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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    23 Hearty Ground Beef Dishes to Make When You’d Rather Not Cook

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on May 15, 2025, updated April 29, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    When you're in the mood for something hearty but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, ground beef is your best friend. It's versatile and can be transformed into a variety of satisfying dishes that are easy to prepare. From comforting casseroles to quick skillet meals, here are 23 ground beef recipes that will fill you up without the fuss.

    Easy Cowboy Casserole

    Cowboy casserole in a white oven dish.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Cowboy casserole is a hearty dish that you can whip up in about an hour, with most of that time spent baking. It uses basic ingredients that you likely already have on hand.

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    Ground Beef Chili

    Ground Beef Chili.
    Photo Credit: The Rustic Foodie.

    This chili is made in the slow cooker with beans, corn, peppers, and masa harina. It’s packed with delicious Southwest flavors.

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    Meatballs without Breadcrumbs and Eggs

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

    These meatballs are simple to prepare and can be ready in under an hour. You can cook them on the stove, in an air fryer, or in the oven, resulting in juicy and flavorful meatballs.

    Get the recipe

    Beef & Quinoa Bowls

    Beef & Quinoa Bowls.
    Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

    This Indonesian Beef and Quinoa Bowl is a comforting dish that’s packed with flavor. The beef simmers in coconut milk with curry and cinnamon, and you can add your favorite toppings for a nutritious meal that's great for meal prep.

    Get the recipe

    Eggplant Moussaka

    Eggplant Moussaka with Lamb.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Eggplant Moussaka is a hearty dinner packed with vegetables and ground beef or lamb, all covered in cheese. This version skips the potatoes and Bechamel sauce, using more eggplant instead for a tasty and healthy Mediterranean meal that's easy to prepare.

    Get the recipe

    BBQ Smoked Meatloaf

    BBQ Smoked Meatloaf.
    Photo credit: xoxoBella.

    Meatloaf is a classic dish, but BBQ smoked meatloaf takes it to another level. This recipe is perfect for your pellet grill or Traeger, featuring a deliciously rich flavor and a tasty garlicky tomato glaze.

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    Walking Taco Casserole

    Walking taco casserole.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This casserole combines all the delicious flavors of tacos in a simple one-dish meal. Packed with ground beef, salsa, and plenty of cheese, it's perfect for a potluck or a quick weeknight dinner.

    Get the recipe

    Easy Korean Beef Rice Bowls

    Easy Korean Beef Rice Bowls.
    Photo Credit: The View from Great Island.

    These Korean beef rice bowls come together in just 30 minutes and are perfect for dinner. Packed with rich flavors, they can be made milder for kids to enjoy.

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    Stuffed Pepper Skillet

    Stuffed Pepper Skillet.
    Photo Credit: The Recipe Well.

    The Stuffed Pepper Skillet is a hearty one-pan meal that's perfect for weeknights. With ground turkey or beef, rice, kidney beans, and bell peppers, it captures the flavors of stuffed peppers but is much easier to prepare.

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    Ground Beef Tacos

    Ground beef tacos with salsa.
    Photo credit: House of Yumm.

    Classic Ground Beef Tacos are filled with flavorful homemade taco meat and served in crispy taco shells. This is a quick and easy meal that the whole family will enjoy, ready in under 30 minutes!

    Get the recipe.

    Homemade Hamburgers

    air fryer hamburger.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    These burgers are juicy and cooked just right, perfect for piling on your favorite toppings. With just ground beef, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce, you can whip them up easily.

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    Air Fryer Meatballs

    A stack of meatballs.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    These air fryer meatballs are simple to prepare and ready in under an hour. Juicy and tender, they offer a delicious twist on traditional meatballs.

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    Taco Casserole

    Taco casserole.
    Photo credit: Inquiring Chef.

    Taco Casserole combines seasoned ground beef, tortillas, enchilada sauce, and cheese for a simple weeknight dinner. This dish is perfect for making ahead and can be frozen for later.

    Get the recipe

    Frito Taco Bake

    Frito Taco Bake.
    Photo Credit: The Cookin' Chicks.

    Frito Taco Bake is a simple and tasty dish that everyone loves. With seasoned ground beef, a cheesy sauce, and crunchy Fritos, this casserole is great for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends.

    Get the Recipe

    Ground Beef Fajitas

    Ground Beef Fajitas.
    Photo credit: Maple + Mango.

    These ground beef fajitas are quick and easy to make, ready in just 30 minutes. They're perfect for a busy weeknight dinner that everyone will enjoy.

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    One Pan Fajita Pasta

    One Pan Fajita Pasta.
    Photo Credit: The Almond Eater.

    One Pan Fajita Pasta combines pasta with classic fajita flavors like tomatoes, ground beef, and cheese for a comforting meal. It’s quick and easy to prepare, all in one pan and ready in under 30 minutes.

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    Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers

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

    Stuffed peppers can be ready in just 45 minutes with this simple recipe. Packed with tex-mex flavors and topped with cheese, they’re great on their own or alongside some tortilla chips.

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    Greek Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

    Greek Spaghetti with Meat Sauce-Makaronia me Kima.
    Photo Credit: The Greek Foodie.

    Greek spaghetti with meat sauce, or makaronia me kima, is a comforting and tasty dish. It’s simmered with red wine, plenty of herbs, and quality tomatoes, allowing all the flavors to come together beautifully.

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    Smash Burgers

    Easy Smash Burger Recipe
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Burgers can be enjoyed any time of the year, and you don't need a grill to make them. These smash burgers are quick and easy to prepare in a hot cast iron skillet with just ground beef and salt, giving you crispy edges and delicious flavor in about 15 minutes.

    Get the recipe

    Instant Pot Bolognese

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

    This Instant Pot bolognese is a quick and satisfying pasta sauce that captures the classic flavors without taking hours to prepare. Using simple ingredients you probably already have, this dish is perfect for busy nights.

    Get the recipe

    Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole

    Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole.
    Photo credit: The Feathered Nester.

    This cheeseburger tater tot casserole combines two comfort foods, crispy potatoes and a Big Mac, into one delicious and VERY kid-friendly meal.

    Get the recipe

    Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf

    Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf.
    Photo Credit: Meatloaf and Melodrama.

    Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf is an easy dish that swaps out bread crumbs for Stove Top Stuffing. It's a family favorite that's perfect for busy weeknights.

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    Beef Enchilada Pasta

    Beef Enchilada Pasta
    Photo Credit: Semi Homemade Kitchen.

    This one-pan pasta combines the flavors of Tex-Mex and Italian cuisine, making it a delicious and easy meal. It's quick to prepare and can be tailored to suit both meat lovers and vegetarians, perfect for busy weeknight dinners.

    Get the recipe

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      29 Easy Dinners So Good Your Family Will Be Begging for Seconds

    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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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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