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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    23 Ground Beef Dinners That Are Better Than Your Favorite Restaurant

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on June 19, 2024, updated December 4, 2024 - Leave a Comment

    Ground beef is a versatile ingredient that can be transformed into a variety of delicious meals. From classic burgers to hearty casseroles, these 23 recipes will show you how to make satisfying dinners that are sure to impress. Whether you're cooking for family or friends, these dishes are better than what you might find at your favorite restaurant.

    Ground Beef Fajitas

    Ground beef fajitas served on a tortilla.
    Photo Credit: Cook Dinner Tonight.

    Ground beef fajitas make a quick and easy dinner! This simple recipe is ready in just 30 minutes, which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners.

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    Ravioli Lasagna

    Ravioli lasagna.
    Photo credit: Mom Foodie.

    This easy Ravioli Lasagna recipe aka Lazy Lasagna is a delicious baked ravioli dish. With meat sauce layers and plenty of gooey Italian cheese, this is a real Italian comfort food without the fuss.

    Get the recipe

    Italian Meatballs

    Italian Meatballs served over pasta.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    These tasty baked Italian meatballs take just 30 minutes to make from start to finish and are packed with delicious flavors from herbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic.

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    Umami Burgers

    Umami Burgers.
    Photo credit: Pups with Chopsticks.

    Juicy beef and pork burgers recipe, made with ground pork and beef, seasoned with miso and seasonings for some extra umami flavor.

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    Cheesy Gordita Crunch

    Crunchy tacos.
    Photo credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This copycat Taco Bell cheesy gordita crunch is a quick and easy way to take your taco Tuesday to the next level! It literally takes just a couple extra minutes to throw together and it's basically like adding a quesadilla to your crispy taco. With simple, real ingredients, these cheesy gordita crunch tacos tastes just like your local Taco Bell, but better because they're homemade!

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    Chorizo Burgers

    Chorizo burger.
    Photo credit: 2 Cookin' Mamas.

    Chorizo Burgers are a delicious take on a traditional burger. A combination of chorizo and ground beef makes them both moist and spicy. Grill for six minutes, top with cheese and your favorite condiments and watch them disappear.

    Get the recipe

    Instant Pot Bolognese

    A bowl of instant pot bolognese served over pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Save time in the kitchen with this Instant Pot bolognese! A rich and hearty pasta sauce, this instant pot recipe brings all the flavors of the classic dish simmered for hours into a quick meal with basic pantry ingredients.

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    Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers

    Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers without Rice
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    Make Stuffed Peppers without rice in 45 minutes following this easy, delicious stuffed pepper recipe. With tex-mex flavors from homemade or store bought taco seasoning and a cheesy topping, they're delicious served as they are or with a side of tortilla chips.

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    Homemade Hamburgers

    air fryer hamburger.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    With quick prep & less 10 minutes of cooking you can make the best homemade hamburgers - in your air fryer! Juicy and perfectly cooked, and all ready to serve with your favorite burger toppings. And of course, you can also throw them on the grill.

    Get the recipe

    Crunchy Ground Beef Tacos

    Ground beef tacos.
    Photo credit: Confetti & Bliss.

    When hunger strikes, don’t hop in your car. Stay at home. Assemble this easy recipe in just 20 minutes - it's just as good as the takeout version!

    Get the recipe

    Meatballs without Breadcrumbs and Eggs

    Meatballs without Breadcrumbs and Eggs
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    These meatballs without breadcrumbs and eggs are the best I've ever had! Easy to make and all done in under 1 hour. With 3 cooking methods: stove top, air fryer & oven. The end result? A juicy, flavor packed, tender meatball.

    Get the recipe

    Beef Bibimbap

    Beef Bibimbap (Korean Rice Bowl).
    Photo credit: Dish 'n' the Kitchen.

    Beef Bibimbap is a quick and easy Korean rice bowl mixed with assorted vegetables, savoury banchan, sweet spicy beef, all topped with an egg. It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights.

    Get the recipe

    BBQ Smoked Meatloaf

    BBQ Smoked Meatloaf.
    Photo credit: xoxoBella.

