Looking for a quick dinner recipe? Then you will love this healthy and low-calorie savory beef mince recipe. This easy recipe takes just under 15 minutes to make, is delicious, and will get you just the perfect brown, without getting dry.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy and delicious - It also pairs up well with so many side dishes.
- Ready in just 15 minutes!
- Healthy - get some good quality meat from your butcher or supermarket and you have yourself some good healthy meal, especially when you pair this up with healthy sides. Ground beef is good for you, protein-packed, and comes with many other benefits.
- Low calorie - at 264 calories per serving, this recipe is definitely a healthy low-calorie option for those looking to lose weight (as always, it is recommended that you consult a health expert or suitable resources when looking to lose weight).
- This simple recipe is low-carb, keto, gluten-free, paleo, and whole-30 compliant making it suitable for those with these special dietary requirements.
What is minced meat?
Minced meat, sometimes also as mincemeat refers to one of the following:
- A mixture of currants, raisins, sugar, apples, candied peel, spices, and suet, normally incorporated in sweet pastry and cookie baking.
- It also refers to any type of meat such as turkey, chicken, or beef that has been finely chopped using a meat grinder or a knife. It is best suited for savoury meaty dishes. Minced meat, which also goes the name ground meat (in the United States), is particularly popular as a protein sauce because of its ready-availability, affordability, and versatility ( it can be cooked in so many ways; you can fry it in a skillet or pan, boil it in the microwave, use it in casserole dishes and so forth)!
Ingredient Notes
Here is a summary of the ingredient needed for this beef mince recipe. See the detailed ingredients in the recipe card below.
- minced meat (beef) - while minced meat is a wonderful ingredient to use, pay attention to the type of meat you buy and only buy meat from reliable sources. Some butchers have been known to mix up all sorts of unsuitable cuts of meat when making minced beef (I know this is a no-brainer but there was a meat scandal that I choose not to mention by name in the UK sometime back in 2012).
- pink Himalayan salt
- sweet paprika powder
- ground ginger
- taco spice
- cumin powder (optional)
- olive oil or your preferred healthy oil (such as avocado oil)
Healthy Minced Beef (Recipe Notes)
The best way to cook minced beef or rather, the way that brings out the most flavour is to first brown it. Here is how to go about it:
- Set the beef mince in a bowl. Mix the salt and seasoning on a small plate, stir this into the bowl with the mince, then combine.
- Next, heat a large skillet or pan on the stovetop under high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the seasoned minced beef to the pan or skillet and use a wooden spoon or spatula to break it up into smaller pieces (failure to do this will result in huge chunks). Continue breaking it and stirring until you no longer see raw red bits.
- Next, allow the beef mince to cook without turning it for about 5 minutes, to allow the meat to brown at the bottom thereby releasing some extra flavour. The mince may release some of its natural liquid during frying. In case this is too much, simply drain off the liquid into a small bowl or cup and allow the remaining minced beef to further fry and brown up. Do not pour the liquid away, save it to use as a side sauce when serving, or for use in recipes calling for beef stock.
- Stir and allow to cook for a further 2-5 minutes or until cooked through and properly browned. This will depend on how hot your cooker burns. Serve while still hot with a side of your choice.
My favorite way to serve this minced beef is with this tomato and cucumber salad, or some baked celeriac chips (fries). Needless to say, it goes well with other dishes, such as pasta, low-carb pasta, or mashed potatoes!
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is totally ok to use frozen minced meat for this recipe. In this case, place the frozen meat in a pot, skillet, or pan. Top this up with half a cup of low-sodium beef broth or water, cover, and allow it to boil at medium heat, making sure to turn from time to time until all the water has evaporated. Use a wooden spoon to break up the lump when stirring. You can then proceed with the rest of the steps detailed in this recipe.
According to the USDA safest way to defrost frozen minced beef is in the refrigerator. This is so because the meat is kept at an ideal temperature the whole time. The ground meat should then be used within 24-48 hours of thawing. One can also defrost the meat by placing the meat in a waterproof bag and submerging it in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes and cook as soon as it is thawed.
More Tasty Dishes to Try!
Hungry for more healthy recipes? The certainly make our carrot omelette, rougaille saucisse (sausage and peppers stew), and kachumbari salad next!
📖 Recipe
Healthy Minced Beef Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 g minced meat (about 1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika powder sweet
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon taco spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or your preferred healthy oil (such as avocado oil)
Instructions
- Set the beef mince in a bowl. Mix the salt and seasoning on a small plate, stir this into the bowl with the mince, then combine.500 g minced meat, 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt, ½ teaspoon paprika powder, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon taco spice, ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Next, heat a large skillet or pan on the stovetop under high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the seasoned minced beef to the pan or skillet and use a wooden spoon or spatula to break it up into smaller pieces (failure to do this will result in huge chunks). Continue breaking it and stirring until you no longer see raw red bits.
- Next, cook the beef mince for about 5 minutes without turning, to allow the meat to brown at the bottom thereby releasing some extra flavour. The mince may release some of its natural liquid during frying. If this is too much, simply drain off the liquid to a small bowl or cup and allow the remaining minced beef to further fry and brown up. Do not pour the liquid away, save it to use as a side sauce when serving, or for use in recipes calling for beef stock.
- Stir and allow to cook for a further 2-5 minutes or until cooked through and properly browned. This will depend on how hot your cooker burns. Serve while still hot with a side of your choice.
Notes
- Transfer leftover minced beef to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Use minced meat within 2 days after buying, and freeze the meat if you intend to use it at a later date.
