My collection of easy ground beef recipes are some of the most popular on the site since they’re fast, budget friendly, and honestly, they’re just good easy dinner ideas! Ground Beef is great for weeknight dinners in everything from Chili to Ground Beef Stroganoff or even a good ol’ meaty Homemade Pasta Sauce.
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What to Make with Ground Beef
If your family is hungry and you’ve got a pound of ground beef, I’ve got lots of ideas – browse around and you’ll know exactly what to make for dinner! Of course we know ground beef is great for meatballs, burgers, and spaghetti but you can do so much more with it. The recipes below are all tried and true, including classics and new ground beef ideas and you’ll find everything from cheesy and creamy to fresh and lean and everything in between.
Our Most Popular Ground Beef Recipes
Why not start with the most loved, tried-and-tested, and highest voted ground beef recipes?! These family favorites have been made tens of thousands of times by all of you and they tick all of the boxes for beefy goodness!
- Easy Hamburger Soup – AKA… vegetable soup, a childhood favorite.
- The Best Chili Recipe – Simple and classic with beef and beans.
- Easy Cabbage Rolls – Beef and pork with rice.
- Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole – Cheesy and crowd pleasing.
- Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak– Perfect over mashed potatoes.
- The Best Meatloaf Recipe – Simply the very best.
- Easy Taco Salad – Easy 20 minute meal! Add your own toppings to make it your own.
- Cabbage Roll Soup – My Grandma’s cabbage rolls turned into a cozy one-pot soup.
Cozy Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
These ground beef casserole recipes are comforting and delicous. Most of the recipes below can be made ahead of time for busy weeknights. Casseroles are cozy and they tend to reheat well which means you can cook less and enjoy more!
- Easy Homemade Lasagna – Layered comfort, this ground beef favorite is the perfect Sunday Supper!
- Cheeseburger Casserole – Creamy, cheesy and tastes just like your favorite burger with pasta and cheese in smashburger inspired sauce.
- Tater Tot Casserole – This is a crispy topped family meal that’s not only freezer friendly, it’s kid approved too.
- Shepherd’s Pie Recipe – Cozy comfort, this recipe is easy to make from scratch with fluffy mashed potatoes piled on top of a seasoned ground beef and vegetable filling.
- Hamburger Casserole – This budget meal is a great way to stretch a pound of lean ground beef.
- Baked Spaghetti – Bubbly, beef, this pasta bake feels is a potluck favorite! Serve it with garlic bread and salad for a complete meal.
Ground Beef Pasta Recipes
Ground beef is one of the best quick and easy ways to make an extraordinary pasta sauce in minutes. The best part is you can usually toss in whatever you want… onions, garlic, veggies. I tend to pair beef with a tomato base most often and either spoon it on top or mix it all in and bake with cheese of course!
- Baked Ziti – lasagna flavor only easier!
- American Goulash Recipe– Macaroni and beef with tomatoes. The best ever comfort food!
- Baked Rigatoni Pasta – Easy, cheesy and beefy. So good!
- Pizza Pasta Bake – Pizza and spaghetti inspired smashup!
- Beefaroni– You’ll never buy canned again!
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce – Easy and all purpose. Freezes well and everyone loves it.
Tex-Mex and Mexican Inspired Dishes
Taco night just got an upgrade! Ground beef is the perfect filling for all things inspired south of the border! From tacos and enchiladas to stuffed peppers and more. A little bit of Taco Seasoning transforms ground beef into a flavorful addition to almost anything!
- Easy Ground Beef Tacos – From scratch! My daughter’s favorite meal!
- Beef Enchilada Casserole – Cheesy comfort food!
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers – A twist on classic stuffed peppers!
- Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells – Top with your favorite taco toppings!
- Taco Tater Tot Casserole – Loaded with seasoned beef, veggies and of course cheese!
- Ground Beef Enchiladas – An easy family meal.
Meatballs and More
Beyond burgers, these easy ground beef recipes turn a simple ingredient into something special.
- Smash Burgers – Skip the takeout line, these smash burgers are crispy edged and come together in just minutes.
- Teriyaki Meatballs – Sweet and savory with chunks of pineapple, these are an easy dinner with rice or noodles.
- Ground Beef and Cabbage – This quick and easy skillet is as satisfying as it is delicous.
- Swedish Meatballs – A creamy gravy and tender meat balls are pure comfort food. Don’t forget to include a side of fluffy mashed potatoes.
- Cowboy Casserole – Beef, beans, cheese, and veggies-this casserole is a tater tot casserole reimagined.
- Ground Beef Stir Fry – This budget friendly recipe stretches 1/2 pound of ground beef into a family meal.
Easy Soup Recipes With Ground Beef
Ground beef soups are hearty, freezer friendly meals that everyone loves. From Italian inspired to Tex-Mex infused, every bowl is packed with vegetables, tender ground beef, and lots of cozy comfort.
- Taco Soup – Beef, beans and veggies in a deliciously seasoned broth.
- Italian Wedding Soup – Classic Italian made easy.
- Stuffed Pepper Soup – A comforting soup version of everyone’s favorite casserole.
