5 Easy Dinner Recipes with Ground Beef
Do you have a package of ground beef that needs to be used? You will love these 5 easy dinner recipes with ground beef! These recipes are budget friendly and easy to prepare.
What dinner recipes to make with ground beef
Simple and delicious recipes can be prepared with ground beef. Ground beef is a quick protein to both thaw and cook. It is very versatile. Many people think of tacos or pasta as meals for ground beef, but these recipes think outside the box.
Even though they are easy to prepare, this does not compromise on how delicious they are. These are some of my family’s favorite recipes and my kids thoroughly enjoy them.
Budget friendly ground beef recipes
Walking into any grocery store recently will lead to some sticker shock. Finding cheap and affordable dinner options is crucial. These recipes use minimal ingredients, many of which you may already have in your pantry.
These 5 easy dinner recipes with ground beef are also filling. You can prepare these for your family or a crowd knowing they will be filling and enjoyed by everyone.
Why you will love these ground beef recipes
Easy and quick: Many of these recipes can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Ground beef is a quick protein option to cook and these dinners come together quickly
Family friendly: These meals are staples in my home. My kids and husband enjoy them and we have them on a frequent rotation.
Real ingredients: These recipes don’t include packages or boxed mixes. They use simple and real ingredients.
Protein filled: Ground beef is a great source of protein. It will keep you fuller longer. It creates hearty and filling meals.
Equipment needed
These recipes will need either a skillet, large soup pot, or Dutch Oven.
Additionally, they will require every day household kitchen utensils including:
- Cutting boards
- Knives
- Measuring cups and spoons
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More easy dinner recipe ideas
- Tacos
- Hamburgers
- Enchiladas
- Taco Salad
- Spaghetti and meat sauce
- Meatballs
- Meatloaf
FAQ
What is the best type of ground beef to use?
These are several options when looking at ground beef. To begin, you will see ratio of fat to meat.
80% lean / 20% fat ground beef chuck: This ground beef comes from the shoulder of the cow. The fat percentage will hold burger patties together well.
73% lean / 27% fat ground beef: This may be another option you will find in the grocery store. This is great overall ground beef to use in typical ground beef meals such as chili.
85% lean / 15% fat ground beef round: This is a leaner type of ground beef and a great option if you are looking to cut more fat. If you plan to drain the fat when cooking, this is a good option.
93% lean / 7% fat lean ground beef: This is a very lean type of ground beef with a much lower fat content than typical.
How to thaw ground beef
If your ground beef is still frozen when you are ready to make dinner, have no fear!
You can choose to either thaw in the microwave on 50% power for 2-4 minutes per pound. Make sure you remove the packaging and place on a microwave safe plate.
You can also submerge the ground beef in cold water. You will want the ground beef sealed and you can place it in cold water either in the sink or a large bowl. It will take about an hour to thaw out 1 lb. this way.
If you have more time, thaw the ground beef in the refrigerator. You will need about 24 hours to fully thaw the ground beef. I like to place the ground beef in a bowl in case it leaks during the thawing process. You will be thankful if this saves you a clean up mess later on!
How to find affordable ground beef
Shop sales: Watch for sales and when you find one, buy as much ground beef as you’d like and freeze it for later.
Buy in bulk: This can be done at wholesale clubs such as Costco or Sam’s Club. I also recommend looking at local butchers. There are options to buy a quarter of a cow or half of a cow. However, many of these butchers also will just have frozen ground beef available to buy there.
These are just a few of the endless options to use ground beef in dinner recipes! Comment below some of your favorite ways to cook and use ground beef.
