Richly Flavored Mince

Savoury Mince is more than just a meal; it’s a culinary cornerstone in many households, especially cherished in Australian cuisine. This easy, healthy, and incredibly versatile weeknight dinner is packed with wholesome vegetables like tender potatoes, sweet carrots, crisp celery, and vibrant peas. A true classic, this old-fashioned mince dish is the epitome of comfort food, offering endless possibilities from serving it simply atop a slice of golden toast to creating elegant puff pastry pasties. Prepare to delight your entire family with this tried-and-true savoury mince recipe.

Embracing the Timeless Appeal of Savoury Mince

Savoury Mince holds a special place as a beloved family dinner favourite, particularly across Australia. Its enduring popularity stems from its incredible simplicity and the fact that it can be effortlessly whipped up using readily available, budget-friendly pantry staples. This accessibility is undoubtedly why so many of us have fond memories of growing up with this comforting dish gracing our dinner tables. It’s a testament to good, honest home cooking that nourishes both body and soul without breaking the bank.

At its heart, this delightful meal features perfectly browned beef mince (also known as ground beef), which is then simmered with a medley of finely diced vegetables – including carrots, celery, and potatoes – along with bright green peas. All these ingredients come together in a rich, savoury gravy that is bursting with deep, satisfying flavour. The result is a hearty, wholesome, and incredibly satisfying meal that feels both familiar and deeply comforting.

Why Savoury Mince is Your New Weeknight Hero

There are countless reasons why this savoury mince recipe will quickly become a staple in your cooking repertoire. Its fundamental benefits make it an undeniable winner for busy households seeking delicious, wholesome meals without extensive effort.

• Quick and Easy Preparation: From start to finish, this dish comes together remarkably fast, making it ideal for those hectic weeknights when time is a precious commodity. Minimal fuss, maximum flavour.
• Unparalleled Versatility: Perhaps the most appealing aspect of savoury mince is its incredible adaptability. It’s not just a single meal but a foundation for a myriad of dishes, allowing you to get creative and prevent meal fatigue.
• Excellent for Meal Prepping: Cook a larger batch at the beginning of the week, and you’ll have components ready for multiple delicious meals, saving you valuable time and effort throughout your busy schedule.
• Budget-Friendly Goodness: Utilizing affordable ingredients like ground beef and common root vegetables, savoury mince is a smart choice for economical cooking without sacrificing taste or nutrition.
• Family-Friendly & Wholesome: Packed with vegetables and lean protein, it’s a nutritious option that appeals to even the pickiest eaters, making it a win-win for parents.

Looking for more classic Aussie comfort food? Don’t miss these Easy Curried Sausages for another nostalgic treat!

Unlocking the Versatility: More Ways to Enjoy Savoury Mince

One of the true joys of savoury mince is its boundless adaptability. Beyond a simple bowl, this versatile concoction can be transformed into a variety of exciting meals. Here are just a few ways you can repurpose a single batch, ensuring your family never tires of this incredible dish:

• Classic Comfort on Toast: Serve a generous spoonful over a slice of warm, buttered toast for a quick, comforting breakfast, lunch, or light dinner. The gravy soaks into the bread beautifully, creating a delightful texture.
• Hearty Bed of Rice: Spoon it over a fluffy bed of white or brown rice for a substantial and satisfying meal that’s perfect for absorbing all the rich flavours.
• Delicious Beef Pasties: Elevate your meal by enclosing the savoury mince in flaky puff pastry to create individual beef pasties. These are fantastic for packed lunches, picnics, or an easy dinner.
• Stuffed Jacket Potatoes: Bake large potatoes until soft, then split them open and fill with hot savoury mince. Top with a dollop of sour cream or grated cheese for an indulgent twist.
• Effortless Shepherd’s Pie: Transform it into a quick and easy shepherd’s pie by topping the mince with creamy mashed potatoes and baking until golden brown and bubbly. A perfect hearty dish for colder evenings.
• Taco or Burrito Filling: Add a touch of chili powder or cumin, and use it as a flavourful filling for soft tacos or burritos, along with your favourite toppings.
• Pasta Sauce Base: Thin it out slightly with a little extra stock and serve it over your favourite pasta for a hearty meat sauce.
• Lasagna Layer: Use it as a rich, flavourful layer in a homemade lasagna, complementing a béchamel or ricotta cheese sauce.

Making a large batch at the start of the week means you have a head start on several diverse meals. Plus, it freezes beautifully, making it an ideal candidate for those nights when cooking feels like too much effort.

Essential Ingredients for Your Savoury Mince

One of the many charms of savoury mince is its reliance on simple, wholesome ingredients that you likely already have on hand. It’s truly a fantastic recipe for utilizing those leftover vegetables at the end of the week, ensuring nothing goes to waste in your crisper drawer! Here’s a breakdown of the key components you’ll need to create this comforting dish:

