These easy ground beef recipes are dinner favorites! Hamburger is hearty, versatile and easy to use in recipes. Stock up on ground beef and always knows what for dinner with these delicious ideas.
Got a pack of turkey instead? Make one of these easy ground turkey recipes or try one of these easy pasta ideas!
Table of Contents
- Ground Beef: It’s What for Dinner
- Type of Ground Beef to Buy
- Expert Tips for Cooking with Ground Beef
- FAQs
- Easy Hamburger Recipes with Ground Beef
- Easy Ground Beef Soup Recipes
- Chili Ground Beef Recipes
- Easy Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
- Ground Beef Meatball Recipes
- Mexican Ground Beef Recipes for Dinner
- Stovetop Meals with Ground Beef
- Ground Beef Printable Recipe
- The Full List of Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Ground Beef: It’s What for Dinner
One of the main ingredients you will always find in my freezer, if not in the refrigerator, is ground beef. It is so versatile and can make a multitude of dishes from around the world.
You can make pasta, soup, casserole, chili, or tacos. It can be shaped into a meatloaf, patty, or ball. I can whip up a full meals with ground beef, a bit of seasoning, and a bit of finesse.
Some of my favorite meals come from the easy ground beef recipes below, many of which are are kid-friendly and come together super quickly. We have even turned taco meat into a weekly taco night, where everyone gets to make their own tacos. Super fun.
I also always keep a batch of homemade meatballs in the freezer for a fast meal in a pinch. The opportunities are endless when it comes to ways to make ground beef recipes your very own.
Type of Ground Beef to Buy
You may have noticed that ground beef is sold in different types, typically classified by the amount of beef to fat ratio. I prefer a leaner grind like 85/15 or 90/10 when making a casserole or meatloaf, while a hamburger benefits from a bit more fat like an 80/20 grind.
Here is a breakdown of the types of ground beef you may see and what each of them means.
- 80/20: (80% lean meat and 20% fat) usually comes from ground chuck
- 85/15: (80% lean meat and 15% fat) usually comes from often ground round
- 90/10: (90% lean meat and 10% fat) usually comes from usually ground sirloin
Expert Tips for Cooking with Ground Beef
- If using a fattier grind but need a leaner beef for a recipe, you can opt to rinse the cooked beef to help remove some of the fat.
- Keep ground beef cold until ready to cook. Freshly-ground beef will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Buy the freshest ground beef by checking the expiration date but also the color. You want the meat to be pretty pink with no signs of greying.
- Ground beef can also be frozen for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using in a ground beef recipe. I always keep a couple pounds on hand to make a quick dinner, if needed.
FAQs
There are few tips from what pan to use to sprinkling the ground beef with baking soda! To achieve a good sear on your beef, use a hot cast iron or stainless steel pan. Let the meat brown up to 5 minutes before touching it to stir.
If you don’t have those types of pans, don’t fret! Use the Tik Tok hack of sprinkling 1/4 tsp of baking soda over one pound of ground beef. Baking soda prevents the proteins in the beef from bonding, resulting in less moisture releasing and beautiful browned meat!
While the terms are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference. Ground beef can only be made using the fat from meat trimmings. For example, if a processor makes ground beef with 30% fat, the meat trimmings must also contain 30% and so forth. Hamburger meat on the other hand can use any beef fat.
While grinding your own meat is more budget friendly and ensures you have the freshest meat possible, it is a bit more time consuming than just buying a package at the store.
According to the USDA beef grades are USDA Prime, choice, select, standard, commercial, utility and cutter. Prime, choice and select are the top grades that we as consumers both recognize and purchase.
Easy Hamburger Recipes with Ground Beef
I can’t tell you how much I love a good hamburger, and there is nothing like using a homemade patty because you get to choose the seasoning. The toppings are just a bonus and can be anything from bacon to pineapple. Have fun with your food.
- Hamburger Recipe. This classic burger is made with my secret ingredient (BBQ sauce), which makes it so flavorful and just the best.
