19 Incredibly Simple Dishes that You Can Make with Ground Beef

Ground beef is a versatile grocery staple. It goes well with a variety of ingredients, allowing you to whip up a fantastic array of dishes.

From easy-fix meals that you can make in mere minutes to elaborate family dinners, you have endless options with this ingredient.

Let’s look at a few of the best dishes that you can make with ground beef.

Use a food thermometer when cooking these dishes. FoodSafety.gov gives minimum temperatures of 160°F (71°C) for ground beef and 165°F (74°C) for casseroles and reheated leftovers.

19 Great Dishes that You Can Make with Ground Beef

Here are 19 dishes that you can make using ground beef.

1. Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is a classic British comfort food made with ground meat and vegetables cooked in gravy.

It’s a casserole dish that uses ground beef as the base. The meat has a topping of mashed potatoes that are baked till golden brown.

The recipe resembles Shepherd’s pie, another traditional dish.

However, the main difference between the two is that Shepherd’s Pie uses ground lamb or mutton, while cottage pie uses ground beef.

2. Beef Burger

Ground beef is the perfect base for delicious burger patties.

There are thousands of recipes for beef burgers, and you can customize the ingredients to your liking.

Mix it with your choice of spices and herbs to make it as spicy or bland as you choose.

Similarly, you can use various binding agents like flour or egg to create the perfect texture.

Regardless of the recipe that you choose to whip up your version of beef patties, the main benefit is that freshly made beef patties are moister and more delicious than any store-bought version.

3. Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes

Peppers or tomatoes stuffed with flavored ground beef is a wholesome dish that is high in calories and nutritional value.

You can make the filling with beef and various herbs, spices, sauces, and finely chopped onions or vegetables.

After stuffing the peppers or tomatoes with the filling, it can be steamed, baked, or roasted till done.

4. Chili

Chili con carne is closely associated with Tex-Mex cooking and Texas, including San Antonio’s chili-queen tradition. Ground beef is one option, but some versions use pieces of meat.

It’s a type of stew with a thick texture, made by combining meat, beans, peppers, and a wide variety of herbs and seasonings.

Some versions include beans, while Texas-style chili commonly leaves them out. Choose a recipe for the style you want.

Some recipes use tomatoes, while others suggest against using tomatoes in the dish.

In either case, this dish is flavorful, filling, and calorie-dense.

5. Meat and Potato Casserole

Beef and potato casseroles come in several forms, including versions made with sliced potatoes and a creamy sauce.

Combine the ground beef, potatoes and sauce as your chosen casserole recipe directs.

Depending on the recipe, the potatoes may be sliced, shredded or used as a topping.

The entire dish is then baked or cooked till all the ingredients blend.

6. Meatball Soup

Meatballs are bite-sized balls of ground beef. You can add different herbs and seasonings to the mix for added flavor.

You can use these meatballs in a variety of ways, one of the best options being meatball soup.

Create a base of vegetables in broth with flavoring agents like cumin or harissa for a signature flavor.

Then, cook the meatballs in the base to create a hearty, satisfying warm soup.

7. Beef Enchiladas

Beef enchiladas are a Mexican favorite made with ground beef and bean filling mixed with Tex-Mex spices and rolled in a tortilla.

Arrange the filled tortillas in a baking dish and cover them with the enchilada sauce specified in your recipe. Red chile sauce is one option; a cheese dip such as chile con queso is not the definition of enchilada sauce.

The sauce adds moisture and flavor to the filled tortillas.

8. Spaghetti Bolognese

Ground beef is the star ingredient of this classic Italian dish.

To prepare Spaghetti Bolognese, ground beef is mixed with a variety of herbs, spices, tomatoes, wine, and various other ingredients in a rich, flavorful sauce.

This sauce sits over cooked spaghetti and a flourish of cheese.

It’s a classic meal that is routinely served as lunch or dinner in many households around the world.

9. Ground Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is a classic Russian recipe made with beef. Instead of using small beef fillets in the recipe, you can use ground beef.

