Beef, potatoes, and vegetables including carrots, broccoli, and/or dark-green leafy; cream sauce, white sauce, or mushroom sauce
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a classic comfort dish of tender beef, soft potatoes, and vibrant vegetables like carrots, broccoli, or leafy greens, all enveloped in a rich, savory cream, white, or mushroom sauce. The texture is a comforting blend of meaty chew, starchy softness, and crisp-tender vegetables, unified by a smooth, velvety sauce. Nutritionally, it's a balanced one-plate meal offering a good mix of protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Calorie split: 16% protein · 34% carbs · 49% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore this dish for its deep, savory umami flavor and the satisfying, hearty texture that feels like a warm hug. It's a versatile template that can be adapted with different vegetables and sauces, making it a staple in home cooking and a symbol of comforting, familiar cuisine.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The cream or white sauce can be high in saturated fat and sodium, and the dish's overall calorie density may not suit low-fat diets. To counteract this, you can opt for a lighter sauce made with broth or low-fat milk, load up on the non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, leafy greens), and practice portion control with the potatoes and sauce.
Key benefits
- Provides a complete protein source from beef.
- Offers complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.
- Contains dietary fiber from the vegetable components.
- Rich in essential vitamins like Vitamin A (carrots) and Vitamin K (leafy greens).
- The fat in the sauce aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The 'white sauce' (béchamel) is one of the five French 'mother sauces' and is the base for many other sauces, including the cheese sauce often used in dishes like cauliflower cheese.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 75.2 g |
| Energy | 127 kcal |
| Protein | 5.3 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 7.1 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 11.1 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.3 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 23.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.57 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 14.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 60.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 217 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 307 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.85 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.09 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 4.9 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 6.4 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.06 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.05 mg |
| Niacin | 1.3 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.18 mg |
| Folate, total | 11.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 11.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 11.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 25.2 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.25 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 77.0 ug |
| Retinol | 5.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 708 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 300 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 147 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.2 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.10 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 18.4 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 1.4 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 | 0.89 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.32 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 2.7 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.07 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 2.6 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 2.5 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 2.2 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.30 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 dish gluten-free?
It can be, but traditional cream or white sauces often use wheat flour as a thickener. To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend or a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
Can I make it healthier?
Yes. Use lean cuts of beef, replace heavy cream with a mixture of broth and low-fat milk or Greek yogurt, and double the portion of non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and spinach.
What's the best way to reheat leftovers?
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of milk or broth to prevent the sauce from becoming too thick or separating.
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 1.27 kcal/g · 17% calories from protein · 1.4 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: 1.41 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.