- EASY Baked Hamburgers. Skip the grill during the colder months and make your burgers in the oven.
- Teriyaki Burger. You may think pineapple on a burger sounds strange, but it all comes down to how good it tastes, trust me.
- Cheeseburger Sliders. These cute little burgers are always a hit at parties or game days.
- Lettuce Wrap Burger. The patty on this ground beef recipe is so flavorful, you will forget there isn’t a bun.
- Easy Salisbury Steak. Classic comfort food with ground beef ‘steaks’ smothered in a mushroom gravy.
Easy Ground Beef Soup Recipes
Ground beef is made for soups of all kinds, but is so often overlooked. Not anymore. These ground beef recipes are so comforting and are guaranteed to make you forget all about chicken.
- Albondigas Soup. This is a favorite in my house and is made with beef and rice meatballs, potatoes, vegetables, tomatoes, and onions.
- Hamburger Soup. All of the favorite flavors in soup form.
- Stuffed Pepper Soup. Take the legwork out of stuffed peppers by turning it into a hearty soup.
- Cheeseburger Soup. This rich and creamy soup is always a hit with my kids in the colder months.
- Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe. I like to think of this as a hug in a bowl. It is that comforting.
- Italian Wedding Soup. The homemade meatballs take this soup to new heights.
- Best Instant Pot Taco Soup. The Instant Pot makes this dinner come together quickly.
- Pasta e Fagioli. The leftovers from this soup make a great lunch or second dinner.
- Easy Taco Soup. I love tacos in all shapes and forms, and this is no exception.
Chili Ground Beef Recipes
Chili and ground beef are simply meant to be, and there are so many different ways to make this one-pot meal. Here are a few of my favorite easy ground beef recipes for chili. I typically find chili tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make the night before you plan on eating.
- Easy Homemade Chili Recipe. This traditional chili is chocked full of beans and beef.
- Wendy’s Chili Copycat Recipe. You won’t believe how close this tastes to the original but so much better.
- Crockpot Chili. This low and slow ground beef recipe makes it easy to have dinner on the table with very little effort.
- Chili and Cornbread Skillet. Everything is made in one pan, making it super fun to eat and even better to clean.
- Easy 3-Ingredient Chili. Yes! Just 3 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to dinner.
- One Pot Pumpkin Chili Recipe. The addition of pumpkin makes this perfect for fall, but it is delicious year-round.
Easy Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
Not only are casseroles a great way to serve a group, but they are also a favorite for freezing and baking later. Try one (or all) of these easy ground beef recipes for casseroles and you won’t be disappointed.
- Easy Lasagna Recipe. One of the best ways to use ground beef, in my opinion.
- Best Homemade Meatloaf Recipe. A classic recipe never goes out of style! Other variations we love include Lipton Onion soup meatloaf or BBQ meatloaf!
- Cheesy Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf. What makes meatloaf even better? That’s right. Stuff it with cheese.
- Cheesy Baked Ziti Recipe. I love to make this for my kids, and they love to eat it.
- Instant Pot Meatloaf. This really does work. I promise.
- Shepherd’s Pie. Mashed potatoes spread over the top of a hearty vegetable and ground beef casserole is pretty hard to beat.
- Baked Spaghetti. Why not bake spaghetti? There really is no good reason.
- Easy Mexican Lasagna. Say hello to layers of crispy tortillas, ground beef, beans, corn and melted cheese.
- Taco Casserole. This is what you get when you combine a simple casserole with delicious Mexican flavors.
- Slow Cooker Taco Lasagna. Similar to the recipe above but in a crockpot.
- Meatball Casserole. Just takes 30 minutes to make and bake.
- Hamburger Casserole. An all in one dish with ground beef, noodles, sauce and cheese! A family favorite.
- Easy Tater Tot Casserole. This hot dish is a throwback classic that is always met with dinnertime smiles!
- Ground Beef Casserole. Penne pasta coated in marinara sauce and topped with cheese makes this savory ground beef dish irresistible!
