
- Add the chopped peppers and fry until these begin to soften.
- Add the mince and stir until browned.
- Mix the stock pot with half a pint of the water and add it to the mince. Simmer until the stock has thickened and then add the tin of tomatoes along with the rest of the boiling water.
- Season with the herbs and salt & pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes or until it begins to thicken up nicely.
- Add the tomato puree two minutes before the end and then remove from the heat.
- Pour the mince into your baking dish, I prefer a casserole dish but you could use a lasagna dish or similar deep baking tray.
- Cover with the roasted potatoes, making sure they're spread evenly, and sprinkle on the cheese if you're using it.
- Bake for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is totally melted and has begun to get some colour on top.
- Serve with a crack of black pepper and some freshly steamed vegetables, or salad!
Notes
Cheese = 1/2 HexA per serving. Syn values correct at time of writing. Please do not share screenshots of this recipe - a link is always best!
DON’T FORGET TO PIN THIS CRISPY ROAST POTATO & BOLOGNESE BAKE RECIPE FOR LATER!
