r/tonightsdinner • u/Prometheus6R culinary gypsy • 10d ago
Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money. Hamburger and onion soup mix gravy over rice was one of my most comforting meals.
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u/Meauxterbeauxt 3d ago
That really sounded good. Added a can of diced potatoes which made it similar to something my mom made. Thanks for sharing.
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u/arthurlbrown 6d ago
Honestly, that looks pretty good! Maybe a little more gravy, and I'd devour that. 🤤
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u/fivefistedclover 7d ago
Stroganoff/egg noodles instead of rice made hamburger helper millions. Grandma used to keep frozen hamburger patties and would cook them with onion soup mix after being fully cooked for a play on Salisbury steak. Eating good never has to break the bank and I feel lucky we can enjoy simple meals like these and find great comfort instead of sorrow or disappointment.
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u/RelativeKey7011 7d ago
nahhh money or no that right there is full vibe and I'd eat that NOW NOW! that's sounds So nice.
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u/theSquabble8 7d ago
I love cheap bulking meals that are easy to prep. I already do brown gravy and rice can't believe I haven't though to add ground beef. Ty !
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u/carrrrrie 7d ago
wait facts this is my favorite and my partner thinks it’s weird!! add an egg and call it a deconstructed loco moco
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u/SpecificEase1424 7d ago
Mmmm….. never thought of using onion soup mix!! Your mother was a genius ❤️
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u/cookiepartier 7d ago
This looks fire actually. Also rice, a can of beef broth, can of french onion soup, and butter in a casserole dish makes a lot of delicious rice.
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u/badconejopr 7d ago
Yo I made this today, it’s SO good exactly how amazing I expected and more!! Thank you for sharing ❤️
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u/agitatedandroid 8d ago
Hamburger, Campbell's Vegetarian Vegetable Soup, Tomato Sauce, Rice.
In our family we call it "Kill it before it spreads". Or just, "Kill It".
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u/TheCrispyTaco 8d ago
We did something similar, except we mixed ground beef with Campbell's veggie soup, and ate it with rice.
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u/Lawrenceburntfish 8d ago
That's some good shit right there. My dad used to put black olives in ours, sometimes a little bit of salsa ☺️
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u/THEDRDARKROOM 8d ago
Realistically 95% of the country doesn't have a lot of money - Love how acceptable depression era meals are amongst average people
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u/methos3000bc 8d ago
We did either pancakes, boiled hotdogs or hamburger, spinach and gov cheese baked in a casserole on a bed of rice
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u/Necrocosmica 8d ago
Damn. Used to have this and sos all the time when living with my dad. At the time it wasn’t my favorite meal, and I’d never really ask for it, but it wasn’t ever awful. Now as an adult I CRAVE it exactly how he used to make it. It’s crazy how our tastebuds change and how comforting this meal could be.
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u/packofwinnyblues 8d ago
Not to be scoffed at, I was also brought up with not a lot of money, a strong meal sometimes was literally rice with fried spam on top, salty and filling and that was all I could ask for. I still eat that meal to this day.
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u/Malnoche 8d ago
So, my grandmother made hamburger gravy and rice, but she always had a shaker of Everglades Seasoning. Was a staple just like flour in her house.
That stuff honestly held together the family during the hard times.
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u/Betoken 8d ago
I initially turned up my nose at this until I remembered how much I used to love something called "shit on a shingle" (mom prefered we call it S.O.S.)
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u/Durock7400 8d ago
I've found that the "struggle meals" I had growing up are still my go to meals. Respect.
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u/Kevlar_Potatum_6891 8d ago
oh man this is absolutely one of my favorites, had to have it so many times, now i find comfort in it
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u/DeceptiKHAAAAAN 8d ago
What brand of ingredients did/do you use? I’d like to try an exact replica.
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u/recipestalker 8d ago
I did ground turkey with the Lipton Beefy onion soup mix and made a shepherds pie for dinner tonight it was so good.
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8d ago
We also ate Mac n cheese mixed with a can of drained tuna and sometimes had bell peppers or broccoli in it.
