Savoury mince is a delicious, nutritious and family-friendly dinner that is a one pot wonder! An old-fashioned favourite, and packed with veggies, it's the ultimate budget meal that gets bellies filled. This one-pot version means you don't even have to cook rice to serve it with- it all happens in one dish! Get ready to make the easiest, most tasty meal the whole family will love.
Why you're going to love this recipe
Savoury mince is something a lot of us grew up with. It's a cheap and easy meal to make and you can use whatever you have on hand in the way of veggies to fill it out and make sure that there is lots of goodness in it. There are loads of variations of this recipe on the web, but this is the best family friendly version. Here's why you're going to love this savoury mince recipe:
- packed full of veggies
- one pot cooking
- easy steps
- serves 6
- simple flavours
- brown rice keeps it filling
- great for babies and toddlers (choose a low sodium stock)
- easy to add extra flavour
What goes into the recipe
don't forget to scroll to the recipe card for ingredient amounts and method
- olive oil
- beef mince- always go for the 5 star mince. It costs more, but it means that you are getting more meat and less fat. It generally tastes better too. And for dishes like this savoury mince with brown rice where you are cooking it quickly and with a fair amount of liquid, you won't find that it ends up dry in the pan. I look for bright red mince that has no additives in it. Often my local butcher will grind some mince for me on the spot- and then it is super fresh.
- onion- I love red onions, so I nearly always go with them, but that's a personal choice!
- garlic- two nice big cloves! If you love garlic, and don't mind the flavour, you can add two extra, and it gives an extra punch
- beef stock- any good quality beef stock will do- I've been using cubes for convenience. You need to purchase lower sodium beef stock if you are making this for babies or toddlers.
- veggies-carrot, zucchini, peas, corn are used in this recipe, but when you are making a recipe like this savoury mince with brown rice, you can be quite flexible with the veggies used. Feel free to switch them if you prefer something else, or omit one if you don't like it. Just make sure to keep the ratios the same so that it ends up a nice consistency.
- brown rice- with it's lower GI brown rice is a great way to get everyone filled
- parsley- Italian or continental parsley is the best type to use for this recipe
How to make this recipe
- Heat oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Fry until soft.
- Add the beef mince and brown.
- Add the rice, carrots and 2 cups of beef stock stir with a wooden spoon Bring to the boil.
- Cook for 20 minutes with the lid on.
- Add the remaining stock and simmer for 20 more minutes.
- Add the corn, peas, zucchini.
- Mix well and cook for 10 more minutes with the lid on.
- Stir through the parsley and serve immediately.
Expert Tips and FAQs
When cooked, it is good in the fridge for 2 days.
Yes! But it may not be exactly the same texture when reheated. Put it in the freezer in an airtight storage container. You can double the recipe if you are trying to do batch cooking.
This recipe is geared towards families. If you would like extra flavour: I recommend seasoning (salt and pepper) as well as adding 2 teaspoons of paprika at the start with the onions and garlic. You can also add tomato paste if you want to.
Also, a splash of Worcestershire sauce at the end will help to add extra flavour (please don't do this if serving to babies).
Basically it's like a shepherds pie or cottage pie but without the mashed potato!
I have made savoury mince with whatever I have on hand. broccoli instead of peas, beans instead of zucchini, a tin of chickpeas instead of carrots, the options are endless. I do it this way: if the veggie is hard I put it in when the carrots go in. If it's soft, leafy or green, it goes in when the zucchini goes in! Frozen mixed vegetables will also work. Green beans are also good in this recipe. If you are trying to bulk out the recipe with veggies, a tin of kidney beans or black beans can also be added to the mix.
Yes! I've made this with oregano, thyme, rosemary and even various combinations of them!
Sure! This recipe works well with turkey mince or lamb mince.
More budget dinner ideas
We absolutely love this beef and vegetable soup from Ottawa Mommy for a warming winter dinner.
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Savoury Mince Recipe
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 500 grams beef mince
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 carrots peeled and cubed
- 2 cups brown rice
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 zucchini cubed
- ½ cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft.
- Add the beef mince and cook until browned.
- Add the carrot, rice and 2 cups beef stock.
- Stir well and put a lid on for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the additional stock.
- Cook for a further 20 minutes with the lid on.
- Add the zucchini, peas and corn and cook for a further 10 minutes with the lid on.
- Stir through the chopped parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Recipe video
Nutritional Information
This post was originally published on November 30, 2018, and fully republished, including video on November 2, 2022.
Kristine Duffin says
Just wonder how many beef mice do I add lol
Kylie says
I've fixed it now!
Amy @ HandbagMafia says
This is lovely! I add a teaspoon of curry powder as well 🙂
Kylie says
Oooh...nice addition!!!