15 Cheap Ways To Stretch Burger Meat That Won't Sacrifice Flavor

Ground beef, which has long been a staple of family meals, budget meals, and struggle meals, is slowly becoming a luxury item. Wholesale beef was 12.7% more expensive in June 2026 than in June 2025, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service, and $6-$8 per pound in July 2026. When you're looking to make the most of your grocery shopping, it makes sense to stretch your budget by stretching your beef.

Ground beef is famously accommodating when it comes to adding other ingredients. Plenty of ground beef casseroles are built on the idea that you can mix a few ingredients and a pound of meat to make a family meal without sacrificing flavor, and ground beef pairs well with almost anything. When you want to stretch beef to create a filling meal with some leftovers, the best ingredients add bulk without altering the flavor too drastically. When mixed with ground beef and simple seasonings, the finished dish tastes less like half ground beef, half something else, and more like one cohesive beef dish. The ingredients we've picked have all proven themselves to be great pairings with ground beef to help stretch a meal.

Lentils are one of the best ingredients to pair with ground beef because of their mild flavor. There are many kinds of lentils, but ½ cup of most kinds have just 4 grams less protein than the same amount of beef. 1 cup of dried lentils equals about 3 cups cooked, so you only need about ½ cup with 1 pound of ground beef to double your meal, and the lentils absorb the flavor of the beef and seasonings. At less than 10 cents an ounce at Walmart, they're a great deal.

Whether it's steak and a baked potato, shepherd's pie, or a burger and fries, beef and potatoes are a match made in heaven. You can add bulk and texture to a ground beef dish with instant potato flakes (or leftover mashed potatoes). Add a little water or broth as you cook, and the potatoes absorb all that beefy flavor. Potato flakes make a great binder in meatloaf or meatballs, and can thicken up gravy in a casserole that includes veggies or potato chunks. Try it mixed with onions, ground beef, and seasonings in tacos or burritos, too.

A lot of recipes offer ways to substitute tofu for ground beef, but mixing them together also works well. Crumbled extra-firm tofu sauteed and seasoned alongside ground beef works in tacos, and you can easily make a 50/50 mix. It works best in dishes with a sauce because the tofu absorbs the surrounding flavors and helps the mixture taste more cohesive. You can get 4 pounds of Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Firm Tofu at Costco for around $7, so it's an affordable option.

Mushrooms can bring a lot of flavor depending on what kind you choose and how much you use, so this could be considered a cheat. That said, beef and mushrooms taste great together, so it's not a terrible position to be in.

White button and cremini mushrooms are good options because they both have mild flavors, they're generally cheaper than other mushrooms, and their texture is easily masked in ground beef. Dice and saute the mushrooms to not only stretch the beef, but also add moisture and more umami to the whole dish.

Rice is a classic go-to for stretching ground beef. Rice is essential in European dishes, such as cabbage rolls; a classic Italian stuffed arancini; Middle Eastern dishes, such as hashweh; and savory Cuban picadillo. There are very few ground beef dishes that can't be adapted to include rice. Its neutral flavor and ability to absorb surrounding flavors make rice one of the easiest ingredients to add to ground beef dishes. It's also incredibly affordable: A 20-pound bag of Great Value Long Grain Enriched Rice works out to less than 4 cents per ounce.

You can't make a cabbage roll without cabbage, but it's far from the only way to use the vegetable to stretch ground beef. Shredded finely and fried alongside beef to make dirty cabbage, it shrinks down considerably, and the crunchy texture softens and blends with the beef. It adds moisture, and absorbs some of the fat and flavor from the meat while adding its own subtle sweetness. It also works well with most flavor profiles, so whether you want to lean Mexican, Italian, Chinese, or something else, the cabbage won't clash.

Bulgur wheat isn't popular in American cuisine, but features more prominently in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking, where it's integral to dishes such as tabbouleh. Made from parboiled and cracked wheat kernels, bulgur has a chewy texture and mildly nutty flavor that pairs well with ground beef. You can add ¾ cup of bulgur wheat to 1 pound of ground beef to potentially double a sloppy Joe recipe, adding more sauce as needed. You can get a bag for less than 20 cents an ounce at Walmart.

Chickpeas are versatile little legumes that can be used in a variety of ways with ground beef. A simple dish of sauteed ground beef and chickpeas with Middle Eastern spices and rice makes a filling and low-cost meal, for example. For those who aren't fans of whole chickpeas, they can be finely chopped or mashed then mixed with beef to make meatloaf, hamburgers, or meatballs. They add protein and fiber, and you can find them for less than 6 cents per ounce.

Breadcrumbs may be the most well known way to bulk up ground beef, and for good reason: Once mixed into raw beef, they all but disappear. Breadcrumbs are essential to a good panade (a mixture of bread and milk), the key to making moist meatballs and meatloaf. The breadcrumbs absorb moisture so the meat doesn't get dry and lose flavor. The end result is an ingredient that adds structure, moisture, and helps stretch the beef to make more out of less.

Rolled oats, or plain oatmeal, can be used in much the same way you use breadcrumbs. Mixed into raw beef and cooked, oats add structure, help retain moisture, and bulk up a dish without altering flavor. Adding ½ cup of oats to 1 pound of beef nearly doubles the final volume, and oats are harder to notice than most other additions. Just make sure to add a little extra moisture, especially if cooking with lean beef.

Cooked barley adds a chewy texture to ground beef not unlike bulgur wheat. It absorbs a lot of liquid, which means it can also take on a lot of flavor. Pearl barley can be mixed with beef and slow-cooked to make a thick, savory dish. Quick-cook barley can be added to meatloaf and meatballs in place of breadcrumbs to stretch the beef and keep it moist.

One benefit of stretching ground beef is that it gives you a chance to mix in ingredients picky eaters might otherwise avoid. If you're trying to get people to eat more vegetables, for example, riced cauliflower is a great option for homemade hamburgers. A bag of frozen Great Value Riced Cauliflower is less than 20 cents an ounce at Walmart, but depending on the season, you could buy fresh cauliflower even cheaper and chop it in a food processor.

This isn't for everyone; some people really dislike textured vegetable protein, or TVP. Made from soy flour and water, TVP has a similar texture to ground beef, and there are plenty of ways to use it in everyday cooking. It easily takes on the flavor of beef when the two are mixed, and many people find it difficult to distinguish once combined. You can buy TVP in bulk for under 25 cents per ounce online.

Millet is another uncommon grain in North American cuisine, but it's widely used in dishes throughout India, China, and several African countries. The flavor of cooked millet is mild and reminiscent of corn, but it also readily absorbs other flavors. The texture of well-cooked millet is soft and fluffy, but individual grains may also be a little chewy. It can be cooked like rice with beef, seasonings, and water. Millet flour can also be mixed with beef for a smoother texture.

Beef with beans is a classic combination in burritos and chili, but there are many other options. You can mix black beans with ground beef to make burgers, and beans can also be chopped or even mashed to more closely match the consistency of beef. They add fiber and protein, and nearly any kind of bean works.