This easy savoury mince recipe is a versatile (and delicious) option for batch cooking and freezing. A classic British comfort food, it's been a family favourite for over 50 years.
Serve it with roast potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, or toast. You can also turn it into a bolognese, chilli, or minced beef pie with a few extra ingredients.
I love this old-fashioned savoury mince, especially during the cold winter months when I'm looking for something rich, warming, and hearty to fill me up.
Best of all, it's budget-friendly, quick to make (the cook time is just 35 minutes), and requires only one pan.
This simple minced beef recipe utilises frozen vegetables and pantry staples, which all come together to create a delicious thick gravy-style sauce to coat the minced beef.
👩🍳 Looking for an unusual minced beef recipe? Try this traditional South African Bobotie!
'I never normally rate recipes I try, but my kids don't usually eat 100% of a meal either. This was quick, cheap, easy, and delicious. Made with stuff I had already in the kitchen (after I realised I didn't have the ingredients for what I originally thawed mince for) and best of all my kids approve! Thankyou!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Liz
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Quick, easy, and cheap meal with mince.
- Great for batch cooking and freezing.
- Old-fashioned comfort food.
- It's a versatile recipe that can be transformed into bolognese, lasagne, or minced beef chilli with a few added ingredients.
'Made this Savoury Mince over the weekend and it was a hit! Thank you for sharing!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jo
🥘 Ingredients
Minced Beef - use lean minced beef (ground beef) or you could substitute for Quorn mince for a veggie alternative. Try the savory mince recipe with lamb mince or turkey mince too, for a different taste.
Olive Oil - for frying.
Onion - finely chopped onion or swap for a sweeter red onion.
Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped.
Dried Italian Herbs - or use a combination of dried thyme, oregano, and rosemary.
Tomato Purée - adds richness and depth of flavour.
Flour - helps to thicken the sauce.
Beef Stock - creates the gravy. You could also use vegetable or chicken stock for a lighter tasting meal.
Frozen Mixed Vegetables - I used a mixture of frozen peas, carrots and green beans. Frozen sweetcorn is another great option.
Marmite - the secret ingredient that adds so much flavour! Use vegemite if you're in Australia or NZ or swap for Worcestershire sauce.
Salt & Pepper - for seasoning.
'This is the best savory mince I have ever eaten. I’ve made it about 10 times!! My family reckon they could eat it every night. It’s quick and easy to make and so tasty. Very hearty and healthy as well as comforting on a cold night.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lyn
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Heat the oil in a shallow casserole or large pan and fry the chopped onions and garlic until soft.
Two: Stir through the dried Italian herbs then turn up the heat and add the beef mince. Break up the mince with a wooden spoon and continue to stir until the mince changes colour.
Three: Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, before adding the tomato puree, beef stock, and marmite. Simmer for 15 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally.
Four: Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables and cook for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables are tender. If you would like to thicken the gravy up further, add a tablespoon of thickening granules or whisk in a cornflour slurry.
Top Tips
- Opt for good quality lean mince. Aim for less than 12% fat if you can.
- Ensure you brown the mince properly before adding any liquids.
- Season well and taste as you go along. This allows you to adjust the flavours according to your preference.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the savoury mince with crispy polenta roast potatoes, creamy mash, roast sweet potato, or even rice and pasta, with a side of vegetables such as garlic green beans.
Home-baked focaccia or air fryer garlic bread would help to bulk the meal out, and it can also be used for mopping up the thick beef gravy-style sauce.
I've also served it in a giant Yorkshire pudding before, which the kids really liked, and even topped it with puff pastry to make a minced beef pie.
Leftovers could be used to make easy lasagne or cottage pie, spoon it through cheesy pasta, or use it as a topping for jacket potatoes.
📖 Variations
- Use lamb mince instead of beef mince, or make it vegetarian and use Quorn mince.
- Add chilli powder or chilli flakes if you like your food spicy. You could even add a can of kidney beans in chilli sauce to transform it into a quick and easy chilli con carne.
- I usually add frozen mixed vegetables but you could use fresh vegetables if you prefer. Peppers, celery, courgettes, or sweetcorn would all work well.
- Mix in a tin of chopped tomatoes for more flavour.
- Swap the dried herbs for fresh herbs. Thyme and rosemary are nice options
- Try making this recipe in your slow cooker!
🥡 Storage
Store - Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - In the microwave until piping hot. You could also reheat it in a saucepan on the hob.
Freeze - Once cooled, place the mince in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
❓ FAQS
Dried herbs like thyme, rosemary and oregano are good with beef. Marmite is also a great flavour enhancer (as is Worcestershire sauce) and is added to beef stews and recipes using minced beef such as bolognese and chilli.
Minced beef (ground beef) is widely available in supermarkets. If you prefer to make your own minced beef the best way of doing it is to cut a beef joint into cubes (brisket is good for this), freezing the cubed beef for half an hour, then placing in a food processor and pulsing until you get your desired consistency.