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u/2020fakenews 8d ago
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a delicious meal. One of my favorite dishes is Cajun red beans and rice with sausage link or ham hock. The basic dish (before adding sausage) can be made for just pennies
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u/Dear-Ambition-273 8d ago
I’ve been craving this since it hit my feed yesterday and I’m making it tonight! I grew up with Lipton Soup Mix for potatoes and meatloaf, but we never did anything else with it, not even dip. But this looked so perfect and I’m missing my mom and wanted to try. Never had her teach me the meatloaf.
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u/Voc1Vic2 8d ago
You’re so-o-o close to hamburger and rice perfection:
just add a big can of Chinese vegetables and a dash of soy sauce. Instant shop suey!
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u/curseyoo 8d ago
may I ask what the onion soup mix is? Is there a certain brand? I’ve never heard of this
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u/Lolbit_user99 8d ago
That’s just something I love to eat, and I live with a relatively well off family AND both of my parents are educated
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u/yaboyACbreezy 8d ago
You know, it's cheap, simple, and stretchable, but that doesn't make it any less delicious. Just had a nice lunch and this photo has me salivating for a bite.
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u/Middle_Theme 9d ago
One of my favorite things my grandmother cooks is a similar dish with ground beef, rice, and black eyed peas and it’s all mixed together so it’s more like fried rice.
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u/MariedeGournay 9d ago
Ohhhhhh, this looks great. Used to get something very close to this from the cafeteria in elementary school. Gonna have to try it.
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u/Mellero47 9d ago
You had meat? Must be nice. /s
My favorite struggle plate was when we just couldn't get chicken or any protein, grandma made do with a thick slice of tomato, covered in mayo with some salt, served over white rice. I loved it, to this day it's one of my favorite combos (in a sandwich, not over rice).
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u/sneakyfish21 9d ago
I had this a lot with frozen potatoes instead of rice. Takes me back for sure.
I made it for my wife who grew up in a different income bracket while we were dating and she was apprehensive at first but now requests it as a comfort meal.
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u/AlternativeYak9404 9d ago
Great! Rice is quite satisfying , It goes well with foods that strong taste right?
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u/flamelier 9d ago
My son loves rice and homemade meatballs. How do I make the hamburger and onion soup mix gravy thing.
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u/Xenolithium 9d ago
My family did something similar. But, we used Cream of Mushroom soup instead of onion soup.
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u/upsidedownfunnel 9d ago
This would have been a rich person's every day meal 100 years ago (maybe 200, not sure). It's still probably a rich person's meal in some parts of the world. It tastes good, is packed with nutrition, and dirt cheap by our standards. Makes you appreciate how good life is living in a developed country.
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u/dasanman69 9d ago
There's a Cuban version of this called picadillo and they sell it in restaurants.
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u/pointlessly_pedantic 9d ago
Reminds me of the early days when my mom couldn't afford most things and she got us hamburger helper on special occasions or weekends if we could afford it. When she got that for us, 8-year-old me was STOKED
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u/Sharp-Incident-6272 9d ago
Kind of looks like our family favourite curried beef on rice (my grandfather invented it) it’s so delicious
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u/SirFlannel 9d ago
Try it with Taco seasoning instead. Taco Rice was big around the base in Okinawa.
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u/Guano_barbee 9d ago
I like white jasmine rice with mashed avocado and steamed broccoli so a little bit of garlic salt on there yumm. But I grew up in a farming town so the avocados and broccoli weren't so expensive
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u/Puzzleheaded-Feed-18 9d ago
Ranch Style Beans, rice, and hamburger meat has been a staple in our house for decades.
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u/petersengupta 9d ago
i mean its basically a korean beef bowl, and who doesnt love a korean beef bowl, right??
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u/Delicious_Oil9902 9d ago
My favorite quick meal is similar - rice cooked with beef stock, ground beef, frozen peas. Delicious with some salt, pepper, and hot sauce!
