This easy healthy beef hotpot recipe is a classic British hotpot that's pure comfort food for the whole family on colder days. Juicy tender chunks of beef are cooked with diced vegetables in thick gravy while baking with potato slices on top until brown and crispy.
I'll show you how to make it as a slow cooker recipe as well as on the stove top, then baking in the oven.
One of our favourite dishes is a good old Lancashire hotpot recipe. We're from Yorkshire, (where most joke that Lancashire is on the wrong side of the Pennines!)
But you know a recipe is good when this easy hotpot has travelled far and wide and has been enjoyed for centuries. It usually consists of lamb, along with onion, flour and stock.
It's very similar to one-pot meals like beef stew and this mince and tatties recipe. But it is slow cooked with slices of potatoes on top while covered. Then baked uncovered until you have crispy sliced potatoes.
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✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Here are a handful of reasons why we think you'll love this easy beef hotpot recipe too:
- Packed with vitamins from the veggies
- It's low fat and healthy, yet rich in flavour
- Great for warming you up on a cold day
- Easy to customise, depending on your diet
- An easy dinner time recipe - no skill required!
- It's the perfect dish for adding leftovers - anything goes!
- Can be cooked in a slow cooker if you're too busy to pot watch
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities, preparation instructions and nutrition information at the bottom of this post.
Low calorie cooking oil spray - we use Frylight for an unofficial Slimming World hotpot. If not required, you can use olive oil or butter to brown the beef
Lean diced beef - or use regular stewing beef. If you can't find lean cuts, ask your local butcher, or you can trim any excess fat for weight loss. Alternatively, at an extra cost, you can make a lamb hotpot recipe
Onions - diced. I use white onions in my beef hot pot recipe, but for sweetness and extra nutrition, swap for red or shallots
Carrots - diced. You can use any root vegetables to bulk up your hot pot ingredients
Garden peas - I use frozen peas. We love the sweetness and vibrant green colour they add
Potatoes - I peel and slice cheap all purpose potatoes, no thicker than 5mm or ⅕". For ease and quickness, you can cut in to chunks and stir in the pot like a beef casserole
Seasoning - this is just a little salt and black pepper to season the beef while browning and some sprinkled on they layer of potatoes
Beef stock - this is 1-2 beef stock cubes made up with water. I sometimes like to add a Beef OXO for a richer flavour and dark colour
Red wine stockpot - for a subtle taste of luxury, or why not swap ½ cup of stock for a glass of red wine or beer?
Rolled oats - I think this is one of the best ways thicken the gravy instead of using flour. It's naturally gluten free, higher in fibre and after the cooking time is up, they will have completely dissolved in the pot
Fresh rosemary - or you can use fresh thyme, bay leaves, or tie up a little bouquet garni from fresh herbs from the garden
📋 Instructions
First, preheat your oven to 160c fan, 180c conventional, gas mark 4 or 350F.
1. In a large frying pan or Dutch oven, add the oil, hot pot meat and seasoning.
Then fry over medium-high heat until browned. This should take about 5-8 minutes.
2. Lower to medium heat.
Add the carrots and onions and fry while stirring until softened.
This should take about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the stock, oats and red wine stock pot. Now bring it to a boil.
Feel free to add 2 tablespoon of tomato purée now if you wish.
Slow cooker beef hotpot: transfer the beef and vegetables to a crockpot, including everything in the next steps.
4. Stir in the garden peas and leaves from sprigs of the rosemary.
Note: I discard the remaining stem of rosemary.
5. Now turn off the heat and add the potato slices on top.
It doesn't matter if they overlap - they will still cook!
Then season well and drizzle or spray again with oil or remaining butter if using.
6. Cover the pot with a lid or tin foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Slow cookers: cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 7-8 hours.
Then remove the lid and bake in the oven for a final 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown.
Tip: don't skip searing your beef chunks or ground beef as it adds the best flavour to the dish!
👩🍳 Substitutions
Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make:
- Diced beef - you can swap for ground meat, ie, make a minced beef hotpot, use chicken, turkey or vegetarian mince for a lighter lunch time treat
- Potatoes - swap for sliced swede on top of the beef for a low carb keto option
- Stock - swap for vegetable stock or broth and ensure it is gluten free if required
- Porridge oats - you can swap for 25-50g of plain flour while frying the beef if preferred
- Vegetables - feel free to swap for mushrooms, butternut squash, parsnips, swede, shredded napa cabbage, etc
⚖️ Variations
Here are some different ways you can make it the best beef hotpot in the world to match your tastebuds:
- Asian style - if you prefer the flavours of Japanese hot pots, then why not fry onions, garlic, chilli and ginger. Then fry finely shredded beef and use less stock, then flavour with honey, soy sauce and lime juice. Instead of potatoes, serve with leafy greens like pak choi, toasted sesame seeds and noodles
- Vegetarian - for an alternative source of protein,
- Deluxe - add some pan fried crispy lardons for an extra meaty flavour, and top the potatoes with cheese for the final half hour
- Tomato infused - for a sweeter tomato based flavour, feel free to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce (not GF or V), and tomato puree (tomato paste)
- Beef and ale hotpot - add beer or red wine to the broth for extra depth of flavour
- Cowboy hotpot - a popular dish to make is a cowboy hotpot with mince, along with sliced sausages, and baked beans, mixed beans and a pinch of chilli. This is a great way to increase your fibre intake. Note: I recommend using half the amount of stock
🔪 Equipment
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- Cast iron dutch oven*
- Spatula
- Potato peeler
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
- Salt and pepper grinder
- Weighing scales
- Measuring jug
*Or a frying pan and separate casserole dish
❄️ Storage
Storing - we prefer eating chunky or minced beef with sliced potatoes freshly cooked. However, it can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Freezing - cool to room temperature and again, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating - If you want to eat the next day, defrost in the fridge if required and microwave until piping hot, or back in the oven.
