Freezer-Ready Beef Mince Sauce

This sauce is deliberately versatile — use it as a bolognese, chilli base, stuffed pepper filling, or on jacket potatoes. Making 8 portions in one session and freezing them flat in bags gives you instant, high-protein dinners for weeks without any weekly cooking.

Ingredients

• 1kg extra-lean beef mince (5% fat)
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 large onions, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 sticks celery, finely diced
• 200ml beef stock
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a very large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot, and celery for 8 minutes until softened.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Increase heat to high and add the mince. Cook for 8 minutes, breaking up, until fully browned.
4. Stir in the tomato purée. Cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, paprika, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves.
6. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
7. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Remove bay leaves. Season generously.
9. Cool completely. Divide into 8 portions and freeze flat in zip-lock bags.

Nutrition Notes

Each 8-portion batch contains approximately 192g of protein total. The sauce freezes for up to 3 months with no meaningful nutritional loss. Defrosted portions can be on the table in under 15 minutes — faster than ordering a takeaway.