35 Easy Ground Beef Recipes

Easy Ground Beef Recipes. Having a collection of ground beef recipes on hand is a lifesaver when looking for something fast and easy. This list includes my favorite go-to recipes on a crazy weeknight that allow me to breathe and make my family happy.

Easy Ground Beef Recipes to simplify your life.

Cheers to ground beef recipes! Getting dinner on the table is fast, easy, and economical. Honestly, my family loves the idea of spaghetti with meatballs, pizza, lasagna, or a huge pot of soup.

Suddenly, beef has become health food (depending on who you ask). Who would have thought it’s high in minerals, B vitamins, and protein? But even better, it’s also convenient. Buy it on sale and freeze it in a family meal size for whenever you need it.

Then you’ll have it ready when the timing is right. Just thaw it in the microwave or pot of warm water, and let the magic begin.

Easy One-Pot Hamburger Recipes to Save Time

Serving up ground beef curry.

1. Ground Beef Curry

Curry is such an aromatic and comforting spice mix. This quick and easy South African meal with minced or ground beef, potatoes, and peas is perfect for even the busiest nights. You can have it on the table in about 20 minutes.

Beef and cabbage for an economical and classic comfort food meal.

2. Ground Beef and Cabbage

This simple yet satisfying dish is the way to go. Economical ingredients come together quickly for a hearty dinner so good you’ll go back for seconds. 

Chili Mac & Cheese for an easy ground meat recipe.

3. Chili Mac & Cheese

Two of my favorite meals in one. Spicy chili and mac and cheese get together for a family favorite that disappears almost as fast as I put it on the table. This one tastes even better the next day, making it the perfect make-ahead when you know you’ll get home too late to cook from scratch.

Flavorful Cajun rice in a blue bowl with a side of greens.

4. Cajun Rice

Cajun food is highly influenced by the French, Spanish, and West African heritage. The resulting Creole fusion is incredibly mouthwatering. That is probably why this easy recipe with ground beef and rice is one of my go-to comfort foods.

Insanely good and filling stuffed plantains for a healthy one-dish meal.

5. Stuffed Baked Plantains

Plantains are a staple at my house. I love twice-baked potatoes, too. But if I had to choose between the two, these stuffed baked plantains would win my vote any day.

Ground Beef Entrees

Easy meatloaf with ground meat.

6. Easy Meatloaf

We cannot forget one of the most overlooked comfort foods. So often taken for granted, meatloaf is a super-easy and fast way to get dinner on the table. Serve it with mashed potatoes and a salad, and you’re done.

Economical Salisbury steak for an easy ground beef recipe.

7. Salisbury Steak

The poor man’s steak is on my fast and easy dinner recipes list. Who of us can afford steak every night? When you crave steak and only have ground beef, this recipe is for you.

Easy ground beef patty melt on a plate with potato chips.

8. Patty Melt

The perfect hamburger is here! OK, it doesn’t look like one because it uses regular toasted bread instead of a hamburger bun. Less bread on my hamburger is a good thing. The melted cheese and caramelized onions are a definite plus.

Picadillo with rice for a deliciously simple hamburger recipe.

9. Picadillo

Puerto Rican food is spicy without tears. I love spicy food, but not everyone can take the heat. Adjust the cayenne to fit your spice level preference. However, garlic, oregano, and cilantro are must-haves for authentic flavors.

Meatball Recipes

African meatballs in tomato sauce over spaghetti.

10. African Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Make these soft and tender meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce in a double batch and freeze them for later. Then it’s easier to breathe on the more hectic weeknights and still throw together a good meal.

Baked meatballs ready to enjoy.

11. Baked Meatballs

Fast, easy, and guilt-free, baked meatballs are beautifully browned on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Add your favorite sauce and pasta, and you’re ready!

Swedish meatballs in sauce over egg noodles.

12. Swedish Meatballs

The secret to classic Swedish meatballs is the creamy, rich gravy sauce. Serve them over egg noodles or mashed potatoes for a hassle-free dinner on a busy weeknight!

Porcupine meatballs and rice for a super easy ground beef recipe.

13. Porcupine Meatballs

These tender and flavorful meatballs are made with seasoned ground beef and rice simmered in a simple yet delicious tomato sauce. The best part is that you can have dinner ready in less than an hour. These meatballs are perfect over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.

Hamburger Casserole Dishes

A slice of shepherd's pie.

14. Shepherd’s Pie

This hearty casserole layers saucy ground beef, vegetables, buttery, creamy mashed potatoes. Baked until golden and slightly crispy on top for crowd-pleasing comfort food!

Diving into a plate of South African Bobotie with carrots and yellow rice on the side.

15. Bobotie

This hearty, comforting South African dish with curried ground beef topped with milk and eggs is perfectly baked. This easy hamburger recipe is Africa’s answer to shepherd’s pie with more flavor and spice.

A delicious slice of moussaka.

16. Moussaka

A classic Mediterranean dish layers seasoned roasted eggplant, tasty meat sauce, and creamy cheese sauce. A touch of cinnamon is amazing with ground beef and lamb.

