From classics like tacos and burgers to tasty casseroles, these simple meals are perfect for busy weeknights.
Quick and Easy Ground Beef Recipes for Dinner Tonight
Dinner is simple when you have a pack of ground beef in the fridge! Whether you’re in the mood for a juicy burger, lasagna, meatloaf, taco soup, cheeseburger pizza, or a hearty bowl of chili, we’ve got you covered. These delicious ground beef recipes will have dinner on the table in a flash!
1. Sloppy Joe Frito Pie
Sloppy Joe Frito pie is the ultimate comfort food. One bite of this heartwarming meal is enough to turn anyone’s day around. The ground beef is coated in a homemade sloppy joe sauce made up of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and onion powder. Canned sloppy joe sauce is now a thing of the past! After spreading your ground beef mixture in a casserole dish, top with Fritos and shredded cheese. Bake and dive into a gooey and delicious meal.
2. Cheeseburger Pasta
Two of your favorite meals are combined to give you the ultimate cheeseburger pasta. Ready in just 30 minutes, this recipe is the key to any busy night. Ground beef is combined with all the necessary cheeseburger toppings like onion, fire-roasted tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, mayo. You can even add pickles if you want! There’s a lot of versatility with this meal. Don’t like mayo but still want that creamy touch? Add sour cream instead. You can even add bacon! Mix in your cheese before serving and be prepared for this cheeseburger pasta to become a family favorite.
3. Leftover Chili Cornbread Casserole
Throwing out perfectly good food is the worst feeling in the world. But no one likes eating the same meal several nights in a row. Next time you have leftover chili, it’s time to have chili cornbread casserole! Pair this up with warm cornbread out of the oven, and you’ll have a new family favorite. If you’re like me, I always have leftover chili. This casserole is a great way to use leftovers without feeling like you’re eating the same meal… again. Put your leftover chili in a casserole dish, top with your prepared cornbread mix, and bake. That’s it!
4. Mexi-Mac Skillet
Not only is this mexi-mac skillet delicious, it’s also a one-pot meal. I can’t help but think of those Hamburger Helper days. This recipe is also quick and easy, but I can guarantee it knocks that boxed meal out of the park when it comes to flavor. After cooking the ground beef with onion, you’ll want to stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, water, and seasonings. When it comes to a boil, the macaroni gets thrown into the sauce! It doesn’t get much easier.
5. Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells
Pasta and tacos seem like they shouldn’t go together, but these taco stuffed pasta shells will be your new favorite duo! Similar to classic stuffed shells, this recipe replaces the traditional shell filling with taco meat and vegetables. Tomatoes, taco seasoning, water, and vegetables get mixed with your cooked ground beef. Cream cheese is then melted into your mixture, giving the most beautiful texture. After stuffing your cooked shells and putting them in a casserole dish, the entire thing gets topped with salsa!
6. Lipton Onion Soup Burgers
Lipton onion soup mix is such a versatile seasoning that should be kept on hand at all times. It can be used to make a dip, dumped in with your roast, or to make mouth-watering Lipton onion soup burgers. Mayonnaise and bread crumbs get mixed into the soup packet and combined with the ground beef. Don’t overwork your meat mixture! Overworking can lead to a dry patty, and no one wants a dry hamburger! Serve with your favorite hamburger toppings and enjoy the juiciest burger!
7. Meatballs
Everyone needs to have a foolproof, classic meatball recipe. Making them in big batches and freezing will allow you to have meatballs any day of the week, even when you don’t have time! There are so many recipes you can make with meatballs. A few of my favorites are spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs, Swedish meatballs, and barbecue grape jelly meatballs. Ground beef and ground pork are both used in this recipe, which gives the best flavor. Then you have your basics like breadcrumbs, milk, parmesan, and seasonings! Bake and eat right away or freeze the extras.
8. Korean Beef and Rice
If you only have 20 minutes to make dinner and get it on the table, try this Korean beef and rice. Budget-friendly and tender, even the pickiest of eaters will ask for seconds. Ingredients like brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and red peppers flavor this dish perfectly. The recipe says to serve it over steamed rice, but you could substitute for brown rice or quinoa. I think vegetables would make a great addition to this dish and add some gorgeous color!
