I grew up eating a lot of ground beef as a kid, mainly because it was very economical and so my mom cooked a lot with it. I never saw it as a cheap cut of meat because I loved it so much and to this day I still crave a good ground beef recipe. I think it happens to be the perfect protein to cook with because it is so versatile. You can change it up a thousand different ways and each time would be completely different. This time around I’m highlighting it in these Ground Beef Patties 2 Ways. I’m offering this recipe in particular because it’s a good quick and easy option and a great way to use up what you have on hand or if you do venture out to the store, the ingredients hopefully won’t be too hard to find during this difficult time. Option one, which is the way my mom made them and so my favorite option, is a beef patty with a tomato onion sauce served with rice. So easy. So good. The second option is a “fancier” take and one that I’ll be making again and again. It’s a beef patty with a mushroom gravy, served with roasted potatoes. Again, the point of these quick and easy recipes I’ve been sharing recently is all about using what you have or using the limited ingredients at the store at the moment. Either way you go, you won’t be disappointed.
This is going to seem like a lot of work, but remember that there are two options here for the same dish and that you’re not really going to be making both at the same time (unless you want to). It’s also important to keep in mind that I’ve doubled the amount for the patties so that I can show you two options and so the ingredients listed below will reflect a regular batch.
In a large bowl, gently combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, onion, parsley, garlic, paprika and Worcestershire sauce until well incorporated. Do not over-mix or you’ll end up with dry tough beef patties. Divide the mixture evenly into 6 portions, and then shape each portion into a patty about 1/2-inch thick.
**Tip: You can use ground beef if you have some on hand, or you can also make this dish with either ground chicken, turkey or even pork if you’d like! If you don’t have Panko bread crumbs, you can use regular plain or even Italian bread crumbs in here as well.**
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat with the butter and oil. Once melted, carefully add in two or three patties at a time. Cook patties until a thermometer reads 160°, and juices run clear, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with a piece of aluminum foil to keep them warm while you continue cooking the rest.
**Note: You don’t want to crowd the pan too much or else the meat won’t brown evenly and they’ll end up steaming instead. You’ll most likely have to cook them in batches, but that’s okay! Also keep in mind that the cooking times will vary depending on which ground protein you end up using.**
When the patties are done and while they’re resting, proceed with making either sauce. Again, there are two options here and you can decide which route you’d prefer to go or with what you have on hand. Make them both at different times and see which you like best.
The first sauce is a tomato onion sauce that I grew up eating a lot. My mom would put it over several different cuts of meat and these ground beef patties was one of them. Combine water, tomatoes, onions, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano in a medium saucepan and set over moderate heat. Bring up to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes and onions have softened and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
**Note: If you want to amp up the flavor, you can use chicken or beef stock instead of water! If you don’t have tomato sauce on hand, canned stewed tomatoes with their juices will work as well. Or in a pinch you can use 1/2 a cup of ketchup, which is how my mom made when I was a kid! Just off set the sweetness of the kitchen with a bit more salt and maybe a splash of vinegar.**
I grew up eating these with white rice. Serve them by spooning the sauce and the onions and tomatoes over the patties. That’s my childhood on a plate right there and the best part is that you can make them with pantry staples and not much work at all.
**Note: Brown rice, couscous, quinoa or even cooked pasta would be great with this as well. Use whatever you have on hand!**
The second option is a mushroom gravy version. Now I definitely did not eat this version as a kid, but I wish I had because it’s so tasty. It reminds me of like a Salisbury steak. Wipe out the skillet you used to fry the patties with a paper towel and set over moderate heat. Add the butter and the mushrooms, stirring often, and cooking until the mushrooms have begun to brown. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and the fresh thyme. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for another minute or so to soften.
**Note: Do not season the mushrooms until after they’ve browned. I find that adding salt to them right away will draw out too much of their liquid and really prevent them from browning properly. If you don’t have shallot, a bit of minced onion (which ever kind you have) or even scallions will work.**
Stir in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds. You want to cook it just for a bit to remove that raw flour taste. This is what will help thicken up our gravy.
Slowly stir in the stock and cook over low heat until it has thickened. Season with Worcestershire sauce and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
**Note: The Worcestershire sauce in every step of this entire recipe is completely optional. I find that it adds a nice depth of flavor to both sauces and the patties but not completely essential. Soy sauce would work in as well for a nice umami flavor.**
I like to serve this version with roasted potatoes on the side. Just spoon the mushroom gravy over the patties and sprinkle with a bit of chopped fresh chives. I like that brightness at the end.
**Note: To make the roasted potatoes, just toss together a pound of halved baby potatoes (any kind) with olive oil, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and paprika. Roast in a 400°F oven until golden brown and crispy, about 18 to 20 minutes. This would also be great with mashed potatoes instead!**
Whichever route you choose you can’t go wrong. This makes six fairly large patties but you can also make them smaller if you want or even make them into meatballs instead!
I hope this quick and easy recipe will bring a little dinner inspiration to you during this difficult time where the grocery store isn’t so stocked as we’re used to. I also hope that you can whip up either version with what you might have on hand. If you have any questions about substitutions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Stay safe out there, friends!
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef (or ground chicken, turkey or pork)
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups beef stock
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, for garnish
- 1½ cups water
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced
- Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- In a large bowl, gently combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, onion, parsley, garlic, paprika and Worcestershire sauce until well incorporated. Do not over-mix or you'll end up with dry tough beef patties. Divide the mixture evenly into 6 portions, and then shape each portion into a patty about ½-inch thick.
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat with the butter and oil. Once melted, carefully add in two or three patties, depending on the size of your pan. You don't want to crowd the pan too much or else the meat won't brown evenly. You'll most likely have to cook them in batches. Cook patties until a thermometer reads 160°, and juices run clear, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with a piece of aluminum foil to keep them warm while you continue cooking the rest.
- When the patties are done and while they're resting, proceed with making either sauce.
- To make the mushroom gravy, wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and set over moderate heat. Add the butter and the mushrooms, stirring often, and cooking until the mushrooms have begun to brown. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and the fresh thyme. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for another minute or so to soften. Stir in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds. Slowly stir in the stock and cook over low heat until it has thickened. Season with Worcestershire sauce and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. Serve the patties by spooning the gravy over them and garnishing with fresh chives. You can serve with roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes or even rice!
- To make the tomato onion sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and set over moderate heat. Bring up to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes and onions have softened and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Serve the patties by spooning the sauce over them. You can serve with rice or mashed potatoes! Enjoy!
Particularly like the look of the mushrooms! Great idea…