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u/me-meohmy 9d ago
This is almost Loco Moco ..... which is yumscrumdiddlyumptious! If you don't know (Google it) and now you know 😄
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u/LynnRenae_xoxo 9d ago
Learning to make gravy and pretty much anything else with a cast iron, has been a savior as a single mom
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u/wright_eliott 9d ago
That sounds delicious. Full recipe and instructions?
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u/Prometheus6R culinary gypsy 9d ago
1 pound of 80/20 beef
1 packet of onion soup mix
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP flour
2 cups of rice
Cook the rice.
In a separate pan brown your ground beef over medium heat. Once the beef is browned add your flour and cook it in the hamburger grease until it’s a dark tan. Usually I just kinda stir it around for like 3 minutes. It doesn’t have to be perfect just cooking the flour so it doesn’t get that raw flavor. Then add your packet of onion soup mix along with a cup of water and your Worcester sauce. Bring it a boil and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes while your gravy thickens. Plate the rice in a bowl, pour the hamburger and gravy over top. I hope you try it and enjoy!! Thank you!😊
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u/EyeShot300 9d ago
I made this tonight and my fiancé annihilated it. Thank you, kind Redditor. Another good recipe.
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u/Prometheus6R culinary gypsy 9d ago
😍fuckin awesome!! Super happy you made and enjoyed it. Comfort!!!!!!
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u/Spaghetti4wifey 9d ago
This looks great! My mom makes hamburger with soy sauce, corn starch and sesame oil! It's such good stuff
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u/AutisticAndAce 9d ago
Tbis is ERRILY similar to what my dad made us post-recesssion. We called it brown meat and rice because well, it was brown meat and rice. Ground chicken, some chicken bullion, spices, mixed vegetables and rice and you're golden.
10/10 recommend that food. Comfort food indeed.
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u/DifficultyBright9807 9d ago
recipe?
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u/Prometheus6R culinary gypsy 9d ago
1 pound of 80/20 beef
1 packet of onion soup mix
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP flour
2 cups of rice
Cook the rice.
In a separate pan brown your ground beef over medium heat. Once the beef is browned add your flour and cook it in the hamburger grease until it’s a dark tan. Usually I just kinda stir it around for like 3 minutes. It doesn’t have to be perfect just cooking the flour so it doesn’t get that raw flavor. Then add your packet of onion soup mix along with a cup of water and your Worcester sauce. Bring it a boil and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes while your gravy thickens. Plate the rice in a bowl, pour the hamburger and gravy over top. I hope you try it and enjoy!! Thank you!😊
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u/koookiekrisp 9d ago
My wife and I were really into saving money during college, our go-to cheap meal for the end of the month was lentils and rice. They were lentils with added potato, tomato, bacon and various herbs/spices. One of my favorite meals, one potion costs probably around 75 cents, maybe $1 nowadays
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u/Signal-Gas7065 9d ago
In Scotland we have this with potatoes and it’s called mince and tatties. Every incredible mum / granny knows how to make it the best. Served with buttered plain bread
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u/sdjaxson 9d ago
Okie dokie said I was going to give it a try so tonight I did and man is it good so simple to make but so flavorful thank you so much for sharing this idea! I actually did it and it tastes wonderful! 😌
I'm considering adding peas to it next time or something like that!
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u/Prometheus6R culinary gypsy 9d ago
Super glad you tried it and enjoyed!! Yours looks scrumptious 🙌
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u/sdjaxson 9d ago
Just now seeing your reply thank you so much I replied to the other post to where you left the recipe for me thank you again! I just didn't have the Worcester sauce dang it lol so I'm literally going to have to make it again in the near future with all the ingredients but I did have the onion soup mix it was delicious in the beef 😋😋 oh and I cooked my minute Rice in chicken broth to make the rice more flavorful it was so good with that meat mixture... you're brilliant.
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u/Payup_sucker 9d ago
Nothing wrong with that. That meal is a staple of the bodybuilding diet. I eat it every day
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u/SVSVRRVS_EX_ABYSSO 9d ago
I make a gravy from scratch when I do this. Super simple easy way is to
Brown the meat with minced onion and garlic. Leave all of the grease. Toss in a couple tablespoons of flour. Stir until flour is well mixed. Add a splash of milk and stir. Keep adding splashes of milk and stirring until you get the desired consistency and no lumps. Add a tablespoon of butter, some salt and pepper and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Add flour or milk to achieve the consistency you want. This is all done at medium to high heat STIRRING CONSTANTLY.
