The Best Canned Ingredient To Stretch Ground Beef When Meat Is In Short Supply

Ground beef is quite versatile because it can be cooked in many ways for a range of recipes, from burgers to stews. As much as you can use the meat, any astute grocery shopper is aware of how pricey beef is these days. So if you're trying to reduce this week's grocery bill, or if you just opened the fridge to find out you don't have enough beef for a recipe, there's an easy way to stretch it further. Out of the many ingredients to make ground beef go further, there's a strong case to do so with beans.

Both canned and raw beans are relatively cheap, especially compared to ground beef. There's also the fact that beans contain a decent amount of protein, so the nutrients that are present in beef won't be lost. Beans also contain other nutrients like fiber and vitamins. Ground beef and beans also go hand in hand with many traditional recipes, like with a pot of chili mixed with tomatoes and other vegetables. The filler also has a rather neutral flavor profile, so it shouldn't change the taste too much in the dishes where beans aren't common.

Black beans and kidney beans should work to stretch ground beef, same with any other variety you might find in the cabinet. The key is that the beans are cooked before the ingredient is combined with the beef. Drain off the beans before you add them to the beef so you don't change the consistency too much. You can mix the beans into ground beef whole or mash them into a paste to thicken the mixture. In any given recipe, use half the amount of beef with the beans for balanced bites. Otherwise, double the same amount of beans as beef to result in even more of the dish.

If you want a few recipes that combine ground beef and beans, here are some options. Add it to our easy smash burger recipe, perhaps with diced bell peppers or jalapenos for a Tex-Mex flare. It also makes sense to add beans to this quesadilla burger recipe to turn out more for this week's meal prep. And we think beans and ground beef pair well together in these BBQ meatballs or beef street taco recipes to stretch the meal.