Beef Up Your Burgers With A Budget-Friendly Ingredient From Your Pantry

Whether you're planning a weeknight dinner or a large family cookout, juicy beef burgers are always a welcome addition. But while they're an immediate crowd pleaser, we've got to face the facts: Beef isn't getting any cheaper, so if you want to save some money, you'll need to get creative. Luckily, one secret ingredient for better patties might already be sitting in your pantry: oats.

Using oats to stretch out meat is nothing new; in fact, the practice has been around for decades. During the Great Depression, home cooks would often mix this inexpensive ingredient into ground beef and meatloaf to bulk up costly meat and feed larger families. Today, while the intention may be different, the principle remains pretty much the same. Since oats only have a mild flavor of their own, they can easily be incorporated into burger patties without overpowering the beef. That makes them particularly useful when you're looking to feed a crowd without having to buy quite as much meat.

And oats aren't just there to make your meat go further; they can also help prevent your burgers from drying out as they cook. Think of a panade, the combination of bread and milk that's often added to meatballs. Here, the breadcrumbs are soaked in milk before being mixed into the meat, creating a soft, starchy mixture that helps hold onto moisture as the meat cooks. You can achieve a similar effect with oats — they absorb whatever liquid you soak them in, and their starches help lock in that moisture as the burgers hit the heat. This is especially useful when working with a leaner ground beef blend, which is typically less forgiving on the grill than fattier mixes.

While they're undeniably delicious, "burgers" and "nutritious" aren't two words you often hear in the same sentence. But incorporating oats could help bridge that gap — despite their unassuming appearance, they're particularly rich in fiber, including a type called beta-glucan, which has been associated with supporting heart health, blood sugar control, and healthy digestion. They're also a decent source of plant-based protein, meaning you can stretch your ground beef budget and keep your protein-maxxing streak alive.

But one of the things we love most about oats is just how good they are at soaking things up, a quality you can take advantage of before they even make it into your burgers. Milk is a great option, giving the oats a richer, creamier consistency. Beef stock also works, infusing them with a savory, meat-forward flavor that perfectly complements the beef. On top of that, regardless of what liquid you choose, a quick soak hydrates the oats and softens their texture, allowing them to blend seamlessly into the ground beef.

Of course, there's a fine line between stretching your beef and turning your burger into a bowl of oatmeal. The key here is using the oats sparingly; a reasonable amount locks in moisture, while too many can leave your burgers dense and dry. We recommend starting with around a quarter cup of rolled oats for every pound of ground beef, adjusting once they've been incorporated into the mix.