Who doesn't love to make one big batch of something and turn it into a variety of meals?
Today Camila is showing you one of her go-to hacks to make one recipe base — meat sauce — and turn it into three easy recipes!
This beef is a base that can be used for a LOT of great recipes — And today we are sharing just three of them. But you can also use this beef base in a chili, soup, beans, salsas, etc… The options are really endless!
For those who are vegetarian, you can absolutely substitute this recipe with mushrooms! Just make sure that you cook the mushrooms all the way through until all the liquid is gone.
Once your beef is cooked and good to go (make sure you try it!), you are ready to use it in a variety of recipes. For the three we are featuring, you will want to divide your beef into three portions.
Check out Camila making these dishes step-by-step in the video below.
Ground Beef Recipe
Ingredients
Ground Beef
- 4 lbs 80/20 ground beef When we do eat red meat, we Iike to keep some fat in there for flavor.
- olive oil For a drizzle
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion Peel the onion and slice in a checkerboard pattern to dice onions.
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat add a drizzle of olive oil, chopped garlic and 2 large pinches of salt. Add the onions and cook down a little bit or until they become clear, then add tomatoes.
- Increase heat to high and add the ground beef. If the meat becomes lumpy while cooking, grab a whisk and smash it to break apart the meat. Add black pepper and salt to taste.
- Season the meat well. Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, and meat is cooked through. You do not want to have the meat get too dry. Divide the meat into three portions; make the division lines in the pan.
Meat Sauce and Pene Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 24oz jars of your favorite tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup carrots, thinly chopped A way to sneak in the vegetables and the kids don’t even realize they are eating them!
- Spanish green olives sliced in half, to taste
- 4 basil leaves
- drizzle of honey
- 1/3 ground beef recipe SEE ABOVE!
Instructions
Serve with Penne Pasta
- In a skillet, add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and let it heat up. Add the chopped garlic cloves and let it cook for a minute. Add two pinches of salt and then add the chopped onions. Let the onions cook a little bit. Add 1/3 of the meat to the skillet and mix it up and let it cook down for a minute and then add your favorite jar sauce.
- I used a tomato basil sauce (I used 24 oz. jar of Mario Batali). Depending on how meaty you like your sauce, adjust the amount of jar sauce you add to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until sauce comes to a boil, and then reduce to a medium-low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add carrots, corn, green olives, 4 basil leaves, and a drizzle of honey. If needed, add more salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: If you don't overcook your vegetables, you will get more nutrients from them!
Taco Tuesday Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 packet of your favorite taco seasoning mix
- 1/3 ground beef recipe SEE ABOVE
Taco Bar Setup
- taco shells
- shredded iceberg lettuce
- black beans
- corn
- chopped tomatoes
- chopped avocados
- shredded cheese
- chopped jalapeño
Instructions
- Take the second third of your ground meat; cook the ground beef with your favorite taco seasoning.
Note: If you get extra natural oils from the meat on the bottom of the pan just use a paper towel to remove it.
Tip: Refried Beans heated up and spread it on the inside of the taco shell is what I do with my kids it helps keep all the toppings inside and also that way they are not just eating plain shells!
Asian Bowl
Ingredients
To set up your bowl you will need
- Edamame beans (recipe below)
- your last 1/3 ground beef recipe SEE ABOVE!
- brown rice You can use instant
- favorite vegetables frozen and already cut up ones are fine
- Tamari to taste
- lime wedges
- sliced avocado
- sliced scallions
Recipe to Cook Edamame Beans
- 1 lb Edamame beans Rinse the beans and then if possible, soak the beans overnight it will help the beans cook faster and be less gassy (but not necessary)
- 8 cups water
- 2 large cloves of garlic Smashed with the side of the knife
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1/3 cup sliced red onions
- 2 generous pinches of salt
Instructions
To serve:
- In a bowl, add rice on the bottom, a layer of beans, a layer meat and top with vegetables. You can use soy sauce and hot sauce to spice it up if you want to!
For the Edamame Beans
- Add beans to a pot, cover with the 8 cups of water. Add the smashed garlic, diced tomato, red onions, and salt. Cook over high heat until it comes to a boil, and then reduce to medium heat and cover. Continue to cook until beans are soft. You will have to add more water. Tip: You need to keep an eye on the water. That’s the only hassle with the beans.
Enjoy! Making this recipe? Be sure to share it with us over on the WOT Instagram!
This article is sponsored by H-E-B.
