What to Make With Ground Beef: 8 Easy Dinners
Tacos, sloppy joes, beef and rice bowls, potato hash, chili, cheeseburger pasta, smash burgers and a quick skillet lasagna.
A pound of ground beef is one of the most flexible things in the fridge. Brown it with an onion and you are halfway to any of these dinners.
Brown it well
Use a hot skillet, spread the beef out and leave it alone for 3 to 4 minutes before breaking it up; that is how you get browned, flavorful bits instead of gray, steamed meat. Cook until no pink remains and the beef reaches 160°F, then drain off excess fat.
Homemade taco seasoning
For 1 pound of beef: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add with 1/3 cup water and simmer until thick.
Weeknight beef tacos
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 batch taco seasoning
- 8 taco shells or tortillas
- Lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa
Brown the beef, add the seasoning and 1/3 cup water and simmer until saucy, about 5 minutes.
Good with: Our taco saucesFull recipe
Sloppy joes
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 onion and 1/2 green pepper, diced
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 4 buns
Brown the beef with the vegetables, stir in the rest and simmer for 10 minutes until thick.
Korean-style beef rice bowls
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- Rice, cucumber, green onions
Brown the beef, add the garlic and ginger, then the soy sauce and sugar. Simmer 2 minutes and serve over rice.
Ground beef and potato hash
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, diced small
- 1 onion
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
Cook the potatoes in oil, covered, for 10 minutes, then uncovered until crisp. Add the browned beef and paprika, top with cheese and cover to melt.
Weeknight chili
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained
- 1 cup broth
Brown the beef and onion, add the chili powder, then everything else. Simmer 25 minutes.
One-pot cheeseburger pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- Beef broth, diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces elbow pasta
- Cheddar
Everything cooks in one pot in about 35 minutes.
Smash burgers
- 1 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
- Cheese, buns, pickles
Smash loose balls of beef onto a very hot skillet for crisp, lacy edges.
Lazy skillet lasagna
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara
- 8 ounces broken lasagna noodles or mafalda
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup mozzarella
Brown the beef, add the sauce, water and pasta and simmer covered, stirring, for 15 minutes. Dollop ricotta, top with mozzarella and cover to melt.
