Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef (2024)

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Make four quick, easy, and incredibly delicious Meals For One Person From One Pound of Ground Beef. Perfect for meal planning!

this Recipe

One pound of ground beef can go a long way if you’re cooking for one. In fact, we can get at least four single serving meals out of just one pound.

Table of Contents

  • How To Buy Ground Beef
  • Video – 4 Meals From 1 Pound Of Ground Beef
  • Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef
  • Why These Recipes Work
  • Ground Beef Recipes For One Person
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Expert Tips

How To Buy Ground Beef

Ground beef is one of the easiest types of beef to identify in the grocery store but when it comes to picking out which type of ground beef to buy, it can get a bit confusing.

Types Of Ground Beef

  • Ground chuck: Cut from the shoulder, ground chuck ranges from 15 to 20% fat and is a great choice for burgers. This type of meat is more flavorful.
  • Ground sirloin: Cut from the midsection of the animal, ground sirloin usually ranges in fat content from 7 to 10%. It is great to use when making meatloaf and meat sauce.
  • Ground round: This is a lean type of meat coming from the rear upper leg and rump of the cow. The fat content ranges from 10 to 20%.
  • Ground beef: Any cut or combination of cuts can be labeled “ground beef”. Ground beef can have as much as 30% fat.
Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef (2)

Video – 4 Meals From 1 Pound Of Ground Beef

Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef

Below we’ve gathered four of our most popular single serving ground beef recipes. Each of the recipes uses a quarter pound of ground beef.

I find it helpful to take the pound of ground beef and break it up into four portions (4-ounces weach) and put them into ziplock bags, or other airtight containers. You can store ground beef in the refrigerator if you are going to use it in two days or ground beef will last up to four months in the freezer.

Since these ground beef recipes are single serving recipes, you might wonder what to do with any leftover ingredients. Well, we actually list other recipes and ways to use up leftover ingredients so there’s no waste. You can find that information in each of the recipe links below.

Why These Recipes Work

  • Easy to make:Each of these meals comes together quickly and is made with ingredients you may likely already have on hand.
  • No waste:I can easily get 4 single serving meals from 1 pound of ground beef and find this to be an economical way to meal plan.
  • Delicious meals:Each of these meals are so incredibly delicious. They’re each made from scratch and filled with flavor.
  • Cooking for two?These are all single serving recipes but if you’re cooking for two, each of the recipes can be doubled to serve two people. You might even consider adding a side dish to any of the dishes too.

RELATED: Single Serving Side Dish Recipes

Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef (3)

Ground Beef Recipes For One Person

Click the boxes to go straight to the recipes.

Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef (4)

Baked Ziti For One

Indulge in comforting baked ziti scaled down to one perfect serving. Rich, cheesy, and satisfying, this dish is a quick yet decadent dinner solution.

Baked Ziti Recipe

Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef (5)

Italian Meatball For One

5 from 6 votes

Easy to make giant Italian meatball topped with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. This homemade, oven baked meatball is juicy & filled with flavor!

Italian Meatball Recipe

Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef (6)

Shepherd’s Pie For One

4.83 from 17 votes

Make our Individual Shepherd's Pie recipe: a hearty, comforting single serving meal featuring ground lamb, mixed vegetables, rich gravy, & creamy mashed potatoes. Simple, adaptable, and ideal for a cozy dinner.

Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef (7)

Beef Enchiladas For One

4.85 from 19 votes

Two flour tortillas filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, and cheese smothered in enchilada sauce and baked for just 20 minutes! A quick and easy single serving meal.

Beef Enchiladas Recipe

So there you have it, four single serving recipes made with one pound of ground beef. In each of the recipes above you can find ways to use up any leftover ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ground Meat The Same As Minced Meat?

Ground beef and minced beef are essentially the same thing. It is called minced meat in countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In some countries, ground beef is also referred to as hamburger.

Often ground meat is made from meat with additional ingredients that are put through a meat grinder. Minced meat is made from 100% meat and is sometimes chopped or prepared in a food processor. Its texture is more coarse than ground meat.

The color of minced meat is often darker because it is made from a single meat.

What Type Of Ground Beef Is Best?

I like using ground chuck (80% lean/20% fat) because it’s more flavorful. But in some recipes, I’ll use ground sirloin (90% lean/10% fat).

How Long Will Ground Beef Last In The Refrigerator?

Choose the freshest meat available. Be sure to check the sell-by date, and keep it refrigerated for up to two days

Expert Tips

  • Your beef should be a nice dark pink color when you buy it.
  • If the ground beef is brown on the inside, don’t worry. This happens when the beef does not have enough oxygen exposure.
  • If the outside of the beef is beginning to brown, then it is time to use it or freeze it. If it is beginning to turn gray, do not use it because it is beginning to spoil.
  • Many grocery stores have in-house grinding where they grind the beef fresh. This is a way to get the freshest ground beef you possibly can.

