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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    25 Quick and Easy Ground Beef Dinners for Busy Families

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on March 25, 2025, updated March 20, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Ground beef is a go-to ingredient for busy families looking for quick and satisfying meals. With its versatility, you can whip up everything from classic burgers to hearty casseroles in no time. Here are 25 easy dinner ideas that will help you get dinner on the table without the stress.

    Beef Carbonara

    Beef Carbonara.
    Photo Credit: Chocolates & Chai.

    This Beef Carbonara is a creamy pasta dish that everyone in the family will enjoy. It's a quick and satisfying meal that's perfect for busy nights.

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    Stuffed Pepper Skillet

    Stuffed Pepper Skillet.
    Photo Credit: The Recipe Well.

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

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    Ground Beef Fajitas

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

    Ground beef fajitas are a simple and fast dinner option. Ready in just 30 minutes, they’re perfect for busy weeknights.

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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 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.

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    Beef & Quinoa Bowls

    Beef & Quinoa Bowls.
    Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

    This Indonesian Beef and Quinoa Bowl is sure to keep you cozy. The beef simmers in coconut milk with curry and cinnamon, creating a flavorful dish that you can customize with your favorite toppings for a healthy meal.

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    Greek Meatballs

    Greek Meatballs.
    Photo Credit: Nutritious Deliciousness.

    These Greek Meatballs (Keftedes) are a tasty mix of ground beef and pork, packed with flavorful feta cheese. They’re perfect as a simple appetizer or a quick dinner option, especially when paired with homemade Tzatziki.

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    Beef Bolognese with Sausage

    Beef Bolognese with Sausage.
    Photo Credit; Cooking with Momma C.

    This Beef Bolognese with Sausage is a quick dish that you can whip up in under 90 minutes. It combines ground beef and Italian sausage with just the right amount of tomato for a classic flavor that everyone will enjoy.

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    Smoked Meatloaf

    Smoked meatloaf with green beans.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This smoked meatloaf is a classic choice for Sunday dinner. It brings together the comforting flavors you remember from childhood, enhanced by a delicious smoky taste from the grill.

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    Dorito Casserole

    Dorito casserole.
    Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes.

    This Dorito casserole combines layers of nacho Doritos, ground beef, salsa, and melted cheese for a delicious meal. With its bold flavors, this dish is sure to be a hit at the dinner table.

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    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.

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    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 have on hand.

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    Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

    Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes.
    Photo Credit: I Heart Eating.

    Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes are a simple dinner option that cooks itself in the crock pot. Ground beef and vegetables blend together for a delicious meal that's great for busy days.

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    Meatloaf

    Meatloaf.
    Photo credit: Haute & Healthy Living.

    This is a straightforward and healthier version of meatloaf that skips the breadcrumbs. It comes together easily with just a few ingredients, making it a great choice for a weeknight meal that everyone will like.

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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

    Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

    Taco stuffed sweet potatoes.
    Photo credit: Belle of the Kitchen.

    These Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes will take your taco night to a new and tasty level! Sweet potatoes are filled with your favorite taco toppings and all done in under 20 minutes.

    Get the recipe.

    Slow Cooker No-Bean Chili

    Slow Cooker No-Bean Chili.
    Photo Credit: The Short Order Cook.

    This chili is packed with hearty tomatoes and spices. With ground beef and crispy bacon, it's a perfect dish to enjoy with your favorite toppings.

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    Rigatoni Bolognese

    Rigatoni Bolognese (1).
    Photo Credit: Living Lou.

    This easy Rigatoni Bolognese is a delicious Italian dish featuring ground beef, pork, and sausage. It's a hearty meat sauce that's great for weeknight meals or special gatherings, especially when served over rigatoni.

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    Ground Beef & Broccoli

    Ground Beef And Broccoli.
    Photo credit: LIving Chirpy.

    This healthy meal comes together quickly with just 9 ingredients and only one pan. In about 20 minutes, you can have a delicious dish ready to enjoy.

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    Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti

    Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti features a rich beef sauce layered with pasta, cream cheese, and mozzarella. Known as Million Dollar Spaghetti, this dish is sure to please everyone at the table.

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    Louisiana Dirty Rice

    Louisiana Dirty Rice.
    Photo Credit: Kenneth Temple.

    This Dirty Rice recipe is packed with flavors from ground organ meat, Cajun spices, and the classic holy trinity of vegetables. It's perfect for serving a big group at dinner, parties, or casual get-togethers.

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    Lula Kebab

    Lula Kebab.
    Photo Credit: G Free Foodie.

    This traditional Armenian dish is sure to impress with its rich flavors and satisfying texture. Lula Kebab is a great choice for anyone looking to enjoy something new and delicious.

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    Taco Potato Casserole with Ground Beef

    Taco Potato Casserole with Ground Beef.
    Photo Credit: The Honour System.

    Taco Potato Casserole is a filling and tasty dish that brings together Tex-Mex flavors and comfort food. With layers of seasoned ground beef, diced potatoes, and melted cheese, this simple casserole is great for family dinners or gatherings.

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    Tater Tot Shepherd's Pie

    Shepards Pie with Tater Tots,
    Photo Credit: Mama's On a Budget.

    This dish puts a fun spin on a classic favorite. It features a mix of beef and veggies, all covered with melty cheese and crispy tater tots.

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    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. This is a great dinner that everyone in the family will love, especially when you're short on time.

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    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

    More Recipe Roundups

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      18 Cheap Ground Beef Recipes That Are Perfect for Spring

    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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