The beef is cooked with onions, mushrooms, and various herbs and seasonings in a sour cream sauce. It’s served with pasta or rice.

This traditional recipe is a crowd-pleaser and is loved by people of all ages for its luxurious taste and rich flavors.

10. Ground Beef Soup

Ground beef is a rich source of nutrients and protein.

It’s the perfect ingredient for a warm and comforting bowl of soup during the cold weather.

To add more nutrients and make it richer, you can even add vegetables to the soup.

Root vegetables like carrots and potatoes will carry the salty flavors of the beef well and make the soup more indulgent.

11. Meatloaf

Meatloaf is a main-course dish made with ground beef and a long list of ingredients, including herbs and spices.

All the ingredients are combined and formed into a shape of a loaf that is then baked or smoked.

Ground beef allows all the rich flavors from the other ingredients to blend in.

Once cooked, you can slice meatloaf just like you would cut a loaf of bread and serve it with a side of gravy or vegetables.

12. Nachos

Nachos start with tortilla chips and cheese, with toppings such as salsa, beans or seasoned ground beef.

The meaty version of nachos uses ground beef instead of beans as the source of protein.

You can, however, add beans into the mix as well to make it more filling and satisfying.

It goes with spicy salsa and crunchy tortilla chips on the side. You can also enjoy this mouth-watering dish as a meal by itself.

13. Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

For stuffed cabbage rolls, cabbage leaves are wrapped around a filling such as ground beef and rice. Stuffed vine leaves are a related but separate dish.

The leaves are made into little pouches or pockets and are either steamed or baked and topped with a rich tomato sauce.

The cabbage leaves and tangy tomato sauce complement the beef filling.

14. Meat Pies

As the name suggests, meat pies use ground beef as the filling inside a pie crust.

After laying the filling inside the pie, it’s baked in the oven till the base is fully cooked.

Alternatively, you can also make small pocket-size pies with ground beef as the filling.

These pies usually use additional ingredients like onions and cabbage in the filling.

Preparing them ahead of time makes them easy to take with you, and they can be eaten cold or warm.

15. Beef Calzone

A calzone is an Italian folded pizza made with leavened dough and a meaty filling.

You can use ground beef to make the filling of a calzone. Add mushrooms and other ingredients to the filling for better flavor.

Making ground beef calzones ahead of time sets you up for healthy meals during the week, as you can easily stash them in the freezer and heat them when it’s time to eat.

16. Lasagna

Lasagna is another classic Italian dish made by layering pasta sheets with ground beef sauce and baking till done.

A topping of cheese completes the dish. It’s rich, indulgent, and full of flavor.

You can play around with the sauce and use extra ingredients like spinach in the filling to create healthier versions of the classic.

17. Spaghetti and Meatballs

This is another Italian-inspired dish that uses meatballs. It’s like spaghetti Bolognese.

However, here the ground beef is made into meatballs and cooked in gravy instead of being used directly in the sauce.

The meatball sauce is poured over cooked spaghetti and served with a garnish of cheese.

Various herbs like oregano, garlic, and chives, along with classic cheese like Parmesan, are part of this recipe.

18. Ground Beef Mousaka

Mousaka is a traditional Greek dish typically made with lamb mince, eggplants, and potatoes.

Some versions of the recipe use ground beef instead of lamb, and it works well.

The other ingredients of this casserole are tomato, spices, wine, and vinegar.

In a Greek-style moussaka, the cooked meat sauce and vegetables are layered in a dish, topped with béchamel and baked.

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19. Meatball Pizza

Ground beef works well as a pizza topping alone and with other ingredients.

Use cooked ground beef or cooked meatballs as pizza toppings, following your recipe so that the meat is heated through without leaving raw patches.

In either case, you can customize the meaty part of the pizza by adding herbs and flavors of your choice.

After adding the cooked ground beef or meatballs, add cheese and bake according to your pizza recipe.