I Just Learned This Hack To Stretch Ground Beef From Our Test Kitchen (and It’s Going To Save Me So Much Money)

The price of ground beef, like the prices of so many of our most-used kitchen staples, has unfortunately increased in recent years. The versatile ingredient isn’t quite as budget-friendly as it used to be—but what if we told you there’s a way to keep your favorite cheap ground beef recipes actually cheap?

Luckily, our very own Nicole McLaughlin has a hack for that.

How to Stretch Ground Beef With Mushrooms

Incorporating finely chopped mushrooms into cooked, crumbled ground beef adds volume without adding a ton of flavor, according to Nicole.

“You’ve got to trust me on this: No one will know unless you tell them,” she says.

Two 8-ounce packages of mushrooms (about $2 per package) will add the volume of about a pound of beef. If you season the mixture properly, the mushrooms will be virtually undetectable. Plus, this hack is great for picky eaters who might be unlikely to willingly eat veggies.

Nicole simply prepares her ground beef as usual, but doesn’t drain the fat after the meat is done cooking. Instead, she uses that excess grease to cook the finely chopped mushrooms into the meat, seasoning well as she goes.

Test Kitchen Tip

Nicole uses a food processor to ensure the mushrooms are as finely chopped as possible. However, this isn’t necessary if you don’t have one (or don’t want to bother with getting it out of the cabinet). A sharp knife and basic mincing skills should do the trick just fine. 

Believe it or not, Nicole says the mushrooms “just melt right into the ground beef.” She even put it to the test, asking unassuming coworkers to taste her creation—nobody could tell that anything was added and everyone was surprised to learn just how much of the “beef” was actually mushrooms. 

Related: Nicole's Most Popular Recipe of 2024 Is a Slow Cooker Marvel

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