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u/hoser_36 9d ago
Early in my marriage we would get a family food pack from a food pantry. One of the things that was almost in the food pack was frozen burritos. My wife would cover them in salsa and cheese. It is still one of my favorite meals.
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u/Inquirus 9d ago
My fiancee introduced me to this, her family made it often and called it Monster Mash.
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u/TamsthePanda 9d ago
My mom had a sitter that grew up in the Great Depression, she gave them mustard between 2 pieces of bread and called it a sandwich
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u/wantabe23 9d ago
This over bread- shit on shingles. My childhood was oatmeal, lots of beans, 1gal cans of vegall made into soups. Pancakes, almost everything else made from scratch.
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u/JabbaTech69 9d ago
What you talkin bout … Hell I’d eat that today!!!
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u/effie-sue 9d ago
It’s not something I grew up eating, but it’s definitely something I would eat! Looks very comforting.
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u/UniMundo628 9d ago
Shoot… I still make ground turkey/beef of some sort: garlic, soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar or chili powder, paprika, cumin and garlic powder. With rice.
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u/KhajitHasWares4u 9d ago
I didn't know this was "poor food" growing up and would always beg my grandma to make it 🤣 It's one of my favorites.
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u/duke_flewk 9d ago
Sounds good, when is dinner? I used to do the 37 cent mac n cheese and walmart mixed with chili, then walmart dropped my mac n cheese, that ruined it, kraft and great value mac n cheese SUX
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u/KYpineapple 9d ago
yeaaaahhh buddy! we did this but with that brown generic box of instant mashed potatoes lol. instead of rice.
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u/I_Dont_Like_Rice 9d ago
This is something my mother would have made me make and my sister would thankfully have eaten for me. Funk that nasty stuff.
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u/STR8PUMPINNOS 9d ago
Thanks for the inspiration. I’m replicating this for tonight’s dinner & meal preps (adding mushrooms, carrots and green beans)
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u/budahed87 9d ago
Rotini cooked in onion soup mix with water, frozen veggies, and a handful of shredded cheese is one of my favorite lazy meals.
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u/Spagoodler 9d ago
It’s crazy how close to bulgogi this is. I would recommend trying that (a bit pricier)
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u/mydevilkitty 9d ago
My dad made something similar and it was actually really tasty. Ground beef seasoned with garlic salt and a little Worcestershire sauce, mixed with baked beans and a little bbq sauce to taste. Served over rice.
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u/Greenragedragon 9d ago
We’re I’m from we call it (expletive) shit on a shingle lol had it all the time growing up
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u/mrcoolangelo 9d ago
Dude, we had a pancake night, every couple of weeks. My mom had this one where we had mashed potatoes, corn and breakfast sausages. Undoubtedly easy and economical from her standpoint. I thought it was awesome.
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u/Monochronos 9d ago
I got plenty of money for food and I’d probably be eating a variation of this 2-3 nights a week if my girlfriend wasn’t the chef. Good, rib sticking comfort food is the best.
Fuck it made my stomach growl lol
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u/YoshiandAims 9d ago
We didn't have the soup, but ground beef on rice, (seasoned with pepper) was absolutely a part of our diet. It absolutely feels warm, comforting, filling. It's easy on the stomach, too.
Also, hot rice with a slight dusting of sugar on top (melts, crystallizes) Then topped with milk, like cereal. We did that one a lot. Sometimes also with some cinnamon.
Rice or baked potato can be topped with all kinds of surprising stuff.
I still make rice bowls (Korean style) constantly.
I am absolutely going to make that next month, and try it with the soup mix. I'm so curious.
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u/kokee_coqui 2d ago
Omg I feel so seen, one of my comfort meals is a beyond burger patty over white rice with butter and lots of salt