Jun 09 2026
Restaurants›The Cheesecake Factory›Lunch Favorites Recipe

Lunch Favorites Recipe

Inspired by The Cheesecake Factory
Time1h
Serves1

A Smaller Portion of Some of Your Favorites. Your Choice of: Famous Factory Meatloaf (1400 cal), Shepherd's Pie (1030 cal) or Fish & Chips (1720 cal)

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Ingredients

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Famous Factory Meatloaf (smaller portion)

Shepherd's Pie (smaller portion)

Fish & Chips (smaller portion)

Method

Famous Factory Meatloaf (smaller portion)

  1. 1

    Preheat and prepare

    Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Lightly oil a small loaf pan or line a small baking dish with parchment.

  2. 2

    Soak breadcrumbs

    In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit 2–3 minutes until the milk is absorbed.

  3. 3

    Mix meatloaf

    In a medium bowl add ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, diced onion, chopped parsley, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, salt and black pepper. Using clean hands or a fork, gently combine until evenly mixed but not overworked.

  4. 4

    Shape and brown (optional)

    Form the mixture into a small loaf to fit your pan. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the loaf 1–2 minutes per side just until lightly browned — this step adds flavor but is optional.

  5. 5

    Make glaze

    In a small bowl whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar until smooth.

  6. 6

    Bake

    Place loaf in prepared pan. Spread half of the glaze on top. Bake in preheated oven 30–40 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 70°C (160°F) and juices run clear. About 35 minutes for this smaller loaf is typical.

  7. 7

    Finish and rest

    In the last 5 minutes of baking brush remaining glaze on top. Remove from oven and let rest 5–7 minutes before slicing to keep juices locked in. Serve warm.

Shepherd's Pie (smaller portion)

  1. 8

    Preheat oven and prepare potato

    Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Peel and cut the potato into 2–3 cm chunks. Place in cold salted water, bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain, return to pot and mash with 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp milk; season with salt and pepper and set aside.

  2. 9

    Cook the filling

    While potatoes are boiling, heat 1 tbsp butter (or oil) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and carrot and cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Add ground lamb and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes.

  3. 10

    Make gravy for filling

    Sprinkle 1 tbsp flour over the meat and vegetables and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, dried thyme, Worcestershire sauce and pour in 80 ml beef stock. Simmer 3–5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Add frozen peas, taste and season with salt and pepper.

  4. 11

    Assemble

    Transfer meat mixture to a small ovenproof dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over the top, spreading to fully cover the filling. Smooth with a fork or create ridges to help browning.

  5. 12

    Bake

    Bake in the preheated oven 15–20 minutes until the potato top is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling at the edges. For a crisper top, broil 1–2 minutes watching closely.

  6. 13

    Rest and serve

    Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

Fish & Chips (smaller portion)

  1. 14

    Prepare chips (potatoes)

    Cut potatoes into 1–1.5 cm thick chips. Rinse under cold water, then place in salted water and bring to a simmer. Parboil 5–7 minutes until slightly tender but not falling apart. Drain well and let steam dry for a few minutes; pat dry with a towel.

  2. 15

    Heat oil

    Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of at least 6 cm (about 1–1.5 liters depending on pot). Heat to 160°C (320°F) for the first fry. Use a thermometer for accuracy.

  3. 16

    First fry the chips

    Fry the dried chips in batches at 160°C (320°F) for 4–6 minutes until softened but not browned. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

  4. 17

    Make batter and prep fish

    Season the fillet lightly with salt and pepper and dust with 2 tbsp flour (this helps batter stick). In a bowl whisk 0.5 cups flour with 0.25 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. Whisk in 80 ml cold beer (or sparkling water) until a smooth, slightly thick batter forms. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine. Pat fish dry again and keep chilled until ready to fry.

  5. 18

    Heat oil for second fry

    Increase oil temperature to 180–190°C (355–375°F) for frying the fish and final crisping of chips.

  6. 19

    Fry the fish

    Dip the fillet into the batter to coat completely, let excess drip off, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for 4–6 minutes until batter is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 60–63°C (140–145°F). Remove and drain on a rack.

  7. 20

    Second fry the chips

    Return the par-fried chips to the 180–190°C oil in small batches and fry 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain and season immediately with salt.

  8. 21

    Make quick tartar sauce and serve

    In a small bowl mix 2 tbsp mayonnaise, chopped dill pickle and 1 tsp lemon juice. Plate the fish and chips, serve with lemon wedge, tartar sauce and malt vinegar to taste.

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