This savoury mince beef recipe is a comforting family favourite. It's really versatile, rather like a healthy bolognese sauce with extra veggies. Minced beef with vegetables and gravy is a traditional, delicious and easy recipe. It's also great for meal prep and freezes well. And you just need a few everyday ingredients that you may already have.
Why make this savoury mince recipe?
- With simple flavours, comforting savoury mince beef is very popular with both children and adults. It's a great way to fill hungry tummies, with plenty of protein and veggies and keep them full.
- Easy weeknight dinner. All the ingredients in this traditional recipe are easy to get hold of, and they may be ingredients you've already got at home. It takes 40 minutes to make in one pan. And a lot of the cooking time is hands-off when you can be getting on with other things.
- Meal prep: you can make savoury mince earlier in the day, and quickly heat it through on the stove when you are ready for dinner. It's also great for batch cooking and freezes really well.
- Healthy savoury mince beef makes a balanced meal which is packed with nutrition. Serve with some wholegrain carbs and an extra portion of vegetables or salad to make it even healthier.
- Budget friendly. Minced or ground beef is good value. And everyday veggies such as carrots and onions are budget friendly all year around.
Ingredients
Beef. This recipe uses ground, or minced beef. I use 5% fat beef, and the result is flavoursome, but not too fatty.
Other beef mince recipes you might enjoy include this healthy cottage pie, easy gluten free beef lasagne or this beef and bean hotpot recipe.
Onions. Normal brown onions work well, but if you prefer red onions you could use them instead.
Garlic adds an extra flavour dimension. Omit if you prefer, or ramp up the flavour with an extra clove.
Olive oil, or an alternative healthy oil for frying.
Carrots. As the carrots are going to be diced, it doesn't matter if they are a bit misshapen. Try to cut the dice quite small and evenly so that the carrots cook through properly.
Frozen peas are a great way to add extra nutrients to this recipe. They are full of fibre, and also add colour to the dish.
Tomato paste helps to flavour the gravy, and Marmite adds an extra tang of flavour. If you don't have or like Marmite, you could also use a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Cornflour helps to thicken the juices into a delicious gravy. It's important to add cornflour to a cold liquid before adding it to the pan otherwise it will go lumpy. Cornflour is easy to use and makes this recipe gluten free. (Note cornflour is also known as cornstarch in some countries.)
Water. I find that with the meat, veggies and other ingredients, the dish has plenty of flavour. But if you prefer, you could use beef stock rather than water. Or add a splash of red wine.
Seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. But remember that Marmite is already salty, so taste the dish before adding too much salt.
Looking for something a bit spicier? You might also like this slow cooker minced beef curry, made with similar ingredients.
Optional ingredients and variations
Feel free to add in extra veggies to your healthy savoury mince beef. You could try diced swede, sweet potatoes or celery. You could also pop veggies such as broccoli in for the last 7-8 minutes to add extra greens.
A can of haricot or cannelini beans also makes a great addition to savoury mince. You'll get more servings from the dish, plus an extra boost of goodness.
Try the recipe with different types of mince such as lamb or turkey. You could also make a vegan version with this homemade vegan mince.
How to make savoury mince beef
Heat a large frying pan over a medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and fry for 5 minutes until starting to turn golden. The caramelisation will add flavour to the dish.
Add the carrots and fry for a couple more minutes.
Push the veggies over to the side of the pan and add the garlic and minced beef. Continue to fry, turning the meat occasionally until it is browned.
Stir the cornflour into 400ml cold water. Add to the pan along with the Marmite, herbs, seasoning and tomato puree. Stir well, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 20 minutes. The vegetables will soften, and the liquid will thicken into a delicious rich gravy.
Add the frozen peas, and cook for another 3 minutes.
Cook's tips
If you are short on time, you could also use frozen mixed vegetables rather than diced carrots. Add to the pan for the last few minutes of cooking time.
How to serve
Of course, you could serve this healthy savoury mince beef recipe with pasta, and savoury mince with rice or mashed potatoes are classic comfort foods. For a low carb filling meal, add a plateful of salad. Or if you're in a rush, serve it on toast!
Here's a few alternatives you could try too:
Baked sweet potatoes: sweet potatoes count as one of your five a day, and go really well with savoury mince. You can pop them in the slow cooker to make things simple.
Mashed swede and carrot: swede is a brassica, very nutritious, and makes a lovely healthy alternative to mashed potatoes.
Or try steaming these delicious gluten free dumplings without suet on top of your savoury mince.
Corn tortilla chips are a popular option which add extra crunch. And whilst not traditional, these easy gluten free Yorkshire puddings make a delicious accompaniment.
Storage
Healthy savoury mince beef will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. It also freezes brilliantly. I always make a double batch as it's such a useful meal to have in the freezer!
Frequently asked questions?
This recipe is thickened with cornflour. It mixes with the juices from the meat and tomato puree to make a tasty gravy.
If you prefer, you can cook the recipe with stock rather than water. You could also add extra garlic and herbs. In addition to Marmite, you could also add Worcestershire sauce.
I've used dried mixed herbs for convenience in this recipe. But you could also use single herbs such as thyme, oregano, parsley or rosemary. And of course fresh herbs are great as well if you have them. Just chop them finely, and be generous as they are not as concentrated as dried herbs.
Other healthy beef mince recipes
If you like cooking with beef mince, you might also like this gluten free lasagne, healthy cottage pie or lamb mince stew. Or try this beef shin stew which is meltingly tender and budget friendly.
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Recipe
Savoury Mince Beef
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 200 g carrots washed and diced
- 500 g minced beef ideally 5% fat
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 teaspoon mixed dried herbs
- ½ teaspoon Marmite
- 400 ml cold water
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- seasoning to taste
- 100 g frozen peas
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan on a medium/high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes until starting to colour.
- Add the carrots and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the minced beef and garlic. Fry for about 5 minutes until the meat turns brown, stirring occasionally.
- Stir the cornflour into the cold water. Add to the pan with the tomato puree, herbs, Marmite and seasoning. Mix well, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Add the frozen peas and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is for guidance only
Chantal says
So yum! Made twice now.
I’m from Australia, so replaced the marmite with vegemite.
Chantal says
So yum! Made or twice now.
I’m from Australia, so replaces the marmite with vegemite.