This Creamed Chipped Beef recipe transforms simple dried beef into delicious comfort food. With tender beef in a rich, creamy sauce brightened by sweet peas and colorful pimientos, it’s a military classic that deserves a place at any family table.
This humble dish of creamed chipped beef on toast has been sustaining military members for generations, and once you try my version with its thoughtful additions, you’ll understand why it’s a treasured meal in our home.
BeeBop served ten years in the Navy, and like many military folks, he has strong opinions about SOS (which we’ll pretend stands for “Same Old Stuff,” though veterans know the actual, more colorful version!). The beauty of creamed chipped beef isn’t just that it’s quick, affordable, and filling, though it certainly is all those things. It’s that this simple combination of dried beef in a creamy white sauce creates something much greater than the sum of its parts.
My recipe adds a touch of Southern flair with green peas for sweetness and diced pimientos for color and added flavor. Trust me, these additions transform what can sometimes look like, well, let’s just say “humble fare” into something you’d actually be happy to serve your family.
This dish holds special meaning in our house because it connects us to BeeBop’s military service and the generations of service members in his family. His dad, Charles, served 24 years in the Air Force, during both Korea and Vietnam, and a brother spent time in the Army. Food has this amazing way of carrying stories and memories, and every time I make this creamed chipped beef, I recall the many sacrifices military families make for our freedoms.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Servings: 4
Primary Ingredient(s): Chipped Beef, Bread, Milk
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It comes together in just 15 minutes, making it great for busy days when you want to feed your family fast.
- With ingredients that are budget-friendly, you can create a hearty family meal without breaking the bank.
- The sweet peas and colorful pimientos brighten the dish both visually and flavor-wise.
- This is stick-to-your-ribs comfort food that leaves everyone full and satisfied.
Ingredient Notes
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There’s nothing whatsoever exotic about the ingredients in this recipe, but I do have a few notes for you.
- Chipped beef – Salty, cured beef is the key ingredient that produces the signature flavor and texture in this recipe. This may be the only ingredient you have to specifically seek out in your grocery store. There are two popular choices. One is Hormel Dried Beef packed in a jar. The other is Buddig brand beef in a plastic package. You’ll find the Hormel beef near the canned meats (such as tuna) and the Buddig brand near the sandwich meats. Both are good choices.
- Green onions – Add a nice, mild onion flavor and a bit of color to the dish. You can substitute any kind of onion you have on hand if you don’t have green onion.
- Diced pimento – Brings a hint of sweetness and color contrast. Now, as a southerner, I always-always-always have pimento on hand. If you don’t, it’s easy to find, or you can substitute diced roasted red bell pepper
- Frozen green peas – I add the peas for a little sweetness, color, and texture. Canned peas work well in a pinch if you don’t have frozen peas.
- Toasted bread – You’ll want a sturdy bread such as sourdough. It creates the base for the dish and should be hearty enough to stand up to being topped with the sauce.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Creamed Chipped Beef
This is my personal recipe, and I’ve added a few things that Creamed Chipped Beef normally doesn’t contain. If you want a strictly traditional SOS recipe, omit the onions, pimiento, and peas. However, I think they add a lot in terms of flavor and especially in appearance.
- Briefly rinse the dried beef under warm water. For a traditional preparation, tear it into strips and let it drain on paper towels. Chop the green onions.
- In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
- Add the green onions and chipped beef. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and beef and continue cooking and stirring for an additional 2 or 3 minutes.
- Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a strong bubble, then reduce the heat and cook until thickened. Taste the mixture and see if you think it needs any salt (It probably won’t because the beef is quite salty). Stir in the pepper.
- Stir in the pimiento and peas. Let the mixture cook for a few minutes until the peas are heated through.
- Serve hot over toasted bread.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure to rinse the beef well. Chipped beef is very salty. A quick rinse under warm water helps remove excess salt. Pat it dry with paper towels to avoid watering down the sauce.
- Add the milk slowly and whisk until it’s fully incorporated. Whisking will help prevent clumping and keep the sauce silky.
- Once the sauce has thickened, let it bubble gently for a few minutes to make sure the flour is fully cooked.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
There are a few ways to adjust this recipe to suit different tastes or ingredient limitations. If chipped beef isn’t available, try thin strips of ham. You can also try bacon or pancetta if you don’t mind something less traditional.
