20+ Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Ground beef/beef mince is one of the most versatile proteins in my kitchen. It’s affordable, it cooks fast, it takes on any seasoning you throw at it and it’s the starting point for some of the most loved dinners in the world. Bolognese, tacos, burgers, lasagna, chilli, meatballs. All of them start with the same humble ingredient and all of them can be on the table in about 30 minutes.
I always have ground beef in my fridge or freezer because I know that no matter what kind of dinner the family is in the mood for, mince can get me there. Mexican on Monday, Italian on Tuesday, comfort food on Wednesday. These are my best ground beef recipes, organized by category so you can find exactly what you’re looking for.
Quick Pairing Guide
Busy weeknight, need dinner fast: Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta, Smashed Burger Tacos or Easy Taco Meat with tortillas.
Feeding a crowd or meal prepping: Classic Bolognese, Chilli Con Carne or Classic Homemade Lasagna.
Kids’ favorites: Baked Beef Tacos, Cottage Pie or Creamy Taco Pasta Bake.
Freezer stocking: Bolognese, Taco Meat, Burger Patties and Meatballs. See my full Freezer Meals with Ground Beefguide.
Budget-friendly: All of them. That’s the beauty of ground beef.
Pasta and Sauces
Bolognese Sauce
The recipe everyone should have in their back pocket. A rich, slow-simmered meat sauce with a mirepoix of onion, carrot and celery, tomatoes and herbs. This is the bolognese I’ve been making for years and it’s the most requested dinner in my house. It also freezes well and tastes even better the next day.
Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta
The 20-minute weeknight pasta that disappears fastest in this house. Ground beef in a rich, creamy tomato sauce tossed through pasta.
Classic Homemade Lasagna
Layers of bolognese, homemade béchamel sauce, pasta sheets and cheese baked until golden and bubbling. This is a project dinner rather than a weeknight throw-together but it’s worth every minute. It also freezes incredibly well, assembled but unbaked, which makes it one of the best make-ahead dinners you can have in the freezer.
Easy Ravioli Lasagna
Taco meat in a creamy sauce with sautéed peppers and onions, tossed through pasta and baked under a layer of melted cheese.
Creamy Taco Pasta Bake
This easy ravioli lasagna recipe with layers of store-bought ravioli, rich bolognese sauce and béchamel is the ultimate comforting dinner recipe. It’s great to prepare ahead and perfect served on chilly nights.
Bolognese Pasta Bake
This rich and aromatic Bolognese pasta bake is perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd as it can easily be made in bulk and frozen.
Instant Pot Bolognese
This Instant Pot Bolognese recipe is rich, delicious and so easy to make. It delivers the perfect meaty sauce that is guaranteed to become a family favorite.Â
Tacos and Mexican
Easy Taco Meat
Seasoned ground beef that takes 15 minutes and turns into tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, taco bowls, loaded fries and about a dozen other meals. Make a big batch and freeze it flat in zip-lock bags. One batch, an entire week of different dinners.
Smashed Burger Tacos
Seasoned ground beef pressed into flour tortillas and cooked in a hot pan until crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Top with burger sauce, lettuce, cheese and pickles for Big Mac vibes in taco form. These went viral for a reason. They’re fast, fun and everyone at the table loves assembling their own.
Baked Beef Tacos
Taco shells filled with seasoned beef and cheese, lined up in a baking dish and baked until the shells are crispy and the cheese is melted and bubbly. The oven crisps the shells evenly and the melted cheese holds the filling to the shell so nothing falls apart on the first bite. Ten minutes to assemble and the oven handles the rest.
Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Baked sweet potatoes split open and loaded with taco meat, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and all your favorite taco toppings. The natural sweetness of the potato against the smoky, spiced meat is the combination that surprises everyone. Naturally gluten-free, high in fiber and the whole family can build their own.
Potato Taco Bowls
Crispy air fried potato cubes topped with seasoned taco meat, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. The potatoes replace the tortilla and they might be better. Golden and crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and perfect for soaking up all the sauces and toppings.
