4 Yummy & Super-Easy Ground Beef Recipes

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I always keep a pound or two of ground beef in my freezer because it comes in handy when I need a quick and easy weeknight dinner. There are a million different ways to cook ground beef — whether it's for taco night, burgers on the grill or a quick beef marinara to top off pasta. And many ground beef dishes take very little time to prep since the meat browns so quickly in a skillet.

Here are four easy recipes packed with flavor that my whole family enjoys, and I'll bet yours will, too!


Sloppy Joes

This simple recipe from Allrecipes can be prepped in minutes and left to warm on the stove until you are ready to eat. To round out the meal, serve with corn on the cob, coleslaw, pickles or a mixed salad.

Serves 6

1-pound lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

3/4 cup ketchup (or to taste)

1 tablespoon brown sugar (or to taste)

1 teaspoon yellow mustard (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

6 hamburger buns, split

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir lean ground beef in the hot skillet until some of the fat starts to render, 3-4 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper. Continue to cook until vegetables have softened, and beef is cooked through, about 3-5 more minutes. Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Divide the meat mixture evenly among the hamburger buns.


Turkish Beef Pasta

My daughter made this delicious pasta dish for our lunch one day and it was so good that I asked for seconds! Some recipes for Turkish beef pasta call for one tablespoon of tomato paste added to the beef, plus a little mint and mild pepper paste, which you can certainly add, but I prefer this simplified version the way my daughter made it.

Serves 6

16-ounces bowtie pasta (or any pasta of your choice)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

2 teaspoons sweet paprika (divided in half)

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons butter

2 cups Greek yogurt or sour cream

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large tomato, chopped

1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (you can also use fresh dill)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add beef, onions, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, onion powder, curry, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Stir, and cook until meat is browned, about 7-10 minutes. Take skillet off heat and set aside. In a small bowl, add butter, garlic, 1 teaspoon paprika, and, if desired, more salt and pepper. Heat in microwave about 1 minute or less until melted.

Pour pasta evenly into 6 bowls. Top each bowl with equal amounts of beef. Stir the butter, garlic and paprika mixture until blended and drizzle over the beef. Top each bowl with a large dollop of Greek yogurt, equal amounts of the chopped tomato, and sprinkle parsley over all. Serve at room temperature.


Cowboy Casserole

There are many variations of this recipe online, but I picked specific ingredients while creating my version to make it a heartier dish for my family. As my husband says, it's a great "stick-to-your-ribs" dinner and the kind of comfort food your family will ask you to make again and again!

Serves 6

1-pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15.25-ounce) can of corn, drained

1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilis

1 (10.5-ounce) can of cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, divided

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

30-ounces frozen hashbrowns, thawed

*Optional: extra sour cream for topping and chopped fresh chives (or cilantro)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Add beef and chopped onions into a deep pot and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to break up the meat. Add garlic and cook until meat is browned (about 2 more minutes). Add corn, beans and chilis. Stir and pour in the soup, sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese, plus the seasonings. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until well blended.

Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish. Spread thawed hashbrowns over the entire casserole, then sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over all. Bake for 30 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before plating, then top with a dollop of sour cream and chives if desired.


Caramelized Beef with Rice

My family loves this Asian-inspired beef and rice bowl recipe from Delish. I top the bowl with plenty of colorful vegetables to get my daily intake of vitamins.

Serves 2-4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1-pound lean ground beef (80/20)

1 tablespoon grated ginger (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)

4 cloves minced garlic

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons agave syrup (or any sweetener you prefer)

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooked rice for serving

*Optional toppings: chopped scallion, cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, sliced radishes, cucumbers, red onions or tomatoes

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. When the oil is rippling but not smoking, add beef, broken into small 1-2-inch clumps, with a little space between each piece. Don't stir! Wait until the bottoms are dark brown and crisp — about 2 minutes. Flip pieces and brown the other side, about 2 more minutes. Using a spoon or spatula, break meat apart into smaller pieces. Continue cooking until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add ginger and garlic and continue stirring for 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and agave syrup, scraping up the dark bits of meat stuck to the bottom of the pan. Remove skillet from the heat. Drizzle sesame oil over the meat with salt and pepper to taste. Serve overcooked rice in a bowl or on a plate and sprinkle preferred toppings over all.

 
What ground beef recipes do YOU absolutely love? Let us know in the comments below.