45+ Ground Beef Recipes (2024)

Recipes | Dinners | Ground Beef | 40+ Ground Beef Dinner Ideas

Ground Beef

Author by Amanda Davis on Updated on

I can never have too many ground beef dinner ideas. These recipes will work with any ground meat, like chicken, turkey, bison, or venison. In some cases you can add ground pork or even ground sausage with the ground beef in these recipes!

45+ Ground Beef Recipes (1)

Ground beef dinner ideas

Listed here are some of my favorite ground beef dishes, but there are some add-on recipes needed too, like my enchilada sauce, taco seasoning and chili seasoning. From Mexican and Italian inspired dishes to casseroles and skillet meals, I’m sure you’ll find some dinner recipes here that your family will love!

Ground Beef Casseroles

  1. Cowboy Casserole

    This Cowboy Casserole is a simple yet hearty meal. You can add your favorite herbs or season as you wish. The recipe for this cowboy casserole doesn’t include a bunch of seasonings, so you can choose your favorites or just stick with good old-fashioned salt and pepper.

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  2. Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

    It doesn't get much tastier than Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole! One of our favorite weeknight dinner recipes, this dish is loaded with cheese and bacon and cooks in less than 30 minutes.

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  3. John Wayne Casserole

    Have you ever heard of John Wayne Casserole? There's an interesting story, but what's important is that this beef and biscuit casserole is delicious!

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  4. Ground Beef Casserole

    Our ground beef casserole includes hamburger meat, onions, and peppers, is flavored with tomatoes, spices, combined with pasta and topped with cheese.

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  5. Shepherd's Pie

    This recipe for Shepherd’s Pie makes a perfect casserole meal for any night of the week.

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  6. Lasagna Roll Ups

    Lasagna roll ups are perfect for prepping ahead of time and freezing, making weeknights a breeze!

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  7. Pizza Lasagna

    Pizza lovers and lasagna fans unite in this tasty casserole!

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  8. Italian Lasagna

    This Italian Lasagna comes from the back of the Creamette lasagna noodle box from years gone by. I've been making this lasagna recipe for over 20 years!

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  9. Chili and Cornbread Stuffed Peppers

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  10. Taco Casserole

    Add a twist to Taco Tuesday and try this delicious Taco Casserole...all the taco fixings in an easy-to-make casserole! It's sure to become a family favorite!

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Mexican Inspired Recipes

  1. Taco Empanadas

    These taco empanadas are super easy to make, kid-friendly, and the perfect way to use up leftover taco meat. Sometimes the most simple meals turn out to be the absolute best.

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  2. Beef and Bean Oven Tacos

    Add these to your Taco Tuesday must-make list because these beef and bean oven tacos are destined to be a family favorite.

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  3. Taco Bell Enchirito Copycat

    Taco Belldescribes this as “a warm, soft flour tortilla wrapped around seasoned ground beef, hearty beans, diced onions, real cheddar cheese, and tangy red sauce”. Now you can make it at home!

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  4. Taco Pasta Salad

    This taco pasta salad is loaded with ground beef, juicy tomatoes, black beans and lots of cheese. Cold pasta salad makes a great dish for your next party!

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  5. Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme

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  6. Loaded Nachos

    Loaded Nachos are a popular game day recipe packed with healthy ingredients and cheesy goodness!

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  7. Beef & Bean Quesadillas

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  8. Mini Taco Bowls

    45+ Ground Beef Recipes (20)

Ground Beef Dinners

  1. Salisbury Steaks

    If you loved On-cor salisbury steaks as a child, you must try this homemade version!

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  2. Quaker Oats Meatloaf

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  3. The Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever

    Meatloaf is classic comfort food and this recipe is a no-fail, never fall apart, juicy and delicious dinner. The best meatloaf recipe ever.

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  4. Mummy Meatloaf

    Halloween is a fun holiday, and not usually one we celebrate with dinner. But why not? This mummy meatloaf is a great conversation starter!

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Ground Beef Pasta Dishes

  1. Spaghetti and Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

    A tried and true spaghetti and meatballs recipe that's been in the family for years. The smell of the sauce and meatballs alone is enough to make you want to make it over and over again!