💡Pro Tips
- Don't skip browing the meat as it will add extra flavour to the dish. You can read about the Malliard reaction here to explain more
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to cook the hotpot to help evenly distribute the heat
- Opt for fresh herbs as opposed to dried herbs for better flavour if possible
- Let the hotpot rest for a few minutes to slightly cool before eating
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Here are a few side ideas you can eat this recipe for beef hotpot:
Bread - a cheap, simple and filling way to enjoy this British hot pot recipe is to soak up the luscious gravy with crusty bread
Vegetables - we love eating with a side of steamed vegetables such as tenderstem broccoli, cauliflower, etc
Mash - you can double up on the carbs if preferred and serve with mashed potatoes, swede, carrots, etc
Sauces - serve with dollop of horseradish, apple chutney, cramberry, etc for some sweetness
❓ FAQ
You can use any lean cut of beef that is suitable for stewing, such as braising steak, casserole steak, or beef shin. You can also use other cuts such as rump steak, but they are more expensive.
You can make a gluten free beef hotpot by using GF stock and ensuring the oat manufacturers are not produced in a factory that handles gluten. And use balsamic vinegar instead of Worcestershire sauce if adding
Yes, you can make this beef hotpot in a slow cooker. Slow cooking is perfect to achieve melt-in-your-mouth tender beef using cheaper cuts of meat.
Just follow the same browning beef steps, then transfer the mixture to the slow cooker pot and top with the potatoes. Cook on a low setting for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Then bake in the oven for 30 minutes if you want to crisp the potatoes.
If you have a big enough pot to fit in your air fryer, then making this main course can be cooked in the air fryer.
Yes, this recipe can be cooked in an Instant Pot under high pressure for 40 minutes. Then use a crisper air fryer lid to finish the potatoes so they are not soggy.
For a quicker mince hotpot with sliced potatoes, you can use leftover roast beef or 2 cans of stewed steak along with leftover cooked vegetables. Then layer with sliced tinned potatoes and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can parboil sliced potatoes n salted water and remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on your hotpot.
➕ More Unofficial Slimming World Beef Recipes
Looking for another healthy beef stew like this? Why not try these:
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📖 Recipe
Unofficial Slimming World Beef Hotpot
Equipment
Ingredients
- Frylight
- 400 g diced beef lean
- 2 onions large, peeled & diced
- 2 carrots large, peeled & diced
- Seasoning Salt and pepper
- 13 g rolled oats (approx 2 tbsp) *to be counted
- 1 red wine stockpot
- 600 ml beef stock made up with stock cubes
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or thyme
- 150 g frozen peas
- 600 g potatoes peeled & sliced 5mm thick
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 160c fan, 180c conventional, gas mark 4 or 350F.
- In a large frying pan or Dutch oven, add the oil, hot pot meat and seasoning.Then fry over medium-high heat until browned. This should take about 5-8 minutes.
- Lower to medium heat. Then add the carrots and onions and fry while stirring until softened.This should take about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the stock, oats and red wine stock pot. Now bring it to a boil. Feel free to add 2 tablespoon of tomato purée now if you wish.Slow cooker beef hotpot: transfer the beef and vegetables to a crockpot, including everything in the next steps.
- Stir in the garden peas and leaves from sprigs of the rosemary.Note: I discard the remaining stem of rosemary.
- Now turn off the heat and add the potato slices on top. It doesn't matter if they overlap - they will still cook!Then season well and drizzle or spray again with oil or remaining butter if using.
- Cover the pot with a lid or tin foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.Slow cookers: cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 7-8 hours.Then remove the lid and bake in the oven for a final 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown.
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
- Don't skip browing the meat as it will add extra flavour to the dish. You can read about the Malliard reaction here to explain more
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to cook the hotpot to help evenly distribute the heat
- Opt for fresh herbs as opposed to dried herbs for better flavour if possible
- Let the hotpot rest for a few minutes to slightly cool before eating
Bob Rouse
I belong to the Slimming World group in Kessingland, Suffolk and have made the Beef Hotpot recipe several times. It is absolutely gorgeous and of course syn free!
I am slowly working my way through your other recipes as you publish them.
As some of my group aren't able to print off your recipes, would it be in order for me to print them off for them and take them to the club meetings?
I have been singing your praises at our group meetings and everybody is very keen to follow your recipes.
Please keep posting these appetising, tasty, meals.
Dorothy Davenport
Brilliant made this and the taste was very good, only thing I added was a couple of bay leaves.
Jill Phillips
Interested in sw recipes please.
vikkie
Hi Jill, if you sign up the my mailing list (above this comment section) you'll get free emails when each new recipe goes live ?