- Meatball Soup – This easy favorite can be made with homemade or frozen meatballs.
- Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe – Another great Italian favorite. Pasta, beans and beef for a belly warming recipe.
- Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe – A soup version of my Grandma’s classic recipe.
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes
Ground beef adds hearty flavor and plenty of protein to slow cooker recipes. It’s perfect for sauce, soups, casseroles, and more!
- CrockPot Lasagna Soup – A soup version of a classic Italian.
- Lazy Crock Pot Lasagna (Ravioli) – Lasagna flavor without lasagna work.
- Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes – Can easily be doubled for parties and potlucks.
- Easy CrockPot Chili Recipe – The perfect meal to come home to.
- Crockpot Meatloaf – Made with stuffing mix for lots of flavor!
- Crockpot Meatballs – No need to pre-cook the beef for this recipe!
Instant Pot Ground Beef Recipes
- Instant Pot Salisbury Steak – Reader favorite (so good)!
- Instant Pot Chili – Quick and easy but tastes like you’ve been cooking all day long.
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
10 More Easy Ways to Use Ground Beef
Ground beef is such an easy protein to add to recipes so let your imagination guide you! You can use it in countless recipes to replace chicken or stir it into casseroles, soups, stews or rice!
- Use leftover burgers or ground beef to make a Homemade Patty Melt
- Add it in place of chicken to your favorite quick fried rice recipe
- Toss it with your favorite salads to make a Dorito Taco Salad
- Mix ground beef with pizza sauce and top your fave pizza dough for a beefy bite.
- Mix ground beef with tomato sauce and place in a bun with cheese for a quickie cheater “Meatball Sub“.
- Mix it with Taco Seasoning and top baked potatoes with sour cream, cheddar and salsa for an easy meal!
- Replace the sausage in your favorite sausage gravy recipe (add spices and seasonings) and serve over biscuits.
- Add it to mashed potato cakes and top with sharp cheddar cheese.
- Stir it into leftover soups or stews.
- Make a meal of mac and cheese by adding ground beef and peas.
Depending on the recipe, you may need to pre-cook (or brown) the ground beef.
When browning ground beef, I prefer a medium-high temperature and a tiny bit of oil to get a nice brown on the meat. Always make sure there is no pink remaining and your beef is thoroughly cooked.
Regardless of the preparation method, ground beef should reach a minimum temperature of 160°F according to the USDA safety guidelines.
Raw Ground Beef can stay in the fridge for 1 to 2 days (cooked ground beef will last 3 to 4 days). Double check the best before date. To store raw ground beef longer than 2 days, it should be tightly sealed and frozen.
Freeze ground beef in a donut shape, this allows it to defrost quickly and evenly. To do this, form it into a disk and use your finger to place a hole in the center of the beef.
If your ground beef is well sealed, it should last just fine for 3 to 4 months in the freezer (either raw or cooked). It is still safe to eat beyond 4 months, however the flavor and texture may start to change.
The safest way to thaw ground beef is by placing it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
To thaw ground beef quickly, place the beef in a sealed freezer bag and place the bag in a sink or bowl of cold water (never warm or hot), changing the water every 30 minutes.
Ground beef can be thawed in the microwave if you are cooking it immediately. Use the defrost setting or set your microwave to 30% power and thaw at 1 minute intervals, flipping the beef over every few minutes.
Ground beef is one of the easiest proteins to cook and is great in so many recipes. It’s inexpensive in comparison to many types of protein making it perfect for family meals and to feed a crowd!
If you love these easy dinner ideas, be sure to check out my favorite weeknight quick fix meals and my collection of ground turkey recipes.
I think I’ll be able to really enjoy these recipes
We sure hope so Marilyn! To receive emails with new recipes, you can click here to sign up.
Why is it SO HARD to find a recipe that you microwave and doesn’t use mustard or ketchup??
Impressed with recipes
I just love being able to get recipes fast, simple and cost that kits my budget. It’s so to find what I’m looking for and the instructions are so detailed and easy to follow.
Thank you.
You’re welcome Tanya! We love fast and simple recipes too! Enjoy!
where is the link for the cookbook about salisbury steaks or the price i am interested in maybe getting a subscription for the magazine ,i like to try new recipes once in awhile
Love your recipes.
I just love your recipes. Will try the Salisbury Steak. Thank you C.Caruso
Another trick I learned for uniform burgers, is to use a large plastic lid from a peanut butter jar, etc. Place a piece of Saran Wrap inside the lid, then place a handful of meat into the lid and shape to fit. Love having all same size and thickness!
Great tip Lisa!
Use an ice cream scoop to make them all uniform in size. Makes cooking easier. My Dad always placd a round of hamburg between 2 pieces of waxed paper and used a large can (#2) to flatten into a burger patty. Once again, uniform size for easier cooking.
That’s a great idea!!
cut how?
Just cut a small “X” shape in the middle (not all the way through).
When making burgers, use a sharp knife and cut the burger on both sides to make it keep he shape and not rise in the middle. Beats the “thumb-trick” every day!
I”m going to try that next time!!