The vegetables are flexible too. If you don’t have green onions, diced yellow or sweet onions are a good substitute. The peas and pimientos can be swapped with other quick-cooking vegetables, such as corn, chopped spinach, or finely diced red bell peppers. You can also skip them altogether and stick to the classic beef and cream combo.
Instead of toast, try this over English muffins, biscuits, or even mashed potatoes. The creamy beef mixture is versatile enough to work with a variety of bases depending on what you have available.
How to Serve Creamed Chipped Beef
Serve over toasted bread. I prefer a good sourdough bread for this.
Besides the toast, not much else is usually served with creamed chipped beef. It’s a pretty heavy comfort dish, so if you do want to add a side or a dessert, go for something light like fresh-cut fruit or a salad. If you want to get fancy, you could try my Pineapple Blueberry Basil Galette, Fresh Strawberry Pie, or a beautiful Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Fresh Berries.
Storing Leftovers
Any leftovers will keep 4-5 days properly stored in the fridge. To reheat, transfer to a saucepan over medium-low heat. You may need to add a small amount of milk or water to get it back to a smooth consistency. Be sure to stir often and watch closely as it can burn quickly.
Freezing is not recommended.
Questions About SOS
Honestly, there aren’t that many brands of dried beef on the market. Probably the best known, and the one I typically use, is Buddig.
Yes! Chipped beef and dried beef are the same thing. However, when the product was first introduced, it was actually very thin slivers of sliced beef that had been dried. Now, it’s made from ground beef that is pressed, then dried and thinly sliced.
If you’re having trouble finding dried chipped beef, or if your supermarket is out, you can substitute deli meat. Select either corned beef or roast beef and request it sliced as thinly as possible. Another good substitute would be very thinly sliced smoked sandwich ham.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
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Creamed Chipped Beef
Ingredients
- 2.5 ounces chipped beef torn into strips
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 green onions sliced
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons diced pimiento
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 8 slices bread toasted (sourdough preferred)
Instructions
- Rinse the beef under warm water. Tear into shreds and drain on paper towels.2.5 ounces chipped beef
- In a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.4 tablespoons butter
- Add the green onions and chipped beef. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft.2 green onions
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and beef and continue cooking and stirring for an additional 2 or 3 minutes.4 tablespoons flour
- Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a strong bubble, then reduce the heat and cook until thickened. Stir in the pepper. Taste and add salt to taste only if needed.2 cups milk, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Stir in the pimiento and peas and cook for a few minutes until the peas are heated through.2 tablespoons diced pimiento, ½ cup frozen green peas
- Serve over toasted bread.8 slices bread
Notes
- Dried chipped beef is usually located near the canned meats (such as tuna) in your store.
- May be refrigerated for 4-5 days. To reheat, transfer to a saucepan over medium-low heat. You may need to add in a small amount of milk or water to get it back to a smooth gravy consistency.
- Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
This post was originally published on 05/22/2015. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
The recipe was easy to make. I found it to be rather bland. Here’s what I did to improve it. I substituted roasted red pepper for the pimento and doubled the amount. I added more pepper. I added about 6 drops of Tabasco sauce. Still not as tasteful as I’d like. Would welcome your suggestions.
My mom used to make it when we were kids. She didn’t put in onions or pimento but diced up a hard boiled egg into the mix. I’d forgotten about the stuff but will definitely have to try my hand at it now. THANK YOU!!!
I sprnt many years in the Army having creamed beef for breakfast. Loved it and still make it today. I also loved the Stouffers? chipped beef boil in bags. As the cost of chipped beef is rather high, I was wondering how this recipe would be if made with ground beef?
Very good with ground beef! Just brown your beef and drain away the fat then proceed with the recipe.
I buy the Buddig chipped beef in a small bag near the pre-packaged lunch meats next to the hot dogs at my local Meijer, Kroger, WalMart, etc. It’s less salty than the jarred kind. The Stouffer stuff isn’t nearly as good as it used to be so that’s off my list now. Thanks for the recipe!
Yes, that’s the brand I use as well.
