After a long road trip, my husband, James T. and I rolled in late and I found myself whipping up a quick meal with just half a pound of ground beef. This recipe, a spin on Joe’s Special from a popular 1920s San Fransico diner, is my go-to. It’s easy, versatile, and budget-friendly. Just mix the beef with spinach and eggs for a hearty breakfast hash. Originally a breakfast dish, it’s perfect any time of day. If you’re not watching your carbs, it pairs deliciously with my homemade Bacon No Knead Bread. It’s low-carb and high-protein, and it’s a satisfying meal that really hits the spot. (Bacon No Knead Bread recipe and video coming soon!)
Serve with fresh fruit or fresh ripe tomatoes in season. When serving with bread, fruit and a beverage, we stretch out this 1/2 lb. ground beef meal into 4 servings.
Joe’s Diner Midnight Special
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble the ingredients. Crumble the feta cheese and set aside. Slice the mushrooms (if using) and set aside. Dice the onion and set aside.
- Beat the eggs with oregano and basil added and set aside.
- If using frozen spinach, thaw, drain and squeeze out all of the water. If using fresh spinach like I did, chop and quickly sauté in ½ Tbs. olive oil until wilted. Or chop and add during the cooking process. Either way works at midnight!
- Crumble and loosen the ground beef and set aside.
- Heat a skillet and add 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is a bit tender but not browned. (about 2 minutes) (If using mushrooms, add at the same time as the onions).
- Add crumbled ground beef and a pinch of salt & pepper to the skillet and brown stirring occasionally, Try to let the meat sit and develop some caramelization and fond on the skillet. (6-7 minutes).
- Add the spinach and cook for another minute.
- Add the seasoned beaten eggs to the beef/spinach mixture and cook until the eggs are set, about 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with cheese.
Notes
- Feel free to use any cheese you have on hand or omit for a dairy free option. I prefer the feta cheese.
- This is a low carb recipe if that is your thing. However, this meal is fabulous served with toasted sliced bread or buttered and fried homemade bread.
- Serve with fresh fruit or fresh ripe tomatoes in season. When serving with bread, fruit and a beverage, we stretch out this 1/2 lb. ground beef meal into 4 servings.
- If using frozen spinach, the texture of bagged spinach is preferable to block spinach in this recipe. For bagged frozen, cook according to package directions, squeeze out all excess moisture, before measuring using in this recipe.
Caught in the dim glow of kitchen midnight, my husband, determined to capture his favorite culinary masterpiece, braved the worst lighting known to chefs everywhere. And to add to the adventure, the footage and photos were rough too!