    Meatloaf needs no introduction, but BBQ smoked meatloaf is something you should know about! Seriously, this is an incredible smoker ground beef recipe you can make on a pellet grill or Traeger. The rich, meaty flavour and garlicky tomato meatloaf glaze will make you think you died and went to heaven. It really is that good.

    Get the recipe

    Manestra (Greek-Style Orzo with Ground Beef)

    Greek orzo with ground beef.
    Photo credit: Bowl of Delicious.

    Most people’s comfort food is some kind of casserole, mac’n’cheese, or other simple American fare. This "Manestra" is the Greek version of comfort food, and it's just as delicious!

    Get the recipe

    Cottage Pie

    Cottage Pie.
    Photo Credit: Our Love Language is Food.

    Like a traditional cottage pie, this simple recipe has a hearty beef and vegetable filling topped with a cheesy mashed potato crust. But we use a few “shortcut” ingredients to make this into a 30-minute meal that’s sure to be one of your new favorite quick family recipes.

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    Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

    Salisbury steak in mushroom gravy.
    Photo credit: Bowl of Delicious.

    This classic Salisbury steak is smothered in a thick, luscious Mushroom Gravy and is a fast, easy, and inexpensive comfort food recipe to make in only 30 minutes! Everything cooks in one skillet for an easy and hearty dinner. If you’ve never had Salisbury steak, here’s the deal: it’s essentially a giant meatball, formed flat like a steak and pan-seared. This version is then smothered in a thick mushroom gravy cooked up in the same pan (though you can skip the gravy if it’s not your thing)

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    Crunchwrap Supreme

    Crunchwraps.
    Photo credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Better than the drive-thru version, these homemade Taco Bell crunch wrap supreme is loaded with layers of flour tortillas, seasoned ground beef, nacho cheese, a crunchy tostada shell, cool sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and more melty cheese. This 20-minute dinner is the perfect way to switch up taco night at your house this week!

    Get the recipe

    Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

    Meatballs in Tomato Sauce.
    Photo credit: FODMAP Everyday.

    Is there anything more comforting than a bowl filled with spaghetti and meatballs in tomato sauce?

    Get the recipe

    Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls

    Cheeseburger sliders.
    Photo credit: House of Yumm.

    These mini, pull apart Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls are a quick and easy to make dinner done in just 30 minutes! They’re perfect for family dinner or a fun snack. These mini burgers are packed with tender, juicy ground beef, melty cheese, and tangy pickles. All smothered in a homemade burger sauce!

    Get the recipe

    3 Cheese Lasagna

    3 Cheese Lasagna.
    Photo credit: Dominican Cooking.

    This absolutely brilliant, very juicy and flavorful 3 cheeses and ground beef lasagna has all the touches we love in a Dominican "lasaña", and will now be a favorite in your family. This is my favorite recipe for baking lasagna, there are never leftovers!

    Get the recipe

    Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie

    Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie.
    Photo Credit: What a Girl Eats.

    This gluten-free shepherd’s pie recipe makes a comforting, hearty, classic English dish. Traditionally shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb, but when beef is used, it’s called “Cottage Pie”.

    Get the Recipe

    Cheeseburger Dumplings

    Cheeseburger Dumplings.
    Photo credit: Little Nomad's Recipes.

    These Cheeseburger dumplings are fantastic to make with the kids - they're quick, and merge two kid favorites in one easy meal.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker Lasagna

    Slow cooker lasagna.
    Photo Credit: Foodess.

    This Slow Cooker Lasagna is packed with cheesy goodness and flavor. The slow cooker does all the work, from simmering the meat sauce to baking the lasagna, without the hassle of boiling noodles separately.

    Get the recipe

    More Recipe Roundups

    • Chicken enchilada casserole.
      24 Dump-And-Bake Dinners That Always Hit the Spot
    • Chicken noodle soup.
      19 Grandma Approved Pasta Dinners You Can Just Dump, Cook and Enjoy
    • Taco soup.
      24 Deliciously Lazy Beef Dinners Made for Your Spring Menu
    • Ground beef hot pot.
      16 Easy Ground Beef Recipes to Make Mom's Day Special

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has more than 20 years of experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN  and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, Daily Kos, The Grio, The Asian Parent, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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