EASY Ground Beef Recipes for Dinner | Favorite Family Recipes (2024)

Looking for dinner ideas using ground beef? Here you will find a variety of recipes you can easily make in your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, on the stovetop, and in the oven. We also share our best tips on how to cook ground beef to use in your favorite recipes.

Ground beef is a staple for many fast and easy weeknight meals. It’s budget-friendly, easy to prepare, and has favorable health benefits. It is abundant in protein, iron, vitamins B6 and B12, and other essential vitamins and minerals making it a healthy choice for family meals.

Tips on How to Cook Ground Beef

• Cook your ground beef in a cast iron skillet to get that perfect brown appearance, texture, and flavor.
• You want browned beef, not gray beef. To avoid this, don’t let it “boil” or “steam” in its own juices. If the beef starts to look like it is drowning, drain off excess liquid.
• If your recipe callsfor onion, add it to the skillet along with the beef. You can also sauté the onion in the skillet before adding the beef if you want the onion to soften more.
• Use a flat-edged spatula to break apart the ground beef.
• Avoid stirring constantly. Let it have time to brown up. Break it into pieces and then leave it alone.
• Try to season your ground beef throughout the cooking process with salt, pepper, garlic, and other seasonings depending on the type of recipe you will be preparing.
• When browning beef that is extra lean, you may want to add a little more oil to add flavor.
• See our recipe below for “How to Cook Ground Beef.”

Easy Dinner Ideas with Ground Beef

When it comes to ground beef, the dinner possibilities are endless! You can make anything from soups, to casseroles, to meatballs and meatloaf. Whether you prefer cooking in the oven, on the stovetop, with a slow cooker, on the grill, or with an Instant pot, you are sure to find a recipe here that will become a new favorite! It wouldn’t be a proper ground beef compilation without including the classics. Who doesn’t love burgers and fries or Taco Tuesday? Comfort food the whole family will love.

Walking Tacos

Walking Tacos, Tacos in a Bag, Locos, Walking Tacos, Tacos in a Bag, Locos Tacos – whatever you call them, they’re the best meal for camping, reunions, and block parties. Plus, walking tacos are cheap and tasty, with the easiest clean-up ever—no plates required!

Blue Cheese and Bacon Burger

This Blue Cheese Burger with Bacon takes regular hamburgers a whole new level. Crisp bacon, tangy blue cheese crumbles and a spicy sauce turns up the heat and flavor!

Taco Salad

This taco salad is made with seasoned ground beef, crisp romaine lettuce, and flavorful toppings. An easy, healthy weeknight dinner!

Hamburgers

Get all the tips, tricks, and secrets to making flavorful, juicy hamburgers. You can’t go wrong with this easy, fool-proof method.

White Castle Sliders

White Castle Sliders you can make at home! If you’ve always wanted to replicate these popular burgers from the White Castle restaurant, this recipe is the real deal.

Ground Beef Tacos

Ground Beef Tacos are a tasty recipe that makes a great meal for the whole family. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!

Taco Soup (sub the chicken for ground beef)

Emily’s Southwest Taco Soup is a simple recipe bursting with savory spicy taco flavor. A perfect soup supper any night of the week!

Taco Seasoning for Ground Beef Tacos

Making your own homemade taco seasoning is so simple and inexpensive! You likely already have most of the ingredients in your pantry and can whip up a batch in just minutes, then enjoy it for months.

Navajo Tacos

Navajo Tacos are easy to make and fun to eat! Pillowy fry bread piled with chili, cheese and your favorite toppings.

Instant Pot Ground Beef Recipes

I LOVE making ground beef recipes in the Instant Pot because you can cook the beef righ in the pot! No cooking and transferring to another dish. You can sauté, cook, and simmer all in one place!

Meatballs

These Instant Pot Meatballs are the easiest way to make meatballs EVER. No browning or sautéing. Just throw them in the sauce uncooked and let the Instant Pot do the rest!

Swedish Meatballs

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs are always tender and delicious in a rich gravy that is done in an instant! Super tasty over rice, noodles or potatoes.

Stuffed Peppers

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers are a hit for busy weeknights! The cheesy beef and rice filling is so satisfying and bakes beautifully in brilliant green or red peppers. Your family will love them!

Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) Ground Beef Recipes

If you prefer taking it slow when you are cooking, you are going to love thesecrockpot ground beef recipes! Use the tips above to brown your beef and them add it to the recipes below. Did you know that you can also brown your beef in the Crock Pot? Just break up the beef in the bottom of the Crock Pot, season like you normally would, and ¼ cup water per pound (up to 3 pounds). Cook on high for 2-3 hours (or low for 5-6 hours). Perfect for taco meat, sloppy Joes, or to freeze for future recipes.