Sliced pastelon sideview with a piece on a white plate in the background.

17. Pastelón

A gluten-free Latin-style (Puerto Rican) plantain lasagna combines layers of spiced ground beef, sliced plantains, and cheese. Absolutely incredible meal for rainy days or special days!

Serving up a slice of super easy lasagna.

18. Easy Lasagna

Lasagna is right up there with pizza as classic comfort food. And it’s also a great make-ahead meal because it always tastes better the day after!

Ground beef casserole for an easy weeknight dinner.

19. Ground Beef Casserole

This super-easy ground beef casserole is an aromatic blend of spices, beef, tomatoes, and wonderful melty cheese. A quick and filling meal the whole family will rave about.

Spooning up a delectable serving of cowboy casserole cornbread.

20. Cowboy Casserole Cornbread

A hearty, satisfying one-dish meal topped with homemade cornbread. Every bite is an enjoyable burst of textures and flavors. Chili with cornbread all in one dish has to be good.

Easy ground beef casserole.

21. Macaroni Beef Casserole

Spicy, beefy, tomatoey, and cheesey, all in the same dish. Super easy and great for making ahead, this casserole also freezes well for an even faster weeknight dinner.

Stuffed Shells with ground beef for an easy weeknight dinner.

22. Stuffed Shells

Stuffed shells are so cool! They’re easier to make than they look. Not only that, you can make it ahead for a relaxed dinner with the family.

Enjoying slice of cabbage roll casserole.

23. Cabbage Roll Casserole

Cabbage rolls are a classic German comfort food that has infected the world. The flavorful blend of browned ground beef, cheesy topping, and soft and crunchy cabbage rolled in one super-easy casserole!

Serving up delectable ground beef and potato casserole.

24. Ground Beef and Potato Casserole

Seasoned hamburger and potatoes topped with gooey melted cheese is the ultimate comfort food! Fuss-free casseroles are perfect as a main dish, side dish, or breakfast treat.

Soups & Stews

Chili con carne for a chilly weather warm-up.

25. Easy Chili

This winter comfort food features beefy goodness from ground beef, beans, and warming spices for a family-friendly meal. It comes together in about 30 minutes for a life-saving meal that even picky eaters will enjoy!

Taco soup with avocado.

26. Taco Soup

The meaty goodness of this flavorful soup will warm your belly! This hearty soup combines tasty taco ingredients without the mess. Make this super-easy recipe in the comfort of your kitchen in just a few minutes to satisfy your cravings!

Lasagna soup with sour cream.

27. Lasagna Soup

Lasagna has always been one of my favorite comfort foods. But lasagna soup is a faster, easier meal that will warm you up in a chilly rainy season. The thick beefy tomato sauce creates an irresistible aroma while slow-cooking to flavor perfection.

Albondigas soup steaming hot and ready to enjoy.

28. Albondigas Soup

This thick, hearty soup with delicious Mexican spices is the ultimate comfort food. With potatoes and veggies thrown in, it’s not just soup; it can be a one-pot meal.

Enjoying a spoonful of insanely delicious and healthy vegetable soup with hamburger.

29. Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Hearty and warming to the soul with chunks of tender vegetables and beefy goodness! This simple and versatile soup is comfort food in a bowl. Perfect for a crazy weeknight dinner or a fast and satisfying lunch!

Other Ground Beef Recipes

Homemade hamburger helper for a quick fix.

30. Hamburger Helper

Homemade hamburger helper is not only more delicious than what comes out of the store-bought box, but it’s also much better for you. Add some macaroni and veggies for a hearty meal in a pot and time to spend with the family.

Bite into a delectable Jamaican meat pie.

31. Jamaican Beef Patty

This spicy ground beef mix wrapped in an incredibly easy dough is ideal for a snack or fast dinner. Turmeric gives the dough a beautiful golden color and an extra kick of flavor. Make a double batch and freeze half of them for when you don’t have time to cook. Just pop them out of the freezer and into the oven.

Philly cheese-steak sloppy Joe with a cold beer.

32. Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are so tasty, and so are sloppy joes. So combine them for an easy, crowd-favorite sandwich! This goodness delivers the perfect family picnic solution.

Stuffed green peppers top my list of ground pork recipes.

33. Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

Did you have stuffed peppers as a child? The moms and aunties out there knew what was good for us. You can have this easy-to-make side or main dish with minimal ingredients ready in no time.

Bolgnese sauce over spaghetti.

34. Bolognese Sauce

The perfect meaty sauce over spaghetti, served with garlic bread and a Greek salad, is a quick and simple meal for those rushed evenings. A taste of Italy will definitely make you feel better.

Getting ready to enjoy easy Piononos made with ground beef.

35. Piononos

Picadillo-stuffed plantains give you an easy ground beef meal with a Caribbean flair. To make it even more convenient, double the picadillo recipe and freeze half of it for when you want stuffed plantains.

This blog post was originally published in July 2021 and has been updated with more delicious recipes and gorgeous photos

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