• Olive Oil: For sautéing the aromatics and browning the mince, adding a subtle richness.
• Brown Onion: The foundation of flavour, providing a sweet and pungent base when sautéed.
• Garlic: Essential for depth, offering its distinctive aromatic kick.
• Carrot: Adds natural sweetness, vibrant colour, and important nutrients.
• Celery: Contributes a savoury, slightly bitter note and adds texture.
• Potato: Diced potatoes absorb the gravy’s flavour and add substance, making the dish even heartier.
• Beef Mince / Ground Beef: The star protein, providing a rich, meaty base. Opt for a leaner variety if preferred.
• Worcestershire Sauce: A secret weapon for umami depth, adding a complex tang and savouriness.
• All-Purpose / Plain Flour: Used to thicken the sauce, creating that wonderfully rich, coating gravy.
• Beef Stock: The liquid base for the gravy, infusing the dish with robust beefy flavour. Low-sodium options are great for controlling salt levels.
• Tomato Paste: Concentrated tomato flavour adds a touch of acidity and richness, balancing the savoury notes.
• Frozen Peas: Stirred in at the end, they add a pop of colour, sweetness, and tender texture.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Vegetables: Feel free to customize with other vegetables you have. Green beans, corn kernels, chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, or even zucchini would be delicious additions. Just adjust cooking times as needed.
• Mince: While beef mince is traditional, you could experiment with lamb or even a vegetarian mince alternative for a different twist.
• Thickeners: If you’re gluten-free, cornstarch (mixed with a little cold water before adding) can be used instead of flour.

Crafting the Perfect Savoury Mince – A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this delicious savoury mince is a straightforward process, perfect for cooks of all experience levels. Follow these simple steps for a truly satisfying meal:

Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics
Begin by heating the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the diced brown onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté these vegetables for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have softened and become slightly translucent. This step is crucial for building the flavour base. Next, stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Step 2: Brown the Beef Mince
Add the beef mince (ground beef) to the saucepan with the softened vegetables. Break up the mince with a spatula or wooden spoon, cooking it for 8-10 minutes. Continue to stir and break up any clumps until the mince is thoroughly browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat if necessary, though a little fat adds to the flavour.

Step 3: Build the Gravy and Simmer
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the browned mince and vegetables. Stir it in thoroughly, cooking for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Then, add the diced potato, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Season generously with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir everything well to combine, ensuring no flour lumps remain.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the saucepan and let it cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. This allows the potatoes to become tender and the sauce to thicken beautifully. If you notice the liquid evaporating too quickly and the sauce becoming too thick before the potatoes are fully cooked, simply add a little more beef stock to achieve your desired consistency.

Step 4: Finish and Serve
Once the potatoes are tender and the gravy has reached your preferred thickness, stir in the frozen peas. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, just until the peas are heated through and tender-crisp. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Your delicious savoury mince is now ready to be served! Enjoy it traditionally on top of a piece of warm toast, over a bed of fluffy rice, or spooned into a baked potato.

Storing Your Savoury Mince for Future Meals

Savoury mince is an excellent candidate for make-ahead meals and batch cooking, thanks to its impressive shelf life and freezer-friendliness. This makes it perfect for meal prepping and ensures you always have a comforting meal option readily available.

• Refrigeration: Any leftover savoury mince should be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: For longer storage, allow the mince to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheating: Gently reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or beef stock to loosen the sauce if it has thickened too much. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave, stirring halfway through.

Discover More Delicious Dinner Recipes

If you’ve enjoyed this hearty and versatile savoury mince, you’ll love exploring other comforting and easy dinner recipes. Expand your culinary horizons with these family-friendly dishes:

• Air Fryer Roast Beef: A quick and tender way to enjoy a classic roast.
• Zucchini and Bacon Slice: A savoury slice packed with vegetables, perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
• Impossible Quiche: An incredibly easy, crustless quiche that lives up to its name.
• Grilled Chicken Burger: A healthier alternative to beef burgers, bursting with flavour.
• Vegetable Barley Soup: A wholesome and warming soup, ideal for chilly days.
• Healthy Chicken Tacos: Fresh and vibrant tacos for a fun and flavourful meal.
• Split Pea Soup: A hearty and economical soup, rich in flavour and texture.
• Air Fryer Ground Beef: Quick tips for preparing ground beef in your air fryer.

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📋 RECIPE

Classic Savoury Mince

Yield:
4 Servings

Prep Time:
5 minutes

Cook Time:
25 minutes

Total Time:
30 minutes

This easy and healthy Savoury Mince is a truly versatile weeknight dinner, packed with delicious vegetables like potato, carrot, celery, and peas. A classic comfort food, it can be served traditionally on toast, over rice, or transformed into delicious pasties. Your whole family will absolutely adore this hearty and flavourful recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Brown Onion, diced
• 1 Carrot, peeled & diced
• 2 Celery Stalks, diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 500g / 1 lbs Beef Mince / Ground Beef
• 1 tablespoon All-Purpose / Plain Flour
• 1 Potato, peeled & diced
• 1.5 cups Beef Stock
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
• ¼ cup Frozen Peas

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrot, then sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Add beef mince to the saucepan. Cook, breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon, for 8-10 minutes until it’s fully browned.
3. Stir in the flour until well combined, cooking for 1 minute. Add the diced potato, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until the potato is tender and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce becomes too thick or liquid evaporates too quickly, add a little more stock.
4. Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are tender and heated through. Serve hot over toast, rice, or a baked potato.

Notes

Tips for Success:

Feel free to customize your savoury mince with additional vegetables like corn, green beans, mushrooms, or bell peppers. Adjust cooking times as needed for softer vegetables. For a thicker gravy, you can make a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water) and stir it in during the last few minutes of simmering.

Storing & Reheating Savoury Mince:

Store any leftover savoury mince in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer preservation, freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw thoroughly in the fridge before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of stock if needed to restore consistency.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving (Approximate):
Calories: 515Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 432mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 43g