Comfort Food
Cottage Pie
Seasoned beef mince in a rich red wine and beef stock gravy with onion, carrot and celery, topped with creamy mashed potato and a golden parmesan crust. This is comfort food at its most satisfying and one of the best freezer meals you can make. Assemble unbaked and freeze. It goes straight from freezer to oven without defrosting.
Chilli Con Carne
Rich, smoky chilli loaded with ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, peppers and warm spices. The smoked paprika and homemade taco seasoning give it a depth and warmth that sets this version apart. Serve over rice, with crusty bread, on a baked potato or loaded onto nachos. It tastes even better the next day.
Lasagna Soup
This one-pot Lasagna Soup is rich, comforting and perfect for weeknight dinners. All the delicious flavors of traditional lasagna with none of the fuss.
Eggplant Lasagna
Creamy, cheesy and perfect as a cozy, comfort dinner, this eggplant lasagna is truly delicious. Layers of roasted eggplant (instead of pasta), meaty bolognese and creamy béchamel sauce means every bite is drool-worthy.
Curried Sausage Rolls
Juicy, curried beef filling encased in buttery, flaky pastry. I mean, what more could you ask for. These curried sausage rolls are a guaranteed hit!
Burgers and Meatballs
Classic Bacon Cheese Burgers
Juicy burger patties with classic toppings. Nothing beat this.
Cheesy Baked Meatballs
Cheesy baked meatballs is the one-pan dinner of dreams and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Juicy meatballs in a rich tomato sauce topped with cheese and baked until melty and delicious? Yes please!
Air Fryer Burgers
These air fryer burgers are incredibly juicy, tender and so easy! No mess and cooked in 10 minutes? Yes please!
The BEST Jalapeño Cheese Burgers
These jalapeño cheddar burgers have been dubbed the BEST burgers I’ve ever made by my teens. The combination of ground beef and pork creates an incredibly juicy, flavorful burger that’s perfectly spicy and cheesy in every single bite.
Easy Air Fryer Meatballs
These are the BEST easy air fryer meatballs. Juicy, tender and so quick to make, you’re going to love this delicious recipe.
Juicy Patty Melts
Juicy beef, aged cheese and caramelized onions with mushrooms make this Patty Melt recipe a total winner. It’s the perfect comfort food lunch recipe and is great as a fuss-free dinner for the family. A guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Meatball Subs
Juicy meatballs, rich tomato sauce, melty mozzarella and crusty bread come together in these meatball subs. Pure deliciousness.
Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches
These easy freezer breakfast sandwiches with homemade sausage and egg are great to meal-prep ahead and keep in the freezer for busy weekday mornings.
Tips for Cooking with Ground Beef
- Buy in bulk. A larger pack of ground beef is almost always cheaper per pound/per kilo than individual portions. Buy the biggest pack your budget allows, portion what you need and freeze the rest. This is the single easiest way to save money on your weekly grocery bill.
- Use 80/20 for the best flavor. An 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio gives you the juiciest, most flavorful result. The fat renders during cooking and becomes part of the sauce. Extra lean beef is drier and less flavorful. Drain excess fat after browning if needed but don’t go too lean.
- Brown it properly. Don’t stir the mince constantly. Let it sit in contact with the hot pan so it develops a golden-brown crust. This caramelization (the Maillard reaction) is where most of the depth and richness in any ground beef dish comes from. Grey, steamed mince tastes flat. Properly browned mince tastes rich and savory.
- Season generously. Ground beef is mild on its own and needs enough seasoning to carry flavor through the dish. Season during browning, season the sauce and taste before serving. Most ground beef dishes that taste flat just need more salt.
- One batch, multiple meals. Ground beef is the ultimate meal prep protein. A big batch of bolognese becomes pasta tonight, lasagna on Wednesday and a freezer meal for next week. Taco meat becomes tacos, burritos, nachos, pasta bake and stuffed potatoes across the week. Cook once, eat multiple times.