• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
always use butter
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Resources
  • Subscribe!
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Resources
  • Subscribe!
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Air Fryer Resources
    • Subscribe!
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipe Roundups

    24 Cheap Ground Beef Dinners for Busy Weeknights

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on April 14, 2025, updated March 20, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Finding quick and affordable dinner ideas can be a challenge, especially on busy weeknights. Ground beef is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of easy recipes, making it a go-to choice for many families. Here are 24 budget-friendly ground beef dinners that are simple to prepare and sure to please everyone at the table.

    Italian Stuffed Peppers

    Italian Stuffed Peppers.
    Photo Credit: Valerie's Kitchen.

    Italian Stuffed Peppers are a hearty and tasty meal. They are filled with a mix of seasoned ground beef and rice, then baked with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese until they're nice and soft.

    Save This Recipe Form

    Want to save this recipe?

    Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get more great recipes from us each week!

    Get the Recipe

    Cheeseburger Dumplings

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

    Cheeseburger dumplings are a fun and easy meal that kids will love. They combine two favorites into one tasty dish that you can whip up in no time.

    Get the recipe

    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.

    Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

    Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Cupcakes and Kale Chips.

    This dish is packed with savory flavors and cheesy goodness, making it a real treat. It's a great choice for a weeknight family dinner and is sure to bring everyone comfort.

    Get the Recipe

    Walking Taco Casserole

    Walking taco casserole.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

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

    Get the recipe

    American Goulash

    Goulash.
    Photo credit: Cheerful Cook.

    Ground beef is simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce and combined with soft pasta, all topped with melted Cheddar cheese. This dish is a satisfying meal that's easy to prepare.

    Get the recipe

    Italian Meatloaf

    Italian Meatloaf over spaghetti.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This Italian meatloaf is simple to prepare; just combine the ingredients and bake it. It turns out juicy and tasty, making it a great choice for a family dinner, especially when served with spaghetti and marinara sauce.

    Get the recipe

    Arancini

    Rice Ball Recipe (Arancini).
    Photo Credit: Like Mother Like Daughter.

    Arancini are tasty Italian rice balls that are crispy on the outside and filled with a savory meat mixture. They work well as a fun appetizer or a satisfying dinner option.

    Get the Recipe

    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

    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 that skips the rice. Packed with tex-mex flavors from taco seasoning and topped with cheese, they’re great on their own or with some tortilla chips.

    Get the recipe

    Spaghetti Pie

    Spaghetti Pie.
    Photo credit: A Cedar Spoon.

    Spaghetti Pie is a great meal for busy weeknights, easy to prepare and satisfying for the whole family. It's loaded with protein and sure to keep everyone full.

    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 easy way to enjoy a classic pasta sauce. With simple ingredients you probably already have, you can whip up a rich and satisfying meal in no time.

    Get the recipe

    Cheeseburger Bowl

    Cheeseburger Bowl.
    Photo Credit: Frozen Bananas.

    This Cheeseburger Bowl has all the classic burger flavors but skips the bun. It's low in carbs, super tasty, and simple to prepare!

    Get the Recipe

    Ground Beef Cottage Pie

    Cottage Pie with Ground Beef.
    Photo Credit: Masala Herb.

    This ground meat pie is easy to make and full of flavor. With no peas in sight, it’s a perfect choice for a quick meal.

    Get the Recipe

    Spanish Rice with Ground Beef

    Spanish Rice with Ground Beef.
    Photo Credit: My Kitchen Sanctuary.

    Spanish Rice with Ground Beef is a hearty dish that's full of flavor and sure to fill you up. It's a great meal for any occasion, whether you're feeding your family or having friends over.

    Get the Recipe

    Crunchy Ground Beef Tacos

    Ground beef tacos.
    Photo credit: Confetti & Bliss.

    When you're feeling hungry, there's no need to go out. This simple recipe can be put together in just 20 minutes and tastes just as great as takeout.

    Get the recipe

    Air Fryer Meatballs

    Air fryer meatballs with sauce.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Air fryer meatballs are quick to prepare, taking only 30 minutes with ingredients you likely already have. They are juicy and tender inside, with a nice crispy outside.

    Get the recipe

    Hamburger Vegetable Soup

    Hamburger Vegetable Soup.
    Photo Credit: Baked Broiled & Basted.

    Hamburger Vegetable Soup is a filling and simple dish that's packed with flavor. It's full of ground beef, fresh veggies, and pasta.

    Get the Recipe

    Kimchi Sloppy Joes

    Kimchi Sloppy Joe.
    Photo credit: Served From Scratch.

    This classic dish gets a tasty twist with some Korean flavors. It's a fun way to enjoy ground beef in a whole new way.

    Get the recipe

    3-Ingredient Chili

    Chili.
    Photo credit: Manila Spoon.

    This chili is simple to prepare and can be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. It's a flavorful dish that everyone in the family will enjoy.

    Get the recipe

    Cauliflower Beef Taco Skillet

    Cauliflower beef taco skillet on a Dutch oven.
    Photo Credit: Wholesome Made Easy.

    The Cauliflower Beef Taco Skillet is a tasty, low-carb dish that hits the spot when you're in the mood for Mexican flavors. It's a quick meal that you can whip up in about 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.

    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, all topped with plenty of 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

    Hamburger Stew with Rice

    Hamburger Stew with Rice.
    Photo Credit: Valerie's Kitchen.

    Hamburger Stew with Rice is a simple and budget-friendly dinner that uses everyday ingredients. It's a hearty meal that the whole family will enjoy.

    Get the Recipe

    Cottage Cheese Lasagna

    Cottage Cheese Lasagna.
    Photo Credit: Ambitious Foodie.

    Cottage cheese lasagna is a classic comfort food that's simple to make. You can prepare it up to five days ahead, so you can enjoy a hearty, home-cooked meal whenever it suits you.

    Get the Recipe

    More Recipe Roundups

    • 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
    • Coq au vin.
      28 Delicious Crockpot Summer Meals That Simmer While You Play

    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.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    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!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Sliced air fryer roast beef.
      Air Fryer Roast Beef
    • top down view of a tortellini casserole
      Cheesy Tortellini Casserole with Spinach
    • Creamy Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake [Dump and bake!]
    • sliced rib eye steak topped with salt
      How to Cook a Rib Eye Steak Without a Cast Iron Skillet (3 Methods)

    Popular Articles

    • Dipping chicken in ketchup.
      22 Stress-Free Chicken Recipes for the Exhausted Cook
    • Cauliflower potato bake,
      26 Vegetable Loaded Casseroles That Will Change Your Dinner Game
    • Lasagna.
      22 Dump-and-Bake Dinners That Will Revolutionize Your Weeknight Meals
    • A veggie casserole.
      21 Vegetarian Casseroles That Will Change Your Dinner Game

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    All affiliate links are always marked with "*" or "affiliate".

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    A collage of sites where always use butter content has been featured.

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    • Disclosures
    • Editorial Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • info@alwaysusebutter.com
    • Pink Giraffe Ventures AB, Runstens Byväg 51, 147 91 Grödinge, Sweden
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Copyright © 2018-2025 Pink Giraffe Ventures AB