10+ Ground Beef Recipes for Dinner Easy and Delicious Weeknight Meals

If you’re on the hunt for simple ground beef meals, you’re in the right spot. Ground beef is just so flexible—it works in a ton of easy dinner recipes.

It cooks up fast and pairs well with pantry staples, so you can whip up tasty dishes without a lot of effort.

Easy ground beef recipes for dinner help you save time while still enjoying a hearty and satisfying meal. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or feeding a family, these dishes are designed to be straightforward and delicious.

You can make dinner feel a little less stressful—and maybe even fun.

Ingredients

• Ground beef
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cooking oil

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat a pan over medium heat (about 350°F/175°C).
2. Add cooking oil to the pan.
3. Toss in ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

1) 15-Minute Ground Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

This stir fry is a fast, healthy dinner you can pull together in 15 minutes. You cook ground beef and fresh broccoli together in one pan—less mess, more flavor.

Soy sauce, garlic, and a bit of ginger give it that classic kick. It’s simple, filling, and works great on busy weeknights.

Serve it over rice or noodles for a full meal. If you want leftovers, just double the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
• 1/4 cup water

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute.
3. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in broccoli and cook 3-4 minutes until tender.
5. Mix soy sauce, water, and cornstarch, then pour into the pan.
6. Cook for another 2 minutes until sauce thickens.
7. Serve hot over rice or noodles.

2) Classic Meatloaf with a Tangy Glaze

You can make a simple, tasty meatloaf using ground beef and a tangy glaze. This dinner is about as classic as it gets—juicy inside and topped with a sweet ketchup glaze.

Mixing the beef with onions and breadcrumbs keeps it tender and flavorful. Baking at a moderate temperature lets everything meld together.

The glaze uses ketchup, brown sugar, and a splash of lemon juice for a little zing. Serve up slices with mashed potatoes or roasted veggies.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a bowl, mix ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, salt, and pepper.
3. Shape mixture into a loaf and place it in a baking pan.
4. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, and lemon juice for the glaze.
5. Spread half the glaze over the meatloaf.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, then spread remaining glaze on top.
7. Bake for another 15 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
8. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Get more details on a classic meatloaf recipe with a sweet and tangy glaze.

3) Easy Ground Beef Tacos with Fresh Salsa

You can throw together ground beef tacos for a quick, tasty dinner. Brown the beef with chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper for a solid base.

For a fresh twist, make salsa with diced tomatoes, avocado, onion, and a splash of lime juice. Toss the beef in warm tortillas or lettuce leaves.

Top with cheese, sour cream, or cilantro if you’re feeling it. This one’s a lifesaver on a busy night.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 8 small tortillas or lettuce leaves
• Optional: shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Drain excess fat and stir in chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
4. Mix tomatoes, avocado, onion, and lime juice in a bowl for salsa.
5. Warm tortillas in a pan or microwave for 20-30 seconds.
6. Fill tortillas or lettuce with beef and top with fresh salsa and any extras you like.

4) One-Pan Beef and Broccoli

This one-pan beef and broccoli comes together fast. You cook ground beef and broccoli in the same skillet, so cleanup is a breeze.

The sauce is straightforward—soy sauce and garlic, nothing fancy. It only takes about 20 minutes.

Serve it over rice or noodles. It’s a healthy, easy meal for any night.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add ground beef; cook until browned. Drain fat if needed.
4. Stir in broccoli and soy sauce mixture (soy sauce, brown sugar, pepper).
5. Cover and cook 5-7 minutes until broccoli is tender.
6. Serve warm over rice or noodles.

5) Quick Ground Beef and Gravy

You can make ground beef and gravy in about 20 minutes. This meal uses basic stuff like ground beef, onions, and beef broth.

Start by browning the beef with onions. Add garlic, broth, and a splash of Worcestershire to make the gravy.

Let it simmer until the sauce thickens. Serve it over mashed potatoes or rice to soak up all that goodness.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon flour (optional, for thickening)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Brown ground beef and onion in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
4. If you want thicker gravy, sprinkle flour and stir well.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Want more details? Check this quick ground beef and gravy recipe.

