Make-Ahead Seasoned Ground Meat
Updated
Updated
Making seasoned cooked meat ahead of time is great for meal prep and such a time saver. Cook up ground beef, turkey, or pork in advance, then freeze in portions. Defrost only what you need to make meals easier and quicker for busy weeknights!
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Cooked and Seasoned Ground Meat for Meal Prep
We’re all so jammed for time these days, right? More homework, more sports activities, longer hours at work. Ugh. So I’m all for cooking hacks and short cuts in the kitchen, as long as it doesn’t compromise taste.
One of my favorite time-savers is seasoning and cooking ground meat ahead of time, then freeze in portions. Defrost only what you need to make meals easier and quicker! Simply double this recipe and/or freeze in smaller portions to fit your needs.
What You’ll Need
All you need is your choice of ground meat and a few other pantry items.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Olive oil – For sautéing, adding rich flavor and necessary moisture.
- Ground meat – Use lean ground beef, turkey, or pork.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic for flavor and aromatics.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, onion powder, dried Italian herbs, and cracked red pepper flakes to flavor the meat.
How to Cook It
Seasoning and cooking ground meat for meal prep only takes a few minutes.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Cook the meat. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add ground meat; cook until browned, breaking it up into tiny crumbles with a wooden spoon, about 3-5 minutes. Drain off the grease.
- Season the meat. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the onion powder, Italian herbs, and cracked red pepper flakes.
- Let cool. Spread meat crumbles onto a baking sheet and allow to cool completely; 20 to 30 minutes.
- Portion it out. Spoon the meat into a 1-quart freezer Ziploc bag; squeeze all the air out, seal, label, and freeze up to 3 months.
- Use as needed. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave.
Make More Than 1 Pound
More Meal Prep Ideas:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Make Ahead Seasoned Ground Meat
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground meat, (beef, turkey, or pork)
- 2 cloves garlic, , minced
- salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add ground meat; cook breaking it up into tiny crumbles with a wooden spoon until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Drain off the grease.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, then season the meat with salt and pepper. Stir in the Italian herbs, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
- Spread meat onto a rimmed baking sheet and allow to cool completely; about 20-30 minutes.
- Spoon the meat into a 1-quart freezer ziploc bag; squeeze all the air out, seal, label, and freeze up to 3 months.
- To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.(Simply double this recipe and/or freeze in smaller portions to fit your needs.)
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
I loved this blend of seasonings. I might add a touch more of the red pepper flakes next time since my family likes more heat. Great idea, thanks!
I don’t know why I never thought to do this – so smart. I cooked up 3 pounds of ground beef (and tripled all the seasonings of course) since I use it in a lot of dishes.
Love this, thanks for sharing!