Fry the beef on a fairly high heat and whilst doing so, use a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces.
Of course, feel free to add some chilli powder or fresh chillies to increase the heat to your liking.
Here are some ideas for dishes you can make with ground/minced beef:
Bolognese sauce - A classic pasta sauce made with mince, tomatoes, herbs and wine. Toss with spaghetti or tagliatelle.
Chilli con carne - A hearty beef chili with beans, tomatoes, onions and spices. Serve with rice.
Tacos - Season the mince with taco seasoning and serve in tortillas with toppings.
Meatballs - Roll the minced beef into balls and bake or fry. Serve with pasta.
Meatloaf - Mix the beef mince with breadcrumbs, eggs and seasonings and bake in a loaf pan.
Burgers - Form the mince into patties and grill or pan-fry. Serve on buns with condiments.
Pies - Top a pie crust with minced beef filling made with onions, carrots and gravy. Bake until the pastry is golden.
😋Related recipes
More easy mince recipes to try!
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Recipe
Easy Savoury Mince Recipe
Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 500 g Minced Beef use lean 5% fat
- 2 teaspoon Dried Italian Herbs or use dried thyme
- 2 tablespoon Plain Flour
- 450 ml Beef Stock
- 3 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 teaspoon Marmite or use a splash of Worcestershire Sauce or vegemite
- 200 g Frozen Mixed Vegetables
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a shallow casserole and fry the chopped onions and garlic until soft.1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Onion, 2 Garlic cloves
- Stir through the dried Italian herbs then turn up the heat and add the beef mince. Break up the mince with a wooden spoon and continue to stir until the mince changes colour.2 teaspoon Dried Italian Herbs, 500 g Minced Beef
- Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, before adding the tomato puree, beef stock and marmite. Simmer for 15 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally.2 tablespoon Plain Flour, 450 ml Beef Stock, 3 tablespoon Tomato Puree, 1 teaspoon Marmite
- Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables, season, and cook for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Serve with roast potatoes or mash.200 g Frozen Mixed Vegetables, ¼ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Video
Notes
- Use lamb mince instead of beef mince or make it vegetarian friendly and use Quorn mince.
- Add chili powder if you like things spicy. You could even add a can of kidney beans in chili sauce to transform it into a quick and easy chili con carne.
Kara
Your posts have made me a marmite convert. I've been looking for some new ideas for ground beef beyond my go-to bolognese or burgers. Thanks for this!!
Irina
I have all the ingredients on my hands and am going to make it. The meal sounds easy to make and delicious to taste. 🙂
Felicity Gardner
Whoops, I’m a Kiwi and we eat Marmite,mostly. The Aussies are vegemitans 😊
Sara Welch
This is my kind of comfort food! Adding this to my dinner line up for the week; looks too good to pass up, indeed!
Julie Menghini
This mince sounds so flavorful. I like the idea of serving it with roasted potatoes. Will definitely give that a try.
Jo
Made this Savoury Mince over the weekend and it was a hit! Thank you for sharing!
Sara Welch
Served this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! Easy, hearty and hits the spot! Delicious!
Tara
Such a comforting weeknight meal! Definitely perfect for the cooler weather we are having and I love the minimal prep.
Charla
This looks so inviting my family are going to love your mince recipe. Thank you!!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
This is perfect comfort food and I love the addition of marmite for extra flavour.
Liz
I never normally rate recipes I try but my kids don't usually eat 100% of a meal either. This was quick, cheap, easy and delicious. Made with stuff I had already in the kitchen (after I realised I didn't have the ingredients for what I originally thawed mince for) and best of all my kids approve! Thankyou!
Beth Sachs
Hi Liz. I'm so glad your kids enjoyed it!
Lyn
This is the best savory mince I have ever eaten. I’ve made it about 10 times!! My family reckon they could eat it every night. It’s quick and easy to make and so tasty. Very hearty and healthy as well as comforting on a cold night.
Beth Sachs
So glad your family love it Lyn!
Jenny Gregory
So easy! Thank you.
Janet Bailey
Hi Beth,
This is the best mince dinner I have ever eaten. My mother made a similar recipe that was awfully bland and I swore I would never make it when I started to cook for myself. However, when I came across this website & your recipe I was intrigued and had to try it. I'm so glad I did.
Janet
T
Isabella McNickle
Have been making what I thought was savoury mince all my life; never seemed to get the flavour quite right. This has been a game changer! Followed the recipe to the letter and - voila! Best savoury mince ever. Many thanks - have copied it into The Book!
John Loveridge
Added peas for the last five minutes and put carrots in with the onion and garlic to start with to increase veggy content. Very tasty and, as I'm alone I can freeze portions for later use. Had it with air fried tinned potatoes which were surprisingly good!