Vegetable Beef Soup

Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup is full of savory ground beef and hearty vegetables. One of the easiest soups to throw together on a busy, chilly day, and always a family favorite!

Crock Pot Lasagna

Cooking a delicious, hearty Italian dinner just got easier with this Crock Pot Lasagna! Put everything in the Crock Pot – including uncooked noodles – and let it slow cook while you go about your day. Then serve up a meal your whole family will love!

Crock Pot BBQ Baked Beans

These BBQ baked beans in a crock pot are the perfect side dish for your next potluck or BBQ. They are sweet, savory, beefy, hearty, and oh so delicious!

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs are so yummy and easy to make! With homemade meatballs, pineapple chunks, and a tangy sweet sauce, you are gonna love it!

Olive Garden Pasta E fa*gioli Soup

Our Olive Garden Pasta e fa*gioli Soup copycat recipe tastes just like the original. This hearty, Italian-seasoned soup is easily made in a slow cooker.

Easy Cheater Chili

Our Easy Chili Recipe is the fastest way to get hearty chili on the dinner table – made with beef, beans and tomatoes in a rich tomato sauce.

Ground Beef Skillet (Stove Top) Recipes

If you are in a hurry, skillet recipes are the way to go when using ground beef. You can easily brown the beef and cook the rest of your meal all on one big skillet or quickly serve over noodles or rice. Be sure to use the tips above when browning your beef!

Authentic Italian Spaghetti

Nick’s Authentic Italian Spaghetti recipe comes straight from Italy. Tomatoes, basil, onions, and carrots flavor the meat to make the perfect sauce!

Homemade Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes—the name may remind you of canned meat served in elementary school, but I promise you these homemade sloppy joes are flavor-packed and the perfect thing to make for a quick meal or potluck.

Easy Spanish Rice Skillet

This Easy Spanish Rice recipe is an easy, delicious one pot meal for any night of the week. Have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes!

15-Minute Beef and Noodles Skillet

This 15 Minute Beef and Noodles Skillet recipe is perfect for those busy nights when you need dinner quick. Ground beef and noodles with a creamy, cheesy sauce.

Easy Meatball Stroganoff

Meatball stroganoff is a hearty, easy to make dinner that everyone in the family will love. Learn how to make the perfect meatballs and sauce for this tasty dish.

Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)

Frikadeller, or Danish Meatballs, are savory meatballs served in a rich, creamy sauce that is comfort food at its finest. Plus, they’resuper easy to make!

Aunt Bessie Meatballs

Aunt Bessie Meatballs are truly a family favorite and are full of veggies. The meatballs are packed with shredded potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Ground Beef Oven Baked Recipes

When feeding a family, an easy baked casserole is a great way to go! You have everything you need all in one dish. Casseroles make for hearty and delicious dinner for any night of the week, especially those nights when you are in a hurry or don’t have a lot of ingredients on hand.

Easy Shepherd’s Pie

Easy Shepherd’s Pie is the perfect week-night dinner! Loaded with meat and veggies and topped with potatoes and cheese, this warm dish is the ultimate comfort food.

Easy Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna is a cross between lasagna and enchiladas. Tortillas, meat sauce, and cheese layered and topped with your favorite Mexican toppings!

The BEST Lasagna

Our family’s favorite lasagna, with spicy sausage, plump tomatoes and lots of cheese, will be a hit at your dinner table too!

Southwestern Chili Frito Pie

Frito Chili Casserole is the perfect comfort dinner. Delicious layers of crunchy Fritos, Southwestern chili, and lots of gooey cheese make for a winning weeknight meal!

The BEST Baked Tater Tot Casserole

The Best Baked Tater Tot Casserole is comfort food reminiscent of your childhood. Creamy beef topped with crisp tater tots and lots of cheese. It’s a family dinner hit!

Best Meatloaf Recipe

This meatloaf recipe will change the way you think about meatloaf! Rich, moist and loaded with chopped vegetables, this hearty dish is sure to become a family favorite!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Dinner in a Pumpkin is a hearty casserole cooked right inside a pumpkin! Perfect for serving on Halloween night before the kids go trick or treating.

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

This easy Enchilada Casserole your whole family will love! Make it with leftover shredded chicken or beef.

Cheeseburger Pie

Cheeseburger pie is cheap, easy, and uses ingredients you probably always have on hand. Makes for a delicious dinner any night of the week!

Sloppy Joe Cups

These Sloppy Cups, or Sloppy Joe Cups, are a fun, new way to enjoy Sloppy Joes. The kids love having their own little cups on their plates!

For more information about cooking with ground beef, including ground beef safety and best practices for storing ground beef, visit beefitswhatsfordinner.com.

Recipe tips on how to cook ground beef inspired by Alton Brown