For some cooks, ground beef is always on the weekly shopping list, and there's a good reason why: This cheap staple can be used in hundreds of ways—from hamburgers and tacos, to casseroles, chili and pasta—and can get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. It's also a convenient meat to keep in your fridge or freezer for quick, family-friendly meals. Try these top-rated recipes for ground beef, and keep scrolling to get loads of tips for buying and cooking it, including how to thaw ground beef before cooking it (because you know you've got some stashed in your freezer).
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Quick Chili II
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Super-easy and super-fast, this quick-cooking chili is sure to become a family favorite. Serve it alongside cornbread and top it with plenty of shredded cheese for a family-friendly meal everyone will enjoy.
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Gyros Burgers
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Burgers are often the first recipe we think of when using ground beef. This recipe adds a Greek twist, mixing ground lamb with the ground beef and calling for it to be served on pita bread rather than a hamburger bun. Watch the video to see how to make these tasty burgers.
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American Chop Suey II
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Since this chop suey recipe only calls for five ingredients, you probably already have most of what you need in your pantry or fridge to make it. Feel free to add cheese or garlic if you want to give it even more flavor.
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Jeff's Hot Dog Chili
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If you're using beef with a high fat ratio (see below for how to read ground beef labels), there's no need to add water to the pan while cooking. If you have it on hand, a splash of beef stock will add extra flavor to the tomato sauce and seasoning. Here's a handy video to put it all together for you.
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Ground Beef With Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
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Preparing homemade taco seasoning for this ground beef recipe is really what makes it extra flavorful. After the meat is cooked, use it to top soft or crispy tacos, or wrap cooked beef in a lettuce leaf and top it with your favorite condiments or garnishes.
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Teriyaki Ground Beef Skillet
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This simple recipe features browned ground beef simmered in a skillet with teriyaki sauce, water chestnuts, pineapple, garlic, and ginger. It's ready in about 25 minutes. "A quick and easy one-pan, kid-friendly skillet dinner with sweet, rich, and flavorful meat and an Asian twist," says lutzflcat. "The perfect weeknight dinner served with white rice."
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Ranch Burgers
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The trick to making these moist and flavorful burgers is to mix ranch seasoning, crackers, and eggs into the ground beef before shaping it into patties. Garnish these burgers with your favorite toppings, and you're ready for burger night!
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Taco Pie
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This quick and easy recipe is very filling and great for feeding a crowd. Store-bought refrigerated crescent dough and pre-made taco seasoning mix make it a breeze to put together and add tons of flavor.
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Easy Korean Ground Beef Bowl
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"Your busy weeknight needs this dish," says Buckwheat Queen. "It's so simple to make, and it is super delicious and full of flavor. The first time I made it, I served it over rice. Second time, with rice noodles. Next time, I'll take the advice of another reviewer and serve as tacos with cabbage. Leftovers warm easily, which is great when you've got teenage midnight grazers."
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Rice Mess
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Kids will love the name of this dish—and parents will love how easy and filling it is. Several reviewers suggest adding chopped green bell peppers for additional color and flavor.
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Barbeque Beef Casserole
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This quick-and-easy pantry recipe is a family favorite that's ready in about 40 minutes. "A wonderful, quick, and inexpensive recipe for those time crunched dinners," says themamalion. "Just throw together and bake. Adjust your seasonings for your own taste."
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Cheese and Hamburger Macaroni
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Save time and space on your plate with this one-pan dish that mixes two family favorites—hamburgers and mac 'n' cheese—into one meal. If you want to make it a little healthier, swap in whole-wheat noodles for white.
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Kafta BBQ
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Kids love food served on skewers because it's fun and easy to eat. The Lebanese-inspired seasonings are flavorful enough for the adults, but no too strong for the kids.
- These fast meals are ready in 30 minutes or less.
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Stewed Burgers
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Here's an exciting new twist on basic burgers. Make the burger mixture the evening before and refrigerated overnight to make the next day's dinner even easier and faster! You may substitute water for the red wine. "Give these stewed burgers cooked in an Italian-style tomato sauce a try and you'll see smiles galore," says lutzflcat. "Serve with noodles, rice, or over toasted split hamburger buns."
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Poor Man's Stroganoff
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"This is a recipe I came up with when I was helping to raise six kids," Richard Daggett says. "Every penny counted." Not only does this dish save money. It saves time compared to traditional beef stroganoff recipes.
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Kid-Friendly Ground Beef Stew
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This tasty, slow cooker hamburger stew is kid-approved and packed with vegetables. "I created this hamburger stew recipe when my kids were little," says Lise Fournier. "I needed a simple recipe that I could put together the night before and pop in the slow cooker in the morning just before heading to work. And it's loaded with veggies that my kids love! They gobble it up! Great with a nice loaf of crusty bread."
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Sweet and Sour Meatballs II
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"The sweet and sour sauce is great on chicken wings also. I have made this recipe at least a billion times now and it's a hit with everyone," writes reviewer LITTLEMA197. "Believe me you will love this recipe, and it's simple."
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Ground Beef Casserole with Brown Rice
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In this easy, family-friendly casserole, lean ground beef and healthy brown rice combine in a creamy blend of peas, condensed soup, and cheese. "My mother used to make this ground beef casserole for my brother and me when we were kids," says BIFAERIE79. "Very filling. Takes well to additions and alterations."
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Pennsylvania Coal Region Barbecue
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This Pennsylvania take on the sloppy joe gets its flavor from pantry staples like vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard.
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