Dutch Oven Mince and Dumplings

A Dutch oven with the lid removed showing a recently finished minced and dumplings with browned tops.

A classic Australian one-pot meal, Mince and Dumplings is not just a perfect mid-week budget meal but also one for camping when using a Dutch oven. Ground beef is simmered in a rich gravy with vegetables, then topped with homemade dumplings.

The mince (ground beef) stew is a popular meal in its own right. You can omit making the dumplings and serve the stew with fresh bread or mashed potatoes. It is similar to the American stew used to make sloppy Joes.

The dumpling recipe is a very basic one but can be substituted with a savory scone or an American biscuit, producing similar results. Traditionally, the dumplings are cooked by the steam coming off of the stew but modern versions require a top heat on the Dutch oven to brown.

Swipe to see all photos
A rough dough to make dumplings sits in a stainless steel bowl.
Prepare the easy dough by mixing together self-rising flour and heavy cream until just combined.
Looking into a Dutch oven while the base of ground beef, carrots, and peas simmers in a rich gravy.
Simmer the ground beef, onions, carrots, and peas in the rich gravy until bubbling.
A camp plate serving of mince and dumplings, with chunks of carrots and peas popping out of the mince.
This one pot meal offers a balance of meat, vegetables, and bread to make a rewarding and satisfying dinner.
Looking straight down on the beef stew with the carrots and peas giving pops of color in the otherwise brown stew.
The stew recipe uses only carrots and peas as the vegetables but you may add or substitute other vegetables.
A Dutch oven filled with beef stew and recently added balls of the dumpling dough waiting for the lid added to be cooked.
Balls of the dumpling dough are evenly spread across the top of the beef stew allowing them space to rise.
A Dutch oven with the lid removed showing a recently finished minced and dumplings with browned tops.
If heat is added from the top, the dumplings can be browned giving a more traditional bread flavor.

Dutch Oven Mince and Dumplings Recipe

0
reviews
A Dutch oven with the lid removed showing a recently finished minced and dumplings with browned tops.
A classic Australian one-pot meal of Mince and Dumplings is not just a perfect mid-week budget meal, but also great for Dutch oven camping.
Preparation 10 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Ready in 50 minutes
Servings 6 Servings
CourseDinner
InfluenceAustralian
DifficultySeasoned
MethodBake
Similar Recipes

Ingredients

Mince Stew

  • 1 pound ground beef mince
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons gravy powder
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch corn flour

Easy Dumplings

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 2 cups self-rising flour self rising

Equipment

  • 12 inch Dutch oven

Directions

Mince Stew

  • Heat the Dutch oven then add the beef. Keep stirring as it browns to make sure the grind breaks up evenly.
  • Add the onions and garlic while continuing to stir until they become transparent.
  • Add the carrots, peas, Worcestershire sauce, and beef stock, stir then leave to slowly come to a boil.
  • In a cup add the water, gravy powder, and cornstarch. Use a fork to whisk until smooth.
  • When the stew is gently simmering add the gravy slurry and stir until thickened. Reduce the heat to a low while preparing the dumplings.

Dumplings

  • Add the cream to the self-rising flour and use a knife to stir until starting to form a dough. 
  • Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and lightly kneed until it comes together (overworking the dough will create a chewy texture). Break off pieces of the dough to create small balls.
  • Place the dumplings on the top of the beef stew then place the lid on top.
  • Cook for about 12 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through.
    Option 1 – Steamed: Simply keep the stew overheat, such as on a gas stove or campfire, the boiling stew will cook the dumplings. The dumplings will look pale and moist. This is the traditional way it is cooked.
    Option 2 – Baked: Set the Dutch oven up to bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) with coals above and below. The dumplings will look brown and have a crust.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 22gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 624mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 4171IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 3mg

More Dutch Oven Recipes

Dutch Oven Roast Lamb

There is nothing like a roast cooked in a Dutch oven. Because of the cooking properties of the Dutch oven,…

by Ben Arnot

Popular Recipe Ideas

Portrait Photo of Saffron Hodgson cooking on a Camp Stove with a campfire in the background

About Saffron Hodgson

Outdoor cooking has been Saffron’s passion since she was young, often choosing to go camping and cook hearty meals over fire rather than stay inside, watch TV, and eat take-out. Today she is the driving force of Bush Cooking bringing the skills of cooking outdoors to thousands of people.

Learn more about Saffron Hodgson
fire background
Signup to our newsletter today!

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.