Ground beef is quite possibly the ultimate all-American go-to ingredient. It keeps pretty well in the freezer, too, so you can even stock up when it’s on sale and know that you’ve got a freezer-full of easy ground beef dinners at your fingertips. Speaking of easy ground beef recipes—we’ve rounded up 30 of the very best that we, and the internet, have to offer! So if you’re staring at your fridge wondering “what should I make with ground beef?” you, friend, have come to the right place!
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Easy Ground Beef Recipes with Few Ingredients
- Thai Basil Beef (cover photo). A speedy, savory Thai beef basil stir fry that’s just a bit spicy and really hits the spot.
- Gingery Ground Beef (Soboro Donburi). Five ingredients, a few minutes and a hot skillet, and you’ll be digging into a delicious soboro donburi, a gingery ground beef that reminds us that the best Japanese recipes are often the simplest.
- Crock-Pot Taco Meat. Just three-ingredients and the use of our trusty slow-cooker make this Crock-Pot beef taco meat recipe an easy win.
- Taco Pizza. Two classic family favorites, pizza and tacos, come together in this super easy weeknight meal that is destined to become a favorite in your home.
Ground Beef Burger and Sandwich Recipes
- Classic Cheeseburger with Secret Sauce. A perfectly soft bun, quality, juicy ground beef that is seasoned well, plenty of cheese, caramelized onions and a really good secret sauce are the key to this truly classic cheeseburger recipe.
- Patty Melt. As diner sandwiches go, the melty, meaty, oniony perfection that is the patty melt reigns supreme—if you know, you know. And if you don’t know, well, welcome to the club.
- Meatball Sub Sandwich. Big juicy, tender meatballs simmered in marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade—either works!) stuffed into garlicky hoagie rolls, topped with mozzarella and broiled to melty, bubbly perfection.
- Beef Sliders. These juicy ground beef sliders—slathered with a homemade bright and lemony sun-dried tomato mayo, spicy pickles, and fresh arugula—prove that bigger doesn’t always equal better.
- Low-Carb Bacon Burger with Guacamole. You’ll forget all about the missing bun while devouring this juicy, keto-friendly bacon guacamole burger loaded with veggies and jalapeno aioli!
Meatballs: Quite Possibly Ground Beef’s Highest Calling
- Swedish Meatballs. These Swedish meatballs are the best you'll ever have. Gently warmed with spices and covered in a heavenly creamy gravy sauce, then served with fluffy mashed potatoes!
- Mediterranean Meatballs with Tzatziki. These tender spiced beef meatballs are served with our favorite simple tzatziki sauce.
- Sheet Pan Harissa Meatballs and Cabbage. Smoky, warm, fragrant Middle Eastern spices imbue this simple sheet-pan cabbage-and-meatball dinner with big, bold flavors.
- Meatball Shakshuka. Ground beef is mixed with the same herbs and spices used in the classic North African shakshuka and then simmered in a smoky, tomato-y shakshuka sauce for a one-pan dinner that everyone will love.
Easy, Hearty Ground Beef Chilis & Soups
- Taco Soup. Like making ground beef tacos for dinner, but easier.
- Award Winning Chili. Ground beef, pork, three kinds of beans and spices to spare conspire to make this hearty, stick-to-your-ribs chili your family’s new game day go-to.
- Lasagna Soup. Loaded with sausage and beef, plenty of herbs and garlic, and topped with a lava flow of mozzarella cheese, lasagna soup is easier to make than its oven-baked counterpart, and just as delicious.
- Crock-Pot Paleo Chili. Hearty, protein-packed, and not a bean in sight—this meaty Paleo chili is a fast fave.
- Stuffed Pepper Soup. Loaded with ground beef, bell peppers, tomatoes and topped with cheese, this is a hearty, easy riff on one of our favorite dinners.
Cozy, Comforting, Classic Ground Beef Pasta Recipes
- Easy Bolognese. Hearty and comforting, this meaty, easy ground beef bolognese recipe takes less time to make than it does to disappear into hungry tummies.
- Spaghetti Sauce. Just wait until you try this deeply flavored, slow-cooked, meat-loaded homemade spaghetti sauce recipe—you'll be head-over-heels.
- American Goulash. The ultimate one-pot ground beef recipe, this one is an oldie and a goodie.
- Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni. Macaroni and ground beef swimming in a gooey cheddar cheese sauce—well, it just doesn't get much better than that.
- Lasagna. Pancetta, ground sausage, ground beef, tons of ricotta and probably a little bit of magic make this the best lasagna recipe ever.
Ground Beef Recipes From Around the Globe
- Beef Empanadas: Tender, flaky crust surrounding a hearty mixture of warmly-spiced ground beef and vegetables—here's how to make the best beef empanadas you’ve ever tasted.
- Gyro Meat. Hey guess what! Making juicy, super-seasoned gyro meat at home is easier than you think! Then, you can use that yummy beefy gyro meat to make DIY gyro bowls.
- Picadillo. Use this classic Cuban ground beef preparation to fill empandas or even tacos. YUM!
- Ground Beef Tostadas. Flavorful and simple, these tostadas are a refreshing way to mix it up on taco night.
- Beef Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki. Big, bold herbs and spices make these beef kofta kebabs with tzatziki perfect for a super satisfying centerpiece for a Mediterranean-inspired feast.
- Healthy Shepherd's Pie. This beefy shepherd’s pie is dairy, grain, legume, and sugar free, but most importantly it just might be the tastiest thing you’ve made for dinner in a long time.