9. Un-stuffed Cabbage Bowls
A classic stuffed cabbage takes time and effort. Luckily, these un-stuffed cabbage bowls have all of the same flavor without spending the extra effort. This recipe was made in the Instant Pot, but there are also stovetop directions. Either way, it’s all completed in one dish! Traditional stuffed cabbage ingredients are included, like cabbage, rice, and tomato sauce. There are also a ton of seasonings that transform this dish into the most delicious and juicy un-stuffed cabbage bowls.
10. Bisquick Cheeseburger Pie
Also known as the “impossibly easy cheeseburger pie,” this Bisquick cheeseburger pie is sure to become a weeknight staple. You’ll have a complete meal on the table in about 30 minutes. The cooked ground beef and onion gets put into a pie plate and topped with cheese. Your Bisquick mixture gets poured right on top and baked. It feels like there should be more steps, but that’s it! While it’s baking, you can make a salad or just relax.
11. Ground Beef Tacos
Ground beef tacos are a staple at my house. We have them at least once a week because they’re delicious, quick, and everyone loves tacos! Don’t even think about using that packet of taco seasoning. You can make your own with seasoning you probably already own. The toppings can be whatever you want — lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives, jalapeños. To make life even easier, you could make a big batch of taco meat every so often and freeze the extras. All you have to do is reheat the taco meat and dinner is ready!
12. Taco Soup
Versatile and packed with flavor, taco soup is an easy meal that everyone will love. Whether you are using a slow cooker or the stove, the ingredients remain the same. Using canned items makes this soup a breeze to prepare. Green chilies, Mexican tomatoes, and taco seasoning add a smoky flavor with just a touch of heat. The great thing about this soup is you can adjust it to your liking. Don’t forget toppings like corn chips, sour cream, and cheese.
13. Cheeseburger Salad
Did you ever think you would hear the words cheeseburger and salad together? Well, you’re about to be surprised because this cheeseburger salad is low carb, gluten-free, and tasty! With ingredients like ground beef, tomatoes, cheese and pickles (yes, pickles in a salad), you won’t even miss the buns. Although, the best part of this salad has to be the dressing. It’s a copycat Big Mac sauce! If you feel like a cheeseburger but want something lighter, this salad is the perfect replacement.
14. Cheeseburger Pizza
We’re on a roll with all the cheeseburger recipes. And why not? Cheeseburgers are delicious! This cheeseburger pizza is another way to get all those delicious flavors in a creative meal. If you love pizza and cheeseburgers, this is the meal for you. Using a pre-baked pizza crust will make your life so easy, but you could definitely make your own dough. Top it with your favorites like ground beef, tomato, pickles, or even bacon! Don’t forget the ketchup and mustard sauce! It adds a touch of tang and really brings the whole pizza together.
15. Bolognese Sauce
This bolognese sauce might be a labor of love, but you won’t regret it for one second. This is the kind of recipe you pass on from generation to generation. This sauce has a great meaty taste since it uses ground beef, ground pork, and pancetta. The cremini and porcini mushrooms are a staple in this recipe. If you make a huge batch and freeze leftovers, it’ll be much easier when it’s dinner time.
16. Ground Beef Fried Rice
Not only is this ground beef fried rice a quick meal, it’s also super inexpensive. Fried rice cooks up extremely fast, so make sure you have all your ingredients prepared ahead of time. Traditional Asian ingredients flavor this dish like soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. The ground beef is the perfect addition. The number one tip for cooking fried rice is to always use leftover rice! Fresh rice can easily get mushy and clump up.
17. Beef Tamale Casserole
If you want tamales without spending all the time and effort making them, this beef tamale casserole will satisfy your craving! The traditional cornmeal dough in tamales is replaced by cornbread in this casserole. The fun part is poking holes in your cooked cornbread, which allows it to soak up the delicious enchilada sauce! It gets topped with seasoned ground beef and cheese and baked. Don’t forget to top with sour cream, avocado, or cilantro.
18. Beef Empanadas
Flaky and cheesy, these baked beef empanadas are the perfect handheld size for appetizers or filling enough for a meal. This homemade dough is delicious, but you could absolutely use store bought bit crust for an even easier dish. The insides are filled with seasoned ground beef and cheese. That’s it! You can eat them as is or serve with dipping sauces like sour cream, homemade salsa, or guacamole.
19. Tater Tot Casserole
Tater tot casserole is comfort food at its finest and also a great meal for those picky eaters. If you’re like me and always have tater tots and ground beef in the freezer, you won’t even have to take a trip to the grocery store. My favorite part about this meal is that the veggies are in the casserole! Seasoned ground beef is topped with cream of mushroom soup, green beans, cheddar cheese, and tater tots. Bake and enjoy!
