Beef, potatoes, and vegetables excluding carrots, broccoli, and dark-green leafy; cream sauce, white sauce, or mushroom sauce
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a hearty, comforting plate of tender beef, soft potatoes, and mixed vegetables (like peas, corn, or green beans) all smothered in a rich, savory cream, white, or mushroom sauce. It's a classic, satisfying meal where the creamy sauce binds the savory meat and starchy potatoes together. Nutritionally, it offers a balanced mix of protein, carbs, and fat in a single dish.
Calorie split: 16% protein · 37% carbs · 46% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love this dish for its ultimate comfort-food appeal—the combination of savory beef, creamy sauce, and hearty vegetables is deeply satisfying and nostalgic. It's a versatile one-plate meal that feels both homey and substantial.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The cream-based sauce can be high in saturated fat and sodium, which may be a concern for heart health or blood pressure management. To counteract this, consider using a lighter sauce base (like a broth-thickened velouté), choosing leaner cuts of beef, and loading up on the non-starchy vegetables to increase fiber and volume.
Key benefits
- Provides complete protein from beef for muscle maintenance.
- Offers quick energy from starchy potatoes.
- Contains essential vitamins and minerals from the vegetable medley.
- The fat from the sauce aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
- A calorie-dense, satisfying meal that promotes satiety.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The classic 'white sauce' or Béchamel is one of the French 'mother sauces,' meaning countless variations like mushroom or cream sauce are built from its simple base of butter, flour, and milk.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 74.5 g |
| Energy | 128 kcal |
| Protein | 5.3 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 6.7 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 12.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.3 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.3 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 21.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.57 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 16.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 62.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 223 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 303 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.87 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.09 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 4.9 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 3.6 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.06 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.06 mg |
| Niacin | 1.4 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.18 mg |
| Folate, total | 10.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 10.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 10.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 26.1 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.25 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 8.0 ug |
| Retinol | 5.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 23.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 6.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 10.0 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 101 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.96 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.10 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 13.0 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 1.3 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.06 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.86 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.31 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 2.5 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.07 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 2.4 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 2.4 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 2.1 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.28 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 12.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Beef, variety meats and by-products, mechanically separated beef, raw — USDA does not publish this profile for Beef.
| Tryptophan | 0.17 g |
| Threonine | 0.47 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.58 g |
| Leucine | 1.2 g |
| Lysine | 1.2 g |
| Methionine | 0.43 g |
| Cystine | 0.23 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.64 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.38 g |
| Valine | 0.92 g |
| Arginine | 1.2 g |
| Histidine | 0.44 g |
| Alanine | 1.0 g |
| Aspartic acid | 1.3 g |
| Glutamic acid | 2.1 g |
| Glycine | 1.2 g |
| Proline | 0.92 g |
| Serine | 0.57 g |
FAQ
Is this a low-carb meal?
No, it is not. The potatoes and the flour used to thicken the sauce contribute a significant amount of carbohydrates (about 12g per 100g). For a lower-carb version, you could substitute the potatoes with cauliflower and use a thickener like xanthan gum.
Can I make this dish with chicken instead of beef?
Absolutely. This is a very common adaptation. Chicken thighs or breasts work well, and the dish becomes a 'Chicken and Potato in Cream Sauce.' The cooking time may be shorter for chicken.
What vegetables work best in this dish?
While the description excludes carrots, broccoli, and dark greens, common additions include peas, corn, green beans, pearl onions, or sliced mushrooms. The key is using vegetables that hold their texture well in a creamy sauce.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.28 kcal/g · 17% calories from protein · 1.3 g fiber · 1.3 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 1.36 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.