This simple ground beef and mushrooms recipe is a quick and easy way to get dinner on the table even on busy weeknights. Made with ground beef, mushrooms, onions, and plenty of flavor, it's filling and delicious. Perfect if you want a satisfying meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
What's great about this recipe
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you need a hearty meal on the table fast.
- Hearty and Delicious: The combination of ground beef, mushrooms, and onions creates a dish that's filling and flavorful.
- Versatile and Affordable: This recipe is budget-friendly and a great example of how to stretch a pound of ground beef to feed the whole family.
- Simple Ingredients: With basic ingredients like mushrooms, onions, and pantry staples, you can whip up a delicious meal without a long shopping list.
Ingredients
- Oil – Use a neutral (flavorful) oil with a high smoke point, we use canola oil.
- Ground beef – Good options include sirloin, chuck, or round ground beef.
- Produce – From the produce section you will need mushrooms, onion, and garlic. White button or baby bella mushrooms work well. For the onion use a yellow or white onion.
- Spices and condiments – Salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce season this dish simply. Find Worcestershire sauce in the condiment aisle at the grocery store or online.
- Pantry – All purpose flour is used as a thickener and beef broth makes the gravy.
- Dairy – Butter is used to sauté the vegetables and works with flour to thicken the gravy. Use salted or unsalted butter.
- Garnish – Fresh parsley, green onions, a dollop of sour cream, and hot sauce all make good optional garnish.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make ground beef and mushrooms
- Season the beef with salt and brown over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Stir and cook another 2 minutes while stirring. Take the skillet off the heat. Remove the ground beef with a slotted spoon. Drain most or all the excess grease but do not wash or wipe.
- Place the skillet back over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onions and mushrooms. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the onions start to soften. Stir occasionally.
- Next, add the garlic and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stir often.
- Add the flour and cook for 1½ -2 minutes, stir almost constantly.
- Slowly add the beef broth while stirring briskly and gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Continue adding and stirring until the flour dissolves. Then stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
- Return the browned ground beef to the skillet. Stir well to combine with the sauce. Raise the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil.
Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the ground beef and mushrooms for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep the sauce at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat, as necessary.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ⅓ teaspoon to ours. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, vegetables, rice, or warm crusty bread, if desired.
Storing and reheating instructions
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Allow the food to cool completely. Place it in a freezer-safe container, cover, and label it with the contents and date. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
- Thawing: Thaw the ground beef and mushroom mixture in the refrigerator overnight.
- Stovetop: Transfer the desired portion to a saucepan or skillet. Add 1-2 tablespoons of beef broth or water to loosen the mixture, if needed. Heat on medium-low, covered, until hot, stirring occasionally.
- Microwave: Place the portion in a microwave-safe dish and heat until hot all the way through.
Ensure leftovers are reheated to an internal temperature of at least 165°F for safety. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
Ground beef labels
When shopping for ground beef, you may come across labels like ground chuck, sirloin, round, or simply ground beef. The main difference between these options is the fat content. Here’s a quick reference to help you choose the right type of ground beef for your needs:
- Ground Beef – 70% lean to 30% fat
- Ground chuck – 80-85% lean to 15-20% fat
- Ground round – 85-90% lean to 10-15 % fat
- Ground sirloin – 90-92% lean to 8-10% fat (use if you want the lowest fat content)
Recipe tips and notes
- If the gravy isn't thickening, uncover the pan and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reaches your desired consistency, stirring often to prevent sticking. Remember, the gravy will continue to thicken as it cools, so don't let it go too far.
- If the gravy is too thick, add more broth. Add a tablespoon or two at a time while stirring until it reaches the right consistency.
- Use reduced sodium beef broth if you're sensitive to salt.
- Don’t slice the mushroom and onions too thin so they hold up to the cooking time and you end up with hearty pieces.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use various types of mushrooms such as cremini, portobello, or shiitake mushrooms. Each type will add a unique flavor and texture to the dish.
For this recipe, any type of ground beef will work since we drain the fat after browning. Ground chuck, round, or sirloin are all good options. Use whatever you have on hand.
This beef and mushrooms recipe has a flavorful gravy that pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes or egg noodles. It's also delicious with a slice of crusty bread or Texas toast to soak up the gravy.
Ground beef is a wonderful ingredient for weeknight dinners because it’s versatile and affordable. This easy recipe is a terrific way to stretch a pound of ground beef to feed the whole family, as is this hamburger soup that’s filling and wholesome. If you like this recipe try our classic Salisbury steak with a mushroom gravy, and our ground beef stroganoff that’s a comfort food favorite.
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📖 Recipe
Ground Beef and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef ground sirloin, chuck, or round work well
- 1 teaspoon Salt plus extra at the end if needed
- 1 tablespoon Oil use neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 8 ounces Mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium Onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons Flour
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 cups Beef Broth
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- Fresh Chopped Parsley for garnish optional (other garnish options include sliced green onions, sour cream, hot sauce)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and salt. Stir well and arrange in one layer. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir well. Cook for 2 minutes (or until browned) while stirring and breaking up any large pieces.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Remove the ground beef with a slotted spoon and place on a plate.
- Drain most or all the excess grease in the skillet but do not wash or wipe.
- Place the skillet back over medium heat then add the butter. When it is melted and foamy add the onions and mushrooms. Cook them for 5-6 minutes or until the onions start to soften. Stir occasionally.
- Next, add the garlic and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stir often.
- Add the flour and cook for 1½ -2 minutes, stir almost constantly.
- Slowly add the beef broth while stirring briskly and gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Continue adding and stirring until the flour dissolves. Then stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
- Return the browned ground beef to the skillet. Stir well to combine with the sauce. Raise the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil.
- Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the ground beef and mushrooms for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep the sauce at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat, as necessary.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ⅓ teaspoon to ours.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, vegetables, rice, or warm crusty bread, if desired.
Notes
- Substitute reduced sodium beef broth if you are sensitive to salt.
- Don’t slice the mushroom and onions too thin so they hold up to the cooking time and you end up with hearty pieces.
- White button or baby bella mushrooms work nicely in this dish, choose your favorite.
- If the gravy is not thickening, uncover the pan and allow it to simmer for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached, stir often. Just keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools.
- If your gravy is too thick, add more broth. Add a tablespoon or two at a time while stirring until the it reaches the desired consistency.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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