20. Meatloaf
Meatloaf is a classic dish that everyone loves, so it’s a good idea to have a solid recipe in your back pocket. This meatloaf keeps its shape and is moist without being greasy. The seasoning is a combination or onion, bell pepper, and canned diced tomatoes. Those are mixed with the ground beef, oats, and an egg. The topping is my personal favorite, a mixture of ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard! This caramelizes while baking and completes the dish perfectly.
21. Leftover Meatloaf Quiche
How do you use up leftover meatloaf? By making leftover meatloaf quiche, of course! There are many uses for leftover meatloaf, but this one actually takes the meatloaf and makes a whole different meal. Chop up your meatloaf and cheese. Then pour over your Bisquick mix. All that’s left to do is bake and eat! It’s a great hearty breakfast for the whole family.
22. Chili
If you want Wendy’s chili without ever leaving your home, this copycat chili recipe will warm you up from the inside out! This recipe is so easy! You can even throw all the ingredients into a slow cooker in the morning and have dinner ready when you come home. With flavors from the chili seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and bell pepper, no one will have any complaints. Sometimes toppings are my favorite part of chili. You can use chips, avocado, salsa, sour cream, and of course, cheese.
23. Flatbread Mexican Pizza
Move over taco Tuesday, this flatbread Mexican pizza is about to become everyone’s new favorite meal! Using pre-made flatbread pizza crusts will make this meal even easier, but you can definitely make your own. Top them with all the traditional taco toppings like seasoned ground beef, refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, and onion. Then it goes in the oven to get so gooey. Top it with avocado, salsa, sour cream, or whatever else you want!
24. Lasagna
This next recipe comes from my very own vault, and I must say, I’m very proud of it. Nothing beats a classic lasagna. Its layers of flat noodles, meaty sauce, and cheeses create the most spectacular dish. This lasagna is so creamy, cheesy, and saucy that you’ll want to lick the plate! It’s not even that hard to make. With my simplified recipe, you’ll have perfect lasagna in just 1 hour.
25. Peanut Butter Burger
This may sound like an odd pairing, but it’s really a match made in burger heaven. The sweet and creamy peanut butter combines perfectly with the rich and savory burger. I know it sounds weird at first. But if you like peanut butter, you’ll love this new combination. Just be sure to have extra napkins on hand! It’s ooey gooey delicious.
26. Ground Beef Burritos
Wanna know the best way to use up ground beef? Burritos, of course! They’re easy to make and SO delicious. Which makes them my go-to every time I get a craving for Mexican food. Which, let’s be honest, happens on quite a regular basis. Plus, you can customize them however you like. Let the fiesta begin!
27. Thai Basil Beef (Pad Gra Prow)
Pad Gra Prow is a traditional Thai street food of ground beef stir fry, rice, and fried egg. What makes the dish so unique is that the beef is flavored with brown sugar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and chili paste. Another special ingredient is holy basil, which is basically like basil, only hotter. It’s fried along with the beef, giving it an even deeper flavor. The beef stir-fry alone is so good you’ll want to wolf it down on its own! But of course, if you want to make it more filling, don’t forget about the rice and the egg.
28. Meatball Subs
I firmly believe that the meatball sub is the holy grail of all subs. The combo of juicy meatballs, sauce marinara, and melty cheese is just pure perfection. The great thing about it is despite it being so incredibly delicious, hearty, and again, delicious, it’s also a snap to make. Even if you decide to make the meatballs from scratch (which you don’t, BTW), it’s still a breeze.
29. Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is English comfort food at its finest. It’s ground beef at the bottom, mashed potatoes in the middle, and a cheese crust on top. You can’t go wrong with that! Complete with carbs, veggies, protein, and fat, one slice of this pie is already a complete meal. But of course, that shouldn’t stop you from having that second serving.
30. Beef Potstickers
These homemade Chinese dumplings are better than takeout! They’re crispy and chewy on the outside and bursting with a savory meat filling. I know it’s so much easier to just order in or buy a bag of frozen potstickers. But trust me, this recipe makes dumplings that are a hundred times better than those. They’re also a lot easier to make than you think. Once you’ve perfected the art of wrapping the dumplings, everything will be a breeze! Click on a star to rate it!
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