Best Loose Meat Sandwich Recipe {Tastee Sandwich}

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Prepared loose meat on a bun, sitting on a white plate.

You are probably wondering what the heck a Tastee sandwich is. Ask anyone who grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. It is the best loose meat sandwich around!

Tastee Inn & Out is a restaurant located just off of 48th & Holdrege. The place hasn’t changed much since opening their doors in 1948.

The drive-thru window is on the passenger’s side of the car, orders are written down by hand and sent through a tube into the kitchen, and the trays of food come out on a conveyor belt from the kitchen.

This one-of-a-kind restaurant created the legendary Tastee sandwich, loose hamburger served on a bun with mustard and a pickle.

Aside from this sandwich, Tastee Inn & Out has wonderful onion chips and milkshakes for a “well-balanced” meal. I highly recommend trying Tastee Inn & Out the next time you are in Lincoln.

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”Delicious Copycat Recipe from the Tastee Inn & Out Resturant. #recipe #foodie” display_tweet=”Delicious Copycat Recipe from the Tastee Inn & Out Resturant. “]

Not sure when you will be in Lincoln? Well, you are in luck. I just happen to have the Tastee sandwich recipe and am nice enough to share it with you all.

Looking for more tastee recipes (copycat Tastee Inn and Out recipes)?

Tastee Sandwich: Loose Meat Sandwich Recipe

Loose Meat Sandwich Recipe {Tastee Sandwich}

Tastee Inn and Out copycat loose meat sandwich.
Print Recipe
Loose Meat Tastee Sandwich
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:35 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs beef
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1.5 tsp prepared mustard
  • 1.5 tsp horseradish
  • 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup onion finely chopped

Instructions

  • Combine in a 1-cup measuring cup: ketchup, prepared mustard, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
  • Stir 1-cup mixture into beef.
  • Add water to the beef mixture.
  • Add in the onion.
  • Cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly until beef is in fine pieces.
  • Increase heat until boiling. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring often.
  • Serve on hamburger buns will dill pickle chips and mustard.

Notes

Put 2.5 lbs of lean ground beef in a kettle or deep skillet. DO NOT BROWN THE MEAT BEFORE ADDING THE OTHER INGREDIENTS!

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 643mg | Potassium: 672mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 4mg
Servings: 6
Calories: 351kcal
Author: Midwestern Moms

This recipe is from Julie, a good friend.

More Sandwich Recipes

25 Comments

  1. Larry Johns says:

    If I am in a hurry and just have a small amount of hamburger I want to git rid of, I just put a small amount of water in the bottom of a small frypan and add hamburger (the less lean works good too….) and boil it until the hamburger is done, I use a potato masher to make the hamburger fine as it cooks. Then I just put a dash of worchestershire sauce, tsp of ground horseradish, squirt each of mustard and ketchup and salt and pepper. Boil it gently for a few minutes and remove with a slotted spoon and put on bun and add pickle. JUST like a tastee , experiment with the amounts of ingredients but it usually comes out fine.

    1. Thanks for the tips! I am constantly in a hurry so I will try this also!

    2. Mel Nichols says:

      But you left out the most important ingredient for a REAL tastee and that’s Accent…just saying….I’ll try the short cut one tonight, see how they turn out. Thanks!

  2. Chris Ryan says:

    Does anyone know the recipe for Tastee Inn’s onion chip dip? It was like cottage cheese in consistency, but so good!

    1. I am sorry but I don’t know that recipe.

    2. ————————–
      Tastees Onion Chips Batter
      ————————–

      1-1/2 cups white flour
      1-1/2 cups water
      1-1/2 cups milk
      1 large egg
      1-3/4 tablespoon salt
      1-1/2 tablespoon sugar
      1 tablespoon melted shortening (Crisco)

      5 lbs quartered onions
      white flour

      cracker meal or #4 Golden Dip breading

      Instructions:

      * put flour, egg, salt & sugar in large bowl of electric mixer. Gradually
      add milk & water, mixing until smooth.
      * add melted shortening and a few drops of yellow food coloring (this gives the
      batter a “richer” look)
      * shake onions in flour, then set aside to dry.
      * when you are ready to fry, dip onions in batter, then cracker meal and fry
      until golden brown.

      Served with Tastee Chip Dip (below)

      —————
      Tastee Chip Dip
      —————

      16 oz. large curd cottage cheese
      16 oz. sour cream
      1/2 teaspoon black pepper
      dash of cayenne pepper
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
      1/4 teaspoon celery salt
      1 package Lipton onion soup mix
      1/4 cup milk

      Mix all ingredients together. I presume this is in a blender or mixer,
      because the final product has a smooth consistency…not resembling the
      cottage cheese it contains.

      1. Mike Connelly says:

        Thank you for the Tastee Onion Chip and Chip dip recipe! I’ve wanted this for at least 50 years. I grew up near Sioux City, IA and the Tastee Inn & Out was our teenage go-to place for a late night snack or lunch with “Mom & Dad” on shopping day.

  3. It is so sad that Tastee Inn & Out closed at the end of 2013. The line was backed up onto 48th street when we were home at Christmas time. I’ve heard that Randy’s Bar and Grill accross the street on Holdredge is selling some of their items now.

  4. Diana Basel says:

    Thanks so much for sharing! I was so bummed when they closed Tastee Inn. I alway thought that maybe that restaurant rescue guy could help them out. But the owners have to ask for the help, not the customers. Tastee Inn would have been so…deserving of a rescue! Now I am holding my breath for Lee’s Chicken. Especially now that their chicken was kidnapped and destroyed. Watching my childhood fade away is so depressing. At least maybe now I can make it at home. Won’t be the same, but the memories are still sweet.

  5. I didn’t have horseradish, so I subbed spicy brown mustard and it turned out good.

    You should use 85/15 hamburger or leaner since you won’t be draining the fat.

    1. I bet that tasted really good with the spicy brown mustard! Thanks for stopping by!

  6. donavon larson says:

    I move to California and I haven’t had it since I was a kid took my family one time to Iowabottom all tasty sandwiches I wish they had something like that out here

  7. Thank you. Really close to what I’m used to in the Midwest. Quicker than how I usually make them. Love it!

  8. A great recipe. The original tastees inn and out recipe calls for a teaspoon of accent. It acts as a meat tenderizer for the right texture. Lean beef is also preferably best since you won’t be draining the meat. I used “Silver Springs” cream style horseradish. I love tastees????

    1. Thanks for the tips!

  9. If you use 1 teaspoon of accent, do you still use the salt?

    1. I have never used Accent. If it is a type of salt, I would not add the additional salt.

  10. R. E. Corrigan says:

    Wondering if any ‘seniors’ (as in ‘college youngsters in 1945’) know the name of a former Lincoln, Nebraska, restaurant (which served boiled hamburger) called _____?_____ Hut (not like Pizza Hut!?! Smile!) A 90+ friend is hoping to ‘recall’ the name – just for FUN! Thank U kindly!!

    1. Runza?

      1. No, it was the Yum Yum Hut.

    2. Yum Yum Hut around 33rd and O street. I was told about it by an older co-worker years ago.

  11. Yum yum hut

  12. I love Tastee’s and I grew up in Lincoln. I am actually making them for our family on Thanksgiving weekend! Love it!

  13. I have made this several times and it is so good. I grew up in Lincoln Nebraska’ and is for sure the tastee recipe You will love it I add a slice of kraft American cheese to the bun

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