19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (2024)

We know that on weeknights, time can be tight and it can be a challenge to come up with dinner ideas that are both delicious and easy to make. That's why we lean on our best ground beef recipes that have complex, deep flavors and can be on the table quickly. Turn ground beef into the best chili you’ll ever have, our rendition of Cuban picadillo, smoky-sweet enchiladas, comforting pot pie, and much more. Here are plenty of recipes to transform that package of ground beef into a deeply satisfying dinner.

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Picadillo

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (1)

Our version of this Cuban classic mixes ground beef with a highly seasoned tomato sauce, fried potatoes, raisins, and green olives — and an untraditional dash of hot sauce. The deeply satisfying dish can be served over rice, with corn tortillas, or stuffed into roasted peppers.

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Beef and Cheese Red Chile Enchiladas

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (2)

Dipping warm corn tortillas in freshly made red chile sauce infuses each rolled enchilada with the smoky-sweet flavor of New Mexico chiles. The hearty cumin-tinged ground beef and cheese filling stands up well to the bold sauce.

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Classic Beef Chili

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (3)

This is a great classic chili to keep in your back pocket for game day meals or anytime you want a hearty bowl to warm you up.Toasting the ground cumin and ancho chile powder in oil as they cook with the ground beef brings out their earthy flavors, adding savory undertones to the mix when combined with the fresh poblano, thyme, and oregano.

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Mini Potato, Steak, and Chorizo Pies

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (4)

These smallish "pies" are filled with a smart combination of fresh chorizo and lean grass-fed ground beef. Seasoned with onion and Worcestershire, they come together in a snap and can easily be made ahead.

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Patty Melts with Charred Scallion-Chipotle Mayo

Classic versions of the patty melt often include caramelized onions, but those take time, so here cookbook author Molly Stevens leans on quick-charred scallions instead. Chipotle-spiked mayonnaise adds an extra dose of lushness and a punch of smoky heat.

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Crispy Comté Frico Cheeseburgers

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (6)

Salty, buttery, and slightly sharp, Comté cheese crisps similarly to Parmesan, adding an irresistibly crunchy frico layer to these ground chuck cheeseburgers.

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Ground Beef Lasagna

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (7)

This lasagna includes ground beef in the sauce and layers of ricotta and mozzarella to make each bite extra hearty.

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Lamb and Beef Burek

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (8)

Coils of flaky phyllo pastry are wrapped around a lightly seasoned filling of ground beef and lamb in these Bosnian pastries.

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Beef-and-Fonio Meatballs with Sweet Potato Stew

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (9)

Cooked until fluffy and dry like couscous, fonio, a West African staple grain, keeps the ground beef meatballs tender while imparting a mildly nutty, earthy flavor.

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Soboro Donburi (Gingery Ground Beef with Peas over Rice)

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (10)

This hearty Japanese dish features soboro (finely ground meat simmered in soy sauce, dashi, and sake) served over rice for a satisfying meal. To simplify the recipe, Japanese cooking teacher Elizabeth Andoh suggests using water instead of dashi.

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Beef and Vegetable Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuits

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (11)

This luscious pot pie — with its buttery cheddar crust and ground beef filling mixed with parsnips, carrots, and peas — is a perfect addition to your weeknight recipe repertoire. It comes together in just 45 minutes of active time before hitting the oven.

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Beef Keema

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (12)

Although this ground meat curry is often made with lamb, we've found that the distinctive combination of spices tastes just as good with ground beef. Serve the thick keema with warm naan or pita.

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Grilled Meatballs with Mint and Za'atar

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (13)

Pass crisp lettuce leaves and tangy yogurt with these cumin-spiced meat patties and assemble them at the table.Made in under half an hour, this is the perfect weeknight dish.

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Meat-Stuffed Poblanos with Cilantro-Lime Sauce

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (14)

Stuffing poblano peppers with ground beef turns them into a satiating meal. These peppers make for a perfectly spicy, bright dinner that comes together in only 30 minutes.

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Barbecue Sloppy Joes

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (15)

Barbecue sauce, ketchup, and cider vinegar spice up the ground beef in these retro Sloppy Joes. Chef Christopher Tunnell uses a mixture of ground sirloin and chuck for this sandwich and melts cheddar cheese on the bun to make it extra gooey.

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Thai-Style Beef Salad Over Angel Hair Pasta

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (16)

Laab — ground beef seasoned with chiles, lime juice, fish sauce, and mint — is a traditional Thai meat salad eaten warm or at room temperature. We've added thin noodles to turn it into a pasta salad, and you can always eat the meat mixture by itself.

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Macaroni and Beef Casserole

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (17)

This casserole from F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple is a homemade version of the boxed pasta meals he enjoyed (and still enjoys) when he was a kid. Fresh vegetables, ground beef, crushed tomatoes, pasta, melted cheese, and more come together for a satisfying, hearty dish that's ready in under an hour.