6) Cheesy Beef and Rice Casserole

This cheesy beef and rice casserole is easy and comforting. Ground beef, rice, and cheese just work so well together.

Mix everything with a creamy sauce and bake it until the cheese melts. Add your favorite seasonings if you want to tweak the flavor.

You can prep it ahead and bake when you’re ready. It comes out golden and bubbly—kids and adults both love it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain fat.
3. Mix beef, rice, broth, and soup in a bowl.
4. Pour mixture into a baking dish.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
6. Remove foil, sprinkle cheese on top, and bake 10 more minutes.
7. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

7) Skillet Italian Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

You can make skillet Italian meatballs for a cozy dinner in under 30 minutes. These meatballs use ground beef and a few spices for big flavor.

Brown the meatballs in a skillet to get that crust. Then pour in marinara sauce and let them simmer so they stay juicy.

Serve with pasta or bread—whatever you’re craving. It’s a quick meal that feels a bit special.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil for frying

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
2. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
4. Cook meatballs until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Pour marinara sauce over meatballs.
6. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Serve hot with pasta or bread.

Want more info? Check out this skillet meatballs and marinara recipe.

8) Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Beef and Rice

Stuffed bell peppers hit the spot when you want dinner to be both easy and hearty. You just hollow out some colorful bell peppers, then stuff them with a mix of ground beef, cooked rice, and a bit of tomato sauce.

It’s honestly a pretty straightforward combo, but it works. Toss in some onions, your favorite spices, and maybe a bit of cheese on top.

Bake them until the peppers get nice and tender and the filling is hot all the way through. You can easily tweak the seasonings to fit your mood or whatever’s in the pantry.

Ingredients

• 4 bell peppers
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 small onion, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup shredded cheese (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cut tops off bell peppers and remove seeds.
3. Cook ground beef with diced onion until browned.
4. Mix beef, rice, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper.
5. Stuff peppers with the beef mixture.
6. Place peppers in a baking dish and cover with foil.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes until peppers are soft.
8. Remove foil, sprinkle cheese on top, and bake 5 more minutes.

9) Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Sauce

Swedish meatballs are way easier to make than you might think. Just mix ground beef with breadcrumbs and onions, then roll them into balls.

They come out tender and packed with flavor. The real magic, though, is in that creamy sauce.

You’ll make the sauce with butter, flour, beef broth, and cream. It turns out rich and smooth, clinging to every meatball.

A splash of Worcestershire sauce and a bit of mustard round things out. I love serving these over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, but honestly, rice works too.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 finely grated onion
• 4 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, salt, and pepper.
2. Form into small meatballs and cook in a skillet until browned and cooked through.
3. Remove meatballs, melt butter in the same pan.
4. Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Slowly add beef broth while stirring.
6. Add cream, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Cook until thickened.
7. Return meatballs to the sauce and warm through.
8. Serve hot over your choice of noodles or mashed potatoes.

For a full guide, check out this Swedish Meatball Recipe.

10) Ground Beef Empanadas

Ground beef empanadas are one of those dinners that just make sense. You can use store-bought pie crust or whip up your own dough if you’re feeling ambitious.

The filling usually has seasoned ground beef, and sometimes a handful of cheese for good measure. They bake up golden and crisp on the outside, but stay juicy inside.

You can fry them too, if you’re after that extra crunch. These work for family dinners, quick lunches, or even leftovers the next day.

Feel free to toss in onions or peppers with the beef for a little extra flavor. They’re super flexible.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 package refrigerated pie crust or empanada dough
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheese (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg (for egg wash)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Toss ground beef and chopped onion into a pan. Cook until the beef turns brown.

3. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Mix it up.

4. Roll out the dough. Cut out circles—doesn’t have to be perfect.

5. Scoop a bit of the beef mixture onto each dough circle. Add cheese on top.

6. Fold the dough over to make a half-moon shape. Press the edges with a fork to seal them.

7. Brush each empanada with a beaten egg.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Take them out when they’re golden and crisp.