Easy Ground Beef and Gravy Recipe

Listen, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – some nights you just need food that hugs you from the inside out. This ground beef and gravy is exactly that kind of meal, and it’s saved my bacon more times than I can count.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’re grabbing from the pantry:

• 1 pound ground beef (don’t go crazy lean – 80/20 is your friend)
• 2 tablespoons butter (the real stuff, please)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped up fine
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion (or chop a fresh one if you’re feeling fancy)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (the magic ingredient nobody talks about)

How to Make Ground Beef and Gravy

Okay, here’s how we’re doing this thing:

• Get that beef going: Toss your ground beef in a big skillet over medium-high heat. Break it up with whatever utensil you’ve got handy and let it do its thing for about 8-10 minutes. You want it properly browned, not just gray and sad.

• Ditch the grease: Pour off most of that fat. I usually leave just a little bit because flavor, you know?
• Butter time: Drop in that butter and watch it melt. Then throw in your garlic, dried onion, and pepper. Stir it around for maybe 30 seconds until your kitchen starts smelling incredible.

• Flour power: Sprinkle that flour over everything and keep stirring for about a minute. This is important – don’t skip this step or you’ll taste raw flour later and hate yourself.

• The gravy magic: Here’s where it gets good. Pour in your broth slowly while you’re stirring like your life depends on it. Add that Worcestershire sauce too.

• Let it bubble: Turn the heat down and let everything simmer for about 5 minutes. It’ll thicken up nice and proper. Taste it and add more pepper if you want.

Prep & Cook Time

• Prep: 5 minutes (seriously, that’s it)
• Cook: 15 minutes
• Total: 20 minutes from start to finish
• Feeds: 4 hungry people

Nutrition Info (Per Serving)

• Calories: Around 238
• Protein: 26g
• Carbs: 5g
• Fat: 12g
• Sodium: 622mg

Look, these numbers are ballpark figures. Your mileage may vary.

Why You’ll Love This Ground Beef and Gravy Recipe

I’m gonna be straight with you – this Ground Beef and Gravy Recipe came about during one of those weeks where everything went sideways. Kids were cranky, bills were due, and I had exactly one pound of ground beef and whatever random stuff was lurking in my pantry.

What happened next was pure magic. This incredibly simple combination turned into something that made my whole family stop talking and just eat. My teenager actually said “this is really good, Mom” without rolling her eyes. That’s when you know you’ve struck gold.

The thing about this dish is it doesn’t pretend to be anything fancy. It’s honest food that fills you up and makes you feel taken care of. The gravy gets all thick and coats everything perfectly, and that little bit of Worcestershire sauce? Game changer. It adds this depth that makes people think you spent way more time cooking than you actually did.

Plus, one pound of ground beef suddenly feeds four people when you do this. During tight months, this recipe has been a lifesaver for stretching the grocery budget without anyone feeling like they’re eating “cheap” food.

Cook’s Tips and Variations

Things I’ve learned the hard way:

• Don’t buy the super lean ground beef. Trust me on this one. You need that little bit of fat for flavor and moisture.
• When you’re adding the broth, pour it in slowly while stirring constantly. Otherwise you’ll get lumpy gravy and nobody wants that.
• If your gravy turns out too thin, just let it bubble a bit longer. Too thick? Add a splash more broth.

Ways I’ve mixed it up:

• Sometimes I throw in whatever frozen vegetables are in the freezer – peas, corn, green beans, whatever
• A pinch of garlic powder never hurt anybody
• If I’ve got fresh onions, I’ll dice one up and cook it with the garlic
• My neighbor adds curry powder to hers and swears by it (haven’t tried it yet but it’s on my list)

Best Sides for Ground Beef and Gravy

This stuff is begging to be served over something that can soak up all that good gravy:

• Mashed potatoes – Obviously. This is comfort food 101.
• Egg noodles – My personal favorite because they grab onto the gravy like nobody’s business
• Rice – Plain white rice works perfectly
• Biscuits – If you’ve got them, use them
• Even toast – Don’t judge me, it works

Round out the meal:

• Any green vegetable you can get your family to eat
• A basic salad if you’re feeling responsible
• Maybe some rolls if you really want to go all out

Ground Beef and Gravy FAQs

Can I make this ahead? Yep, and it’s actually better the next day. The flavors have time to get friendly with each other. Just reheat it gently and add a little broth if it’s gotten too thick.

What about leftovers? They’ll keep in the fridge for about 3 days, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. I portion it out in containers for quick lunches.

Can I use ground turkey instead? Sure, but use chicken broth instead of beef broth. Ground turkey can be a little bland, so maybe add some extra seasoning.

What if I don’t have Worcestershire sauce? You can skip it, but honestly, go buy some. It’s cheap and it makes everything taste better. Keep it in your fridge and thank me later.

My kids don’t like pepper. Now what? Leave it out or use just a tiny pinch. You can always add it to your own serving at the table.

How do I know when the gravy is thick enough? It should coat the back of a spoon but still be pourable. If you can draw a line through it with your spoon and it stays for a second before filling back in, you’re good.

Look, I’m not saying this recipe will solve all your problems, but it might just save dinner on one of those days when everything feels impossible. Sometimes that’s enough.