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  2. One Pot Sloppy Joe Pasta

    This easy one-pot sloppy joe pasta serves four hungry people or stretches to serve six with salad and bread on the side.

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  3. Spaghetti Pie

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  4. Baked Ziti

    Baked ziti is an easy dinnertime recipe that everyone will love. It comes together quickly and is made with common ingredients. It tastes similar to lasagna but without all the fuss.

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Chili, Soups & Stews

  1. Homemade Chili

    This super easy homemade chili recipe is perfect as is, or use it as a starter recipe to make your own fabulous culinary creation. Homemade seasoning too!

    Click for recipe

  2. Oven Chili Dogs

    Hot dogs topped with a simple and flavorful chili, pepper jack cheese, and fresh green onions - these oven chili dogs are always a crowd favorite!

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  3. Chili Mac

    A hot, hearty bowl of chili mac is great for dinner or when friends come over to watch the game!

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  4. 3 Bean Chili

    Three Bean Chili is a delicious weeknight meal and awesome as leftovers. Great for packing into containers and taking to work for lunch.

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  5. Amanda's Meatball Soup

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  6. Hamburger Stew

    Hearty, delicious, simple and comforting. This hamburger stew has an Italian twist and is delicious served with warm bread!

    Click for recipe

Sandwiches & Appetizers

  1. Slow Cooker BBQ Meatball Subs

    Easy slow cooker BBQ meatball subs are a great way to switch up the dinner routine. The meatballs cook low and slow in a simple homemade BBQ sauce so when it's time for dinner just toast some rolls and top with some melty cheese. Psst! Want to make it even easier? Just substitute your favorite jarred BBQ sauce for the homemade recipe listed below.

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  2. Guinea Grinder: Iowa State Fair Food

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  3. Best Ever Burgers

    If you love burgers as much as we do, you know that your condiments can totally make or break the meal. We love this special sauce that turns ordinary hamburgers into the best ever burgers!

    45+ Ground Beef Recipes (38)

  4. Meatball Stuffed Biscuits

    These meatball stuffed biscuits are a flaky treat with a meaty surprise in the center! Serve with marinara sauce for a delicious appetizer.

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  5. Zucchini Boats

    Stuffedzucchini boats are a savory and delicious dinner packed with lean protein and a healthy serving of vegetables. Stuffed zucchini = low-carb dinner!

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Mixes & Sauces for Ground Beef Meals

  1. Homemade Hamburger Buns

    I enjoy making bread, so when I started seeing recipes around the Internet for homemade hamburger buns, I knew I wanted to try it.

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  2. Homemade Taco Seasoning

    Time to ditch the grocery store taco seasoning packets. Make your own homemade taco seasoning mix and you'll never turn back. It tastes that much better!

    Click for recipe

  3. Make Your Own Chili Seasoning

    Making your own homemade chili seasoning is easy to do and tastes so much better than those prepackaged envelopes!

    Click for recipe

  4. Homemade Enchilada Sauce

    This Homemade Enchilada Sauce is full of flavor and compliments any style of enchilada- whether it be pork, chicken, beef or vegetarian style!

    Click for recipe

What are you cooking up with ground beef? I’d love to hear about your favorite recipe ideas.

This post originally appeared here on Sep 15, 2015.

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Amanda Davis

Amanda Davis is the entrepreneurial mom of four grown children and four step children. She and her husband, Chef Antoine, love to cook together creating recipes for this blog. Amanda also make kid's crafts and creates decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!

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Comments

  1. Cindy says

    I did not go through these yet but I noticed you asked for ideas. My hubby (so do I) like my ‘taco mix’ dinner. I have bowl/plate semi-strong plastic plates (I think I got them at Dollar Tree many years ago, well they are basically a deep dish plate with a section for dip. I cook up the ground beef and put the taco seasoning in. I put a layer of bite size corn chips on the plate part. I put a layer of shredded cheese on the chips. I put a layer of the beef on the cheese. I add another layer of cheese (because to me there is no such thing as too much cheese) :) I put sour cream in the dip section and most likely you will need a spoon or fork once the beef makes the chips soft. We do not like anything else on our tacos but you can add whatever toppings you like. My son and hubby have asked for that specifically many times. Quick, one pan, easy and little mess (if you are careful). I hope this not a duplicate idea.