For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit ourFAQ page.

For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit ourStore page.

If you’ve tried any of these easy ground beef recipes or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.

Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!

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Four Meals From One Pound Of Ground Beef (2024)

FAQs

How many meals can 1 pound of ground beef make? ›

No waste: I can easily get 4 single serving meals from 1 pound of ground beef and find this to be an economical way to meal plan. Delicious meals: Each of these meals are so incredibly delicious. They're each made from scratch and filled with flavor.

How much ground beef for 4 meals? ›

Generally, a pound will feed 4 people (4 ounces per burger). Multiply 4 ounces by how many people you're cooking for & that is how much you need. Eight people would equal 32 ounces or 2 pounds of meat. For meatballs, check your recipe.

Is a pound of ground beef enough for 4 people? ›

Try serving 3/4 of a pound per person to factor in the extra weight. If you're dishing up some ground beef for taco night, ¼ of a pound per person should be sufficient. You might want to consider ¾ of a pound for those with heartier appetites. A half a pound might not be enough.

How many people does 1lb of ground meat feed? ›

When Meat Is a Component of a Dish. If the meat is part of a bigger dish, like pasta or curry, plan for 1/4 to 1/3 pound (four to six ounces) per person. That means you'll want at least 2 1/2 pounds of meat if you're planning to have 10 people over to dinner, and 5 or more pounds of meat if you're cooking for 20 guests ...

How many burgers will 1 pound of ground beef make? ›

If you're making the patties yourself (to save money or because you love making burgers), assume four burgers per pound of meat. For 120 burgers you'll need 30 pounds of ground beef. In addition to the meat, don't forget to get the right amount of buns and condiments for the party.

How much does 1lb of ground beef make? ›

The Food Item Details states that 1 lb. of raw, 80/20 ground beef will yield 0.74 lb. or 11.80 ounces of cooked meat.

How many pounds of beef do I need to feed 4 people? ›

What weight of meat per person to order?
Boneless MeatNumber of PeopleBone in meat
1lb / 0.45kg2 – 3
2lb / 0.91kg4 – 53lb / 1.36kg
3lb / 1.36kg6 – 74lb / 1.82kg
4lb / 1.82kg8 – 96lb / 2.73kg
8 more rows

How much beef for 4 servings? ›

However, a general rule of thumb is to plan for about 1/2 to 1 pound (227 to 454 grams) of meat per person.

How much ground beef should you eat per meal? ›

A typical serving size for beef and other meat is 3 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards. A 3-ounce serving of lean ground beef has about 180 calories, 10 grams of fat and 15 percent of the daily recommendation for iron. The amount of fat in meat depends on the cut and cooking method.

How many people does 2 lbs of ground beef feed? ›

6 people – 36 oz. (2 lbs.) 12 people – 68 oz. (4 lbs.)

How many pounds of meat should I eat in a month? ›

But using 1000 as a middle range number we can then determine that the average child could get enough calories from about 1lb of meat per day, the average woman could get enough calories (1500) from 1.5lbs of meat, and the average of man could get enough calories (2000) from 2lbs of meat.

How many pounds of ground beef per person for tacos? ›

As a general rule, you should plan for about 1/4 to 1/2 pound of meat per person when making tacos. So for a family of four, you'll need around 1 to 2 pounds of ground beef. Of course, this can vary depending on your personal preferences and appetite, so adjust accordingly.

How much does 1lb feed? ›

Generally, an adult will eat about 1lb of food per seating. So if you are serving 4 portions of food, you need about 1/4 lb per person. If you are offering 3 portions of food, you need about 1/3 lb per person of each item.

How many cups is 1 pound of ground beef cooked? ›

If you've ever wondered how many cups of cooked ground beef you get from a pound of raw ground beef, you're not alone. On average, one pound of raw ground beef produces about 2 to 2.5 cups of cooked ground beef.

What is so special about Smash Burgers? ›

A smash burger is a burger that is made by smashing the ground beef onto the grill or griddle with a spatula. Smashing the burger results in a sear on the outside of the meat, which locks in all of the juices and flavor.

How many pounds of ground beef per meal? ›

Here's a general guideline to get you started: 3 - 4 ounces of ground beef per person is a typical serving size for many ground beef dishes. ½ pound of ground beef can be enough for 2 people, depending on the dish and the appetites of those eating.

How much ground beef to feed 20 people? ›

According to the USDA, a serving of ground beef is 3 ounces. Considering that, 3.75 pounds of ground beef would be enough to serve 20 people.

How much ground beef should you eat in one meal? ›

The amount of meat that's recommended to consume as part of a balanced diet can be thought of as an amount per meal as well as a weekly total. For example, the general recommendation for a portion of meat at a meal is about 3 to 4 ounces or the size of a deck of cards.

How many people will 1 pound of ground beef tacos feed? ›

How many people can 1 lb of taco meat feed? You can feed between 2.5 to 3 people with one pound of meat.

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