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Quick! What’s the first meal that comes to mind when you think of ground beef? For me it’s burgers, or maybe tacos that I used to eat as a kid. But those two foods barely scratch the surface of all the different dinners you can cook up with some ground beef.
Arm yourself with a pack of ground beef and the sky’s the limit when it comes to dinner possibilities. This is precisely why you’ll find a pound or two stashed in my freezer at all times (and remember: to defrost ground beef faster, freeze it flat). It’s a budget-friendly choice, and worth stocking up on when it’s on sale.
Shape it into burgers, meatballs, or meatloaf to really make it the star of the meal. Or on nights when you need to stretch a pound or less into a meal to feed the whole table, bulk it up into a hearty casserole, skillet dinner, or slow cooker dish. No matter what you’re in the mood for, we’ve got 60 ground beef recipes to cook up tonight.
Meatballs and Meatloaf
It is impossible to think about turning ground beef into dinner without considering meatballs and meatloaf. There are so many variations, and it’s one of my favorite ways to make ground beef shine on the dinner table.
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Classic MeatloafThe next time you have a craving for a super classic meatloaf with a sticky ketchup topping, this is the recipe to cook up.
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French Onion MeatloafInspired by a cozy crock of French onion soup, this meatloaf is loaded with velvety caramelized onions, then blanketed with a bubbling layer of Gruyère.
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Mom's Easy MeatloafTrent Pheifer, the Instagrammer behind @Storeboughtisfine, thinks his mom's meatloaf recipe is superior to Ina's — and we got the recipe.
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Stuffed MeatloafOozing with melty mozzarella, this stuffed meatloaf is a fun and cheesy twist on the old school version you know.
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Easy Skillet MeatloafThis savory mixture of beef and pork flavored with slowly browned onion and pressed into a cast iron skillet and brushed with a sticky barbecue glaze.
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Keto MeatloafThis tender, juicy meatloaf is low-carb and keto-friendly, but most importantly it’s downright delicious.
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Traditional MeatloafInside a classic meatloaf is a kaleidoscope of flavors: savory seasonings, cooked aromatics, Worcestershire sauce & ketchup, brown sugar, and a hearty amount of ground meat.
Go to Recipe 14 / 28
Air Fryer Meatloaf This classic savory mix of onion, garlic, Worcestershire, and beef is air fried until juicy in the middle with delightfully crispy crust.
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Italian MeatballsIf you’re on the hunt for a trusty, foolproof meatball recipe, look no further — these are classic Italian meatballs at their finest.
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French Onion Meatballs Inspired by the iconic French onion soup, this skillet dinner has it all — caramelized onions, juicy meatballs, and gooey, browned Gruyère cheese.
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Easy Herby Meatballs Cut back on meatball prep by letting your blender do all the work. Purée herbs and aromatics into a flavorful base before combining with ground beef and breadcrumbs.
Go to Recipe 20 / 28
Porcupine MeatballsThese retro beef meatballs are made with uncooked rice, which cooks as the meatballs bake in the oven. The result is a saucy, satisfying weeknight dinner.
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Air Fryer MeatballsThese quick and easy air fryer meatballs are as moist and flavorful as they come, thanks to a combination of ground meat and the addition of ricotta.
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Easy Oven-Baked MeatballsWhen frying seems out of reach, these simple baked meatballs are here for you. And the bonus is you get an easy homemade tomato sauce at the same time.
Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
Take your pick between partnering meat with rice, pasta, beans, veggies, or even tater tots to make it a casserole. This is such a great easy and budget-friendly way to stretch a pack of ground beef into a meal that easily feeds the whole table.
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Cowboy Casserole This ultra-comforting casserole is packed with lots of melty cheddar and topped with a crispy layer of tater tots.
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Ground Beef Taco CasseroleThis recipe is everything you love about classic ground beef tacos baked into an easy casserole, then topped with lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheddar.
Go to Recipe 7 / 9
Baked SpaghettiBaked spaghetti is pretty much a mash-up of all the best qualities of classic spaghetti and a cheesy baked lasagna.
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Tater Tot CasseroleTater tot casserole is the best family meal you aren’t making yet. The Midwestern casserole provides the unbeatable satisfaction of crispy tater tots layered over a creamy, beefy filling studded with sweet and tender vegetables.
Go to Recipe One-Pot Dinners
Trade your casserole dish for your Dutch oven or favorite skillet, and you’re on your way to bulking up ground meat into an easy weeknight meal for the whole family.
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Easy One-Pot Beef GoulashFrom the sauce-slicked macaroni to the crumbles of ground beef and generous pockets of melted cheddar, one-pot beef goulash is as comforting as it is easy to get on the table.
Go to Recipe 8 / 10
One-Pot Cheesy Taco PastaWith smoky seasoned ground beef, spicy salsa, and gooey cheese, this one-pot pasta dinner is everything you love about the classic ground beef taco without the tortilla.
Go to Recipe Ground Beef Slow Cooker Recipes
When you’ve got some ground beef to use up but it feels like you don’t have any time to stand over the stove, go ahead and pull out your slow cooker. From chili to meat sauce to sloppy Joes, there are a lot of delicious choices.
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Slow Cooker ChiliInvest your prep time in chili powder from scratch and you'll have the best bowls of simple, tasty chili waiting in the slow cooker when you get home.
Go to Recipe 7 / 10
Slow Cooker Sloppy JoesWhen you'd rather not stand at the stove, reach for your slow cooker for an even easier way to get this family favorite on the table tonight.
Go to Recipe 10 / 10
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili You only need six ingredients for this Cincinnati-style chili recipe, which will satisfy any Skyline Chili cravings. Just don't forget to top it with a mountain of shredded cheese.
Go to Recipe Hamburgers
Whether you go for basic burgers on the stovetop or one that’s totally decked out, you can never go wrong with adding a burger night to your meal plan.
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Meatloaf Burgers Craving meatloaf but are short on time? Make meatloaf burgers. Shaping into patties means is a fasttrack solution to getting extra crispyness in every bite!
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Smash BurgersThese no-frills burgers are exactly what they sound like: ground beef that's cooked in a skillet and smashed with a spatula to create rough, craggly little patties. Here's how to master the technique at home.
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Teriyaki BurgersPartnered with a simple slaw, sliced jalapeño, and a splash of teriyaki, these 5-ingredient burgers are anything but basic.
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Open-Faced Pizza BurgersIf you grew up eating English muffin pizzas, these cheesy burgers will be right up your alley. They taste like a beefed-up version of the childhood favorite.
Go to Recipe Other Easy Ground Beef Recipes
But it doesn’t stop there. Ground beef is also the start of tacos, easy weeknight stir-fries, one-bowl meals, and stuffed peppers.
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Cincinnati Chili This Midwestern specialty has no beans (unless you want beans as a topping) and is typically served over a bed of spaghetti.
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Hamburger Steak Similar to Salisbury steak, this recipe shapes ground beef into steak-like patties blanketed in rich mushroom gravy.
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Mapo Tofu Cubes of tofu are braised in an almost too-hot-to-handle sauce flavored with fermented black beans and chili paste, and dotted with pieces of crispy ground beef.
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Stuffed PeppersAny time you need to stretch a pack of ground beef to feed a whole lot of mouths, stuffed peppers are a good idea.
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Taco Tortellini Combine the best parts of taco night with quick-cooking cheese tortellini and you have a weeknight dinner that wins.
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