Nutrition: Stretch-It Beef Taco Filling
When grocery prices are high, one way to save money is to make your ground beef go further by mixing in nutritious, budget-friendly ingredients. Not only does this help reduce the cost per meal, but it can also add fiber, B-vitamins, and flavor.
Try mixing cooked lentils, black beans, chopped mushrooms, shredded zucchini, grated carrots, oats, or cooked brown rice to your ground beef. These ingredients blend well into tacos, spaghetti sauce, chili, sloppy joes, and casseroles. Start by replacing about one-third to one-half of the meat with your chosen ingredient and adjust to your family’s taste.
Stretching your beef doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor. It means making the most of your grocery budget while adding more nutrition to the meals you already love. Small changes can help your food budget go a little further, one meal at a time.
Stretch-It Beef Taco Filling
Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 serving
Ingredients
- 1-pound lean ground beef
- 1 can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
- ½ cup water
- Optional: ½ cup finely chopped mushrooms and/or shredded zucchini
Directions
- Brown the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain.
- If using mushrooms and zucchini, stir-them in and cook for 3-5 minutes until softened.
- Add the beans, taco seasoning, and water. Stir well.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Serve in tortillas, taco shells, over rice, on baked potatoes, or on top of a salad. Add your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, cheese, and or plain yogurt.
Estimated Nutrition
Serving size: ¾ cup filling
Total Calories 170
Total Fat 8 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Sodium 330 mg
Carbohydrates 6 g
Added Sugars 0 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Protein 16 g