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Classic Meatloaf

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (18)

"This is a culmination of all the meatloaf I've ever eaten," says chef Andrew Curren. "My mom always made a good meatloaf — it never had the tomato goo on top of it. Then I tasted a meatloaf that had cheese in it; that was a good idea. In Italy, I was introduced to sofrito and realized the importance of cooking with carrots, onion, and celery."

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Hungarian Beef and Potato Soup

19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (19)

Traditionally, this soup would be made with cubes of beef, but when you want a quick weeknight dinner, who can wait for meat to braise? We use ground beef instead.

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19 Deeply Satisfying Ground Beef Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist ground beef? ›

They suggested briefly soaking meat in a solution of baking soda and water to raise the pH on the meat's surface, making the proteins better able to attract more water and hold onto it during cooking.

How do you get the most flavor out of ground beef? ›

Use a marinade: Marinate the ground beef in a flavorful liquid such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or red wine before cooking. Add a flavorful liquid: Add a small amount of beef broth, tomato sauce, or red wine to the ground beef while it cooks to add extra flavor.

What is the best seasoning for beef? ›

Because of beef's hearty, robust nature, flavor-forward spices like garlic and onion or herbs like rosemary and oregano are the best choices for an unforgettable beef dinner.

What is the best meat for grinding hamburgers? ›

Chuck steak.

Marbled throughout and well-balanced in flavor with a decent lean-to-fat ratio, chuck steak is generally the primary cut used in burger blends and is supplemented with one or two other cuts of meat.

What does adding milk to ground beef do? ›

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

What does adding vinegar to ground beef do? ›

Culinary professionals know that a small amount of vinegar makes food taste bright and fresh. Too much, however, may make the food unpleasantly sour. First and foremost, vinegar is used as a tenderizer for meat and poultry. It may be added as an injected marinade in very tough proteins or applied via a soak or rub.

What can I add to beef to make it taste better? ›

Use a marinade: Marinate the ground beef in a flavorful liquid such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or red wine before cooking. Add a flavorful liquid: Add a small amount of beef broth, tomato sauce, or red wine to the ground beef while it cooks to add extra flavor.

Why does baking soda make ground beef taste better? ›

Baking soda helps prevent ground beef from drying out, allowing those burger patties to keep their moisture and brown quicker for the most flavorful cookout. Not to mention, baking soda is the ideal ingredient for getting the most out of your Thanksgiving bird.

Do you add seasoning before or after cooking ground beef? ›

Season the Ground Beef

When it comes to seasoning your ground beef, wait until after it has been browned and drained. Adding salt to raw ground beef pulls out moisture, drying the meat out and creating steam while it cooks, which prevents it from browning properly.

When should I season my beef before cooking? ›

We recommend seasoning your meat a bit before cooking to allow it to settle and absorb for a tastier outcome. You can also add some seasoning towards the end of the cooking to subtly enhance the taste. Take note that this is only to enhance the flavor and not the initial seasoning.

What spices make beef tender? ›

Ginger is a common ingredient in marinades thanks to its uniquely spicy flavour and the fact that it contains a 'proteolytic' enzyme that naturally breaks down meat protein. Method: Add slices of ginger or ginger pulp to the surface of the beef and leave for a minimum of 2 hours.

What is Gordon Ramsay's best burger meat blend? ›

Gordon Ramsay hamburger recipe blend of brisket, chuck sirloin, and short rib ground beef with our exclusive chef's secret recipe, featuring a perfect meat blend and expert grill techniques.

Is it worth grinding your own hamburger? ›

It's also a great way to use any trimmings you have saved up through the year for the juiciest burgers. Besides, homemade hamburger patties are just that much better! Grinding your own meat allows you to control the fat content and the seasonings in your delicious burger recipe so you can make it just how you like it.

What is the best type of ground beef for tacos? ›

What's the best ground beef for tacos? Ground round or ground sirloin—these are leaner versions of ground beef, so they don't have as much flavor on their own. That makes them perfect for cooking with lots of herbs and spices, as you do when making taco filling.

How do I make sure ground beef doesn't dry out? ›

Keep Some of the Grease in the Pan

Draining the grease from cooked ground beef makes your finished dish less greasy. However, for moist and flavorful meat, keep a tablespoon or two of that fat in. Stir it through your browned beef. You'll still be removing most of the fat while stillprotecting the meat from drying out.

What can I add to hamburger meat to keep it moist? ›

Baking soda acts as a tenderizer for ground beef, keeps it moist during cooking, and encourages deep browning by raising the acidity level of the surface of the meat. Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 pound of ground beef for more tender meat with better browning.

How do you keep ground beef from drying out? ›

Here's a little trick. For 1 pound of ground beef, add 1.5 cups of water and a 1/2 cup of quick oatmeal. Keeps it moist and "fluid".

How to make beef soft and juicy? ›

All you need for tender meat in a stew is to cook it for a long time on a low temperature. For better flavor, brown it in a skillet first, then place in the pot with your stew vegetables and cook for at least an hour on no more than medium heat.

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