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I love being able to stretch a pound of grass-fed ground beef to feed our family! Gyros, Navajo Tacos, casseroles, soups/stews, chili—all are fabulous ways to extend a pound of ground.
But we miss burgers. Hands down, a juicy burger is our favorite. Meatloaf is a close second. Both recipes need more than a pound of ground to provide a satisfying meal.
Enter the Meatloaf Burger!
Start with a pound (or even slightly less) of your favorite ground meat and stretch it with the addition of a carb component. Serve it like a slice of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and country gravy, or stick it between two buns and top with hamburger fixings.
We ended up having very moist and yummy Meatloaf Burgers. I made mashed potatoes with country gravy to put on top of both the potatoes and the burgers and glazed carrots on the side.
This recipe is now a staple for stretching a pound of ground! And it is adaptable to on-hand ingredients. The grain component can be soaked/uncooked rolled oats, leftover cooked oatmeal, leftover cooked rice, or even sourdough bread cubed and moistened with milk. I’ve even used cooked lentils to extend the ground!
As far as spices, herbs, and flavorings, try Mexican Meatloaf Burgers spiced with chili powder, cumin, and a dash of cayenne pepper and then topped with shredded cheese and salsa instead of the country gravy. Or Italian flavored with basil, oregano, and fennel topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce.
This Basic Meatloaf Burger is my go-to burger recipe. Plus they cook super fast compared to an oven-cooked meatloaf, making them almost fast food.
Basic Meatloaf Burger
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 1 cup of soaked oats, cooked soaked oats, cooked soaked brown rice, or sourdough bread moistened in milk
- 1/4 cup finely minced onion (or a tablespoon rehydrated dried, minced onion)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 or 2 cloves minced garlic (or 1/4 tsp powdered garlic)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 to 3 teaspoons of your favorite herbs or spices
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl until well mixed. Form into 6 large or 8 smaller patties. Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high (I use two skillets or my cast iron griddle) and place patties in the skillet. Cook to sear for about 5 minutes without flipping. Carefully turn each patty and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and let cook for 5 minutes without disturbing. Turn each patty again, then cover and cook another 3 to 5 minutes until cooked through.
