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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    Set It and Forget It: 26 Easy Beef Dinners for Any Night

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on May 8, 2025, updated April 23, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Busy weeknights can make dinner time a challenge, but easy beef recipes can save the day. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep, you can create satisfying meals that the whole family will enjoy. From hearty casseroles to flavorful stir-fries, these dishes are perfect for any night of the week.

    Instant Pot Beef and Shells

    Instant Pot Beef and Shells
    Photo Credit: Earing In An Instant.

    This simple one-pot dish combines ground beef and pasta for a creamy and cheesy meal. It's perfect for busy nights when you want something delicious without a lot of work.

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    Slow Cooker Taco Beef Ramen

    Slow Cooker Taco Beef Ramen.
    Photo Credit: The Lazy Slow Cooker.

    Slow Cooker Taco Ramen is a simple and satisfying meal. Ground beef cooks with taco seasoning, tomatoes, and corn, while ramen noodles simmer right in the pot, creating an easy one-pot dinner.

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    Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs in Tangy Sauce

    Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs in Tangy Sauce.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    These meatballs with rice are simmered in a sweet and tangy sauce that brings back great memories. This is a simple and satisfying meal that everyone will enjoy.

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    Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna

    Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna with wooden spoon.
    Photo Credit: The Recipe Well.

    This lasagna is super simple to make, with layers of meat, noodles, sauce, and two kinds of cheese. It's a quick one-pot meal that's perfect for busy nights.

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    Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew

    Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This stew is a simple and filling meal made with ground beef that won't take much time or money to prepare. It's perfect for busy nights when you want something hearty without putting in a lot of work.

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    Slow Cooker Mexican Bubble Up Casserole

    Slow Cooker Mexican Bubble Up Casserole.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This casserole is slow-cooked and packed with all the great flavors of a classic Mexican pizza. With just five ingredients, you can create a tasty meal that's easy to enjoy.

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    Crock Pot Cube Steak with Mushroom Soup

    Crock Pot Cube Steak with Mushroom Soup
    Photo Credit: Add Salt and Serve.

    Cube steak turns out tender and tasty with hardly any prep needed. With just cube steak, cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, salt, pepper, and water, you can easily serve a satisfying home-cooked meal.

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    Crockpot Steak Bites

    Crockpot Steak Bites
    Photo Credit: Easy Family Recipes.

    Crockpot Steak Bites are a simple and affordable way to enjoy tasty beef without spending much. This slow cooker meal is easy to prepare and results in tender, juicy bites that are great for dipping with some crusty bread.

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    Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

    Slow Cooker Pepper Steak.
    Photo Credit: The Short Order Cook.

    Tender beef strips and bell peppers simmer in a flavorful sauce, making this a simple and satisfying dish. It's perfect served over rice for a hearty meal.

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    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 just a few simple pantry ingredients, you can whip up a rich and hearty meal in no time.

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    Slow Cooker Nacho Soup

    Slow Cooker Nacho Soup.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Nacho Soup brings all the great flavors of nachos into a warm, comforting bowl. With ground beef, Rotel, black beans, corn, and taco seasoning simmered together in a crock pot, this dish is perfect for a cozy meal.

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    Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole

    Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This slow cooker casserole combines green beans, cream of mushroom soup, tater tots, and cheddar cheese for a simple meal. It's a hearty dish that everyone will enjoy.

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    Slow Cooker Hamburger Potato Casserole

    Slow Cooker Hamburger Potato Casserole.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This hamburger potato casserole is a hearty meal made with just five ingredients, featuring delicious beef and onion flavors. It's easy to put together and cooks fast, perfect for busy weeknights.

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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. Just let the ground beef and veggies simmer together for a delicious meal on busy days.

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    Instant Pot Chili Mac

    Instant Pot Chili Mac.
    Photo Credit: The Recipe Well.

    Instant Pot Chili Mac brings together the hearty tastes of chili and mac and cheese in a single dish. This quick one-pot meal with ground beef, pasta, cheese, and spices is sure to please everyone at the table.

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    No Boil Baked Ziti

    No Boil Baked Ziti
    Photo Credit: Cooking With Carlee.

    Baked ziti is simple and delicious, with minimal prep needed. Just layer the ingredients and pop it in the oven for a satisfying meal.

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    Irish Beef Stew

    Irish Beef Stew
    Photo Credit: The Urben Life.

    This recipe is full of tender beef and root vegetables. It's easy to make, hearty, and the ultimate comfort food.

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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. Packed with ground beef, salsa, and plenty of cheese, it's perfect for a potluck or a quick weeknight dinner.

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    Mexican Ravioli Lasagna

    Easy Mexican Ravioli Lasagna
    Photo Credit: Two Healthy Kitchens.

    This simple Mexican Lasagna uses ravioli to create tasty layers without any fuss. It's perfect for busy nights because you can just layer the ingredients without needing to thaw the ravioli first.

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    Slow Cooker Beef Stew

    Slow cooker beef stew on a pot.
    Photo Credit: Fed by Sab.

    This stew is a simple and comforting meal that you can just throw together and let cook. It features tender beef along with potatoes, carrots, and peas in a hearty broth.

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    Air Fryer Roast Beef

    Sliced roast beef.
    Photo credit: alwaysusebutter.com.

    This Air Fryer Roast Beef is a simple dinner that takes only 50 minutes to prepare, making it perfect for family meals. With a flavorful herby crust and a juicy, tender center, it’s made with just a few easy ingredients.

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    Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole

    Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Retro Recipe Box.

    Enjoy enchiladas in a simpler way without the need to roll them up. You can use either ground beef or ground turkey for this easy dish.

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    Papa’s Gone All Day Stew

    Papa’s Gone All Day Stew
    Photo Credit: Easy Budget Recipes.

    This stew is a classic comfort food that serves 12, making it great for family dinners on Sundays. It's simple enough to whip up during the week too!

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    Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

    Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    These peppers are filled with beef and rice, all simmered in a tasty marinara sauce. They cook easily in the slow cooker, making a cozy dinner that everyone will love.

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    Slow Cooker Goulash

    Slow Cooker Goulash.
    Photo Credit: Somebody Feed Seb.

    This Slow Cooker Goulash features tender beef simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce. It's a great option for busy weeknights, requiring little prep and letting you enjoy a delicious meal with minimal effort.

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    Crockpot Enchiladas

    Crockpot Enchiladas.
    Photo Credit: An Edible Mosaic.

    Crockpot enchiladas are a simple dish that brings together ground beef, veggies, enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, and cheese all in one pot. This is a great option for weeknight family dinners or when you want to prepare meals ahead of time.

    Get the Recipe

    More Recipe Roundups

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      18 Cheap Ground Beef Recipes That Are Perfect for Spring
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      21 Easy Crockpot Chicken Dinners for Busy Nights
    • Thai coconut skewers.
      22 Easy Recipes to Satisfy Your Takeout Cravings at Home
    • Walking taco casserole.
      23 Easy Dinner Casseroles That Are Perfect for Any Night

    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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