We have this quite often at this military home. Havfe switched to the smoked beef slices , purchased in the sandwich meat section name brand we use Buddig
I used to eat as a child, found your recipe, made it tonight except didn’t have pimento. It was wonderful, And I did notice the beef has changed.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Joanne. Yes, the beef has changed, hasn’t it? Still pretty good, though.
All I can say is WOW. I love creamed chipped beef, but I’ve never seen it prepared this beautifully. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks! We love it, too, but it’s usually not the prettiest thing on the plate :-) The peas and pimineto really help give it some color and nice flavor.
This is my husband’s favorite, I never thought to add peas…he would flip over that!
What a fun retro recipe. I remember my mom used to make this on occasion when I was growing up. I always enjoyed it and my dad always referred to it as SOS. LOL. Hope you and your family had a nice Memorial Day!
My hubby was in the Navy too! <3 Love your additions to this Creamed Chipped Beef!
Thank you to your husband and father-in-law for their service!
This looks like the ultimate comfort food!
That looks like a good choice for fall or winter, but right now, it is hotter than blazes here. As Mama would say, “all I was is popsicles and watermelon.”
Miss P
My grandfather served in WWII and my dad was in the reserves, serving before the Korean War. He never spoke much of his time in the Army but I do remember him talking about SOS. Not exactly fondly! I’m sure if the army served up your homemade version there might be better memories. Thanks for taking the time to share your family history.
I’ve never had chipped beef but I bet my military hubby has or remembers it! Beautiful post for Memorial Day!
Both my grammas made versions of this. Both of my grandfathers served. So it’s a dish I recognize well. We’re a military family through & through. We’re also a beef family through & through. Great recipe Lana, thanks for the memories. xx
You’re welcome, Kim! I just love keeping these old recipes going.
Honestly I didn’t know what SOS stood for until my mid twenties, even though we ate it several times a month. Such comfort food. My husband doesn’t love it though, so I can’t wait to dress it up like you did with peas onions and pimentos. Thanks for the idea!!!
Such a rude name for such a comforting recipe :-) Really, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but something we do enjoy for an occasional trip down memory lane.
I’m a newbie to chipped beef too! But, it looks so comforting!
Yes, very comforting, Marjory!
I remember this from my childhood
I think it was part of lots of childhood dinners!
I have never heard of chipped beef – I need to try this out! Thanks for the nice post and tribute to Memorial Day! We can all use that reminder of what this weekend is really all about :)
Absolutely. It’s great to have picnics and cookouts and we should! But I try to keep the reason for the holiday always in mind :-)
Don’t laugh at me, but I have no idea (whatsoever) what ‘chipped beef’ is. Please clue me in, as my family never prepared this kind of a dish. I know that my mom would turn grey if she knew that I thought this dish sounded even remotely tasty, but I’d like to try it.
It’s also known as “dried beef” Angela. Here’s a description from Hormel’s web site: https://www.hormelfoods.com/Brands/BrandWall/Hormel-additional-beef-products.aspx
One of my favorite foods! I loved it as a kid, and I still love it! Gonna have to make it!
Hope you enjoy it, Lin!
I have never heard of chipped beef but it sounds delicious!
It’s also known as dried beef, Lauren. It’s somewhat similar to jerky but sliced paper thin.
Every Memorial Day weekend there’s a large field down the road from our house that displays hundreds of flags in memory of all the soldiers who gave their lives. It’s quite a sight and makes me cry every time. Maybe I need to make this creamed beef to comfort me when I return home!
I love seeing rows and rows of our beautiful flag flying. It give me goosebumps.
My husband and I actually used to LOVE creamed chipped beef. And he is an ex-Marine ! It was one of my favorite meals growing up. My mother’s recipe was pretty simple, basically a white sauce and the meat. YUMMY. In more recent years, not only did the packaging change ( I used to save those old jars for drinking glasses for the kids) but the meat is NOT the same. It’s more like unseasoned salami (pressed meat particle board) than the previous paper thin slices of slightly salty beautiful meat. I used to have to exercise ultimate self control to not just to eat the meat straight from the jar. Now days, I tend to pass and just not make it anymore. It’s just not as good.
You’re right, the beef is a bit different now, but we still enjoy it, Judy.