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Oh yum, sounds very similar to what I do when we have tacos. I prefer to just use tortilla chips instead of making an actual taco with a shell. So I pill my ingredients onto chips and eat them like nachos. Yours sounds great, thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply

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45+ Ground Beef Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you make old ground beef taste better? ›

  1. Add herbs and spices: Mix in dried herbs and spices such as cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder to give your ground beef a bolder flavor.
  2. Use a marinade: Marinate the ground beef in a flavorful liquid such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or red wine before cooking.
Feb 21, 2023

What is the secret to moist ground beef? ›

They suggested briefly soaking meat in a solution of baking soda and water to raise the pH on the meat's surface, making the proteins better able to attract more water and hold onto it during cooking.

How long is ground beef good in the fridge? ›

1 to 2 days

What can I add to ground beef to make it better? ›

Cooked ground beef really doesn't have any real taste so it is necessary to season it up. You can use just salt and pepper or you can add virtually anything to it like jalapenos, peppers, onions, etc. Try using fresh onion rather than powder.

Is it OK to use ground beef when it turns brown? ›

This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. This is a normal change during refrigerator storage. Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to the touch and should not be used.

What does adding milk to ground beef do? ›

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

What does adding vinegar to ground beef do? ›

Culinary professionals know that a small amount of vinegar makes food taste bright and fresh. Too much, however, may make the food unpleasantly sour. First and foremost, vinegar is used as a tenderizer for meat and poultry. It may be added as an injected marinade in very tough proteins or applied via a soak or rub.

Why do people cook ground beef with water? ›

A lot of people fry ground beef and brown it in a pan before using it in other recipes. While pan-frying works great, cooking anything in oil or butter is going to add more fat and calories. I like boiling ground beef because it comes out much leaner, and the boiling process is super easy.

Is 2 year old frozen ground beef still good? ›

Ground beef can be frozen indefinitely, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, it is recommended to use ground beef within four months of freezing, as the quality of the meat will begin to deteriorate over time. Ground beef that has been frozen for too long may not be as flavorful.

Can I eat cooked ground beef after 7 days in the fridge? ›

USDA recommends using cooked beef within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.

Can you eat ground beef after 7 days in the fridge? ›

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but raw ground beef only lasts one to two days in the fridge, according to FoodSafety.gov.

What should I season ground beef with? ›

Onion powder combines with oregano leaves, salt and pepper to take ground beef from plain to perfect.

What spices make beef taste better? ›

Spices like onion and garlic, with their inherent pungency, are some of the first that come to mind when it's time to season beef. They are savory and strong, and also easy to come by! Black Pepper goes wonderfully with beef, with its slightly hot bite and the piney aroma. Cayenne is a terrific spice to use with beef.

How do you cook old ground beef? ›

  1. In a large skillet, brown the ground hamburger meat over medium heat until cooked through.
  2. Add diced potatoes, chopped onion, and minced garlic to the skillet. ...
  3. Season with salt, pepper, and any optional seasonings like paprika or cayenne pepper.
  4. For added flavor, stir in a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
Mar 25, 2017

How do you restore ground beef? ›

Three Safe Ways to Thaw Ground Beef

It is essential to keep meat (any meat, not just ground beef) cold while it is defrosting to prevent the growth of bacteria. Cook or refreeze ground beef within one to three days. If you are pressed for time, you can defrost in the microwave or in cold water.

How do you soften old beef? ›

How to Tenderize a Tough Cut of Meat
  1. Pound it out. Pounding softens and tenderizes meat, making it easier to cut and eat. ...
  2. Use salt. ...
  3. Use an acidic marinade. ...
  4. Use kiwi, papaya, or pineapple. ...
  5. Score it. ...
  6. Slow cook it.
Jan 17, 2024

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