The Old-School '60s Ground Beef Dish That Needs To Make A Comeback

It's a weeknight, and you're trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Maybe you're on a bit of a budget but still want something beefy, filling, and delicious. In that case, it's time to turn to old-school ground beef dishes, like this one from the 1960s: stuffed burger bundles. They only need a few ingredients and are ready in about an hour.

This retro recipe is more akin to stuffed meatballs than actual burgers. You need ground beef, dry stuffing mix, classic cream of mushroom soup, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and milk or evaporated milk. First, prep the stuffing according to its directions. Then, mix some of the milk in with the ground beef before portioning it into large, flat patties. Fill each one with some stuffing and seal all the edges until you have round bundles. The condensed soup, condiments, and remaining milk are mixed together to form a gravy that's then poured over beef balls. They're ready after baking in the oven for about an hour.

Burger bundles are savory, filling, and rich in protein. The creamy soup makes the beef soft and flavorful, while the bready filling adds bulk. You can serve the bundles atop any leftover stuffing you have, roasted potatoes, or your favorite steamed veggies. Best of all, the ingredients generally cost under $10, so you can fill your belly without emptying your wallet.

Burger bundles are a convenient meal to prep in the morning for an easy dinner later, so it's no wonder they've stood the test of time. After all, they're basically stuffed mini meatloaves, and many who still use this recipe inherited it from their mothers or grandmothers. Recipes continued to be published through the 1970s and 1980s, but one of the earliest ones comes from a 1967 edition of "Better Homes and Gardens Jiffy Cooking." 

In this recipe, the bundles were paired with mashed potatoes and green beans, then finished off with a cranberry gelatin salad. The book was a best-seller at the time of its release, selling millions of copies and spreading the gospel of stuffed burger bundles far and wide. They were seen as a convenient way to serve large families on a budget, which makes them great candidates for a modern revival.

Nowadays, there are a few variations to this old recipe if you want to change things up. Some folks use brown gravy instead of the mushroom soup. Others double the gravy for an extra saucy take. You can add mashed potatoes to the filling as well for a heartier center. Give your ground beef more flavor by adding some pork to it, or throw in some grated zucchini and carrots for color and moisture. This vintage comfort recipe has been around a long time, so there has been plenty of time for people to develop their own tasty iterations.