Ground Beef Meatball Recipes
There is so much to love about a meatball, especially one that is homemade and jam-packed with flavor. I make extra batches of these homemade meatballs and freeze them if I am ever craving a meatball sub, meatball sliders, or one of the soups mentioned above.
- Easy Porcupine Meatballs with Tomato Soup. The mixture of ground beef and rice are simmered in a sauce made with tomato soup.
- Easy Homemade Meatball Recipe. This is my go-to recipe and one that I always have on hand in the freezer.
- Asian Meatballs Recipe. These fast meatballs are drenched in a sweet and savory sticky sauce.
- Instant Pot Meatballs. The pressure cooker helps keep these meatballs super moist.
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs. There is nothing wrong with adding a little bit of cheese to the middle.
- Pepperoni Meatballs. Your favorite pizza just become a meatball.
- Swedish Meatballs. This is a family favorite and one that gets requested often in our house.
Mexican Ground Beef Recipes for Dinner
It’s no secret how much I love Mexican food, so it makes sense I would have an entire section devoted to all the ways you can use ground beef to make amazing Mexican dishes.
- One Pot Burrito Bowl Recipe. This hearty and flavorful dish comes together in 30 minutes and clean-up is a breeze.
- Mexican Stuffed Shells. Large pasta shells are stuffed with a creamy beef mixture and baked.
- EASY Taco Meat. This is the recipe I use whenever we are having a taco night. I love how easy and delicious it is.
- Easy Taco Salad Recipe. All of your favorite taco flavors in an easy to eat and feel-good salad.
- Taco Lettuce Wraps. No need for tortillas with this quick and easy taco recipe.
- EASY Ground Beef Tacos. These are the easiest, but they don’t lack on flavor.
- ONE POT Cheesy Enchilada Pasta. I adore enchiladas, and this pasta captures all of my favorite things in one pot.
- Walking Taco. This ingenious way to serve and eat a taco is one to keep handy.
- Easy Navajo Tacos Recipe. Not technically Mexican, the crispy fry bread is loaded with your favorite taco toppings.
- Beef Enchiladas. These freeze so well so you can always have dinner already made.
- Taco Braid. This is not only beautiful, but it is so good to eat.
Stovetop Meals with Ground Beef
The ease of making a meal on the stovetop can’t be underestimated. It is typically quick and comes with less clean up than a lot of other cooking. Here are a few of my top ground beef recipes to make on the stove.
- Easy Goulash Recipe. Just one pot and 30 minutes to make a hearty meal for the whole family.
- Frito Pie. Made in the cast iron skillet and then topped with Fritos this hearty dish is a classic!
- EASY Sloppy Joe Recipe. This classic sandwich is a hit among kids, and for good reason.
- Homemade Hamburger Helper. So much better than the original and still comes together quickly.
- Korean Ground Beef Bowl. This sweet and savory dish comes together in 15 minutes.
- Ground Beef and Broccoli: An easy weeknight meal with ground beef, broccoli and a savory sauce!
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Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (*see notes for types)
- Kosher salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Choose what type of ground beef to use depending on what recipe you are making (*see notes).
- Season ground beef with salt and pepper.
- Use as instructed in one of the 50+ recipes listed above. Enjoy!
Notes
- 80/20: (80% lean meat and 20% fat) usually comes from ground chuck
- 85/15: (80% lean meat and 15% fat) usually comes from often ground round
- 90/10: (90% lean meat and 10% fat) usually comes from usually ground sirloin
- If using a fattier grind but need a leaner beef for a recipe, you can opt to rinse the cooked beef to help remove some of the fat.
- Keep ground beef cold until ready to cook.
- Buy the freshest ground beef by checking the expiration date but also the color. You want the meat to be pretty pink with no signs of greying.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
The Full List of Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Click on the links below to find the recipes for all of the easy ground beef recipes mentioned above.
I am using beef in about half of my weekly recipes & I am so excited to try some of these!! They look delicious & your recipes never disappoint!!