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

How do Mexican restaurants get their ground beef so fine? ›

Put the ground chuck in a large pot or Dutch oven and add seasonings. Add just enough water to cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for about an hour. Every 15 minutes or so break up the meat with a large spoon or a potato masher so that it isn't lumpy.

What makes ground beef taste better? ›

Fat content of ground beef will affect the flavor, juiciness and tenderness of beef patties. Consumer research shows that the most preferred beef patties are 80 to 85% lean for flavor and juiciness. As fat content decreases, the beef will become drier.

What should I season my ground beef with? ›

Salt and Pepper: These are essential seasonings for enhancing the overall flavor of the beef. Garlic: Garlic powder or minced garlic adds a rich and savory flavor to ground beef dishes. Onion: Onion powder, diced onions, or onion flakes can provide a sweet and aromatic quality to the meat.

How to make ground beef super fine? ›

Boiling ground beef is the best way to cook it so that it comes out in small, fine crumbles. Trust me, this is the secret to all those amazing tacos and pasta sauces at your favorite restaurant! It's also a healthier option, because the boiling process helps separate the fat from the meat, and it comes out quite lean.

Why does ground beef taste different in Mexico? ›

Lots of livestock in Mexico are given Clenbuterol to promote lean muscle mass and for the animal to grow faster. This is most likely the reason for the diff taste.

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? ›

Vinegar can tenderize meat by breaking down its connective tissues and proteins, making it more tender and easier to chew. Additionally, vinegar can add flavor to the meat, especially when used as part of a marinade or sauce.

What can I add to ground beef to keep it moist? ›

It was also noted that the high pH level should speed up the desirable Maillard reaction (basically, the precursor to caramelization). According to the magazine's food experimenters, the baking soda treatment will definitely keep the meat tender and juicy when cooked.

What can I add to hamburger meat for flavor? ›

2. **Herbs and Spices:** Experiment with various herbs and spices. Common options include paprika, cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Combine them with the meat for a burst of 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.

How do you make ground beef taste like burgers? ›

This basic burger seasoning is made with a blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Feel free to add a little minced dried onion for added flavor and a bit of texture if you like. Mix it into the meat or sprinkle it over the patties as they cook.

What spice enhances beef flavor? ›

Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.

What herb goes best with ground beef? ›

The best herbs for ground beef are those listed above; you can use Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, or Sage for delicious ground beef. Depending on what you're making, ground beef can be mixed with Parsley or Dill or accented with Basil or Tarragon.

What to add when cooking ground beef? ›

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. Add vegetables: Finely chop vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, or bell peppers and add them to the ground beef while it cooks.

Why is beef different in Mexico? ›

Northern Mexico is where beef with higher quality traits are produced, so cattle in this region is fattened in feedlots using concentrates (Delgado et al., 2005) . This production system relies on technical efficiency to reduce production costs. ...

Does authentic Mexican food use ground beef? ›

“In the States, ground beef is also a popular taco filling, but in Mexico, you only see steak and pork tacos,” confirms Fernando Lira, a Puebla native who owns a Waterville Valley, New Hampshire Mexican restaurant. It's likewise pretty unlikely that you'll find taco salad, especially with ground beef, in Mexico.

What is the #1 order to never make at a Mexican restaurant according to chefs? ›

Skip the restaurant fajitas and make them at home instead.

"I would never order fajitas at a restaurant. They're really nothing more than sautéed onions and peppers with a protein. Nothing exciting," said Montiel.

What is the difference between Mexican beef and American beef? ›

All sources of Mexican beef and No Roll US beef had similar chemical composition. USDA-Choice beef had a higher fat content and a lower moisture and total collagen content. Mexican beef from the northern region and USDA-Choice beef had lower WBSF and redness values than the other beef sources.

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