Looking for a speedy midweek meal? Ground beef might just be the answer. When you’ve got this versatile ingredient to hand, you’re already well on the way to a delicious, easy dinner. From a rich Bolognese sauce to a fast and filling Thai-inspired stir-fry, as well as crowd-pleasing burgers and a hearty meatloaf, our collection has it all.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover 36 of the tastiest ground beef recipes around, counting down to the most delicious of all.
A meatball recipe with a bit of a difference – and a tasty surprise hidden inside. Here, juicy queen green olives are wrapped in a flavorful ground beef mixture to make meatballs that are roasted in the oven (rather than fried). They’re then simmered in an aromatic tomato sauce rich with more olives (this time of the pitted black variety), herbs, and wine.
Perfect for feeding a crowd with ease, this hearty dish only calls for 10 minutes prep and is absolutely bursting with flavor. Cooking the ground beef on one side of the pan and the rice on the other is a clever way to ensure you only use one pan, keeping the effort level low (and reducing on the washing up too). Serve the hash in bowls, topped with grated cheese, cilantro, and a generous spoonful of yogurt.
Keema is a ground meat dish found in various forms throughout India. Our recipe uses beef (lamb is also a popular option) and is lightly spiced with curry powder. The key to making a really full-flavored keema lies in the paste made from ginger, garlic, and chili – these ingredients provide three different types of heat, which balance each other out and give a complex note to the dish.
It’s the sauce that makes this burger so special – inspired by McDonald's famous Big Mac sauce, it has that perfect balance of sweet, salty, and sharp flavors (the secret is including sweet pickle relish and paprika). The recipe is easy to make, meaning you can rustle up dinner in around 20 minutes.
With its crispy rigatoni edges, bubbling tomato sauce, tiny meatballs, and puddles of oozing melted mozzarella, this rustic pasta bake screams comfort. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread for a simple meal that the whole family will love.
Bibimbap is a Korean dish consisting of bowls of rice topped with sautéed vegetables, a fried egg or egg yolks, ground beef, spicy sauce, and kimchi. Bringing masses of flavor and texture to the table, this recipe provides a great opportunity to get creative and use up the leftovers in your fridge.
When it comes to midweek meals, this recipe ticks a multitude of boxes – it’s tasty, thrifty, and simple to prepare, and the beef filling can be made up to three days in advance (it also freezes well). Once the veg-packed mince mix is ready, it’s used to stuff flour tortillas, which are rolled up, arranged side-by-side in an ovenproof dish and topped with chipotle paste and grated cheese. After 15 minutes in the oven, the tortillas will be lightly browned and the cheese bubbling.
You don’t need a loaf tin to make this dish – the meat can be molded by hand, and baked on a roasting tray. This old-school favorite is super-succulent, wonderfully satisfying, and pairs perfectly with mashed potato, veggies, and a gravy made from the loaf’s juices.
The combination of ground beef, onion, garlic, jalapeño peppers, and beef jus is the secret behind the bold flavor of these succulent beef kebabs. They’re delicious topped with toasted flaked almonds, and served with warm pita breads and a slow-simmered spicy tomato sauce.
Get the recipe for beef kebabs with spicy tomato sauce here
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It doesn’t get more comforting than a plate filled with ground beef and dumplings. This recipe is packed with warming flavors, can be made up to three days ahead, and the beef freezes perfectly, so it’s a great dish to prep in advance. While the golden dumplings are a lovely final flourish, you could also serve the ground beef with creamy mashed potatoes.
Bobotie is a South African dish made from ground beef spiced with curry powder, ginger, turmeric, raisins, and chutney. A mixture made from whisked egg and milk is poured over the top just before the dish is transferred to the oven and baked.
You can use ground beef, lamb, or pork in this Norwegian meatball dish. Spices (allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and ground ginger) give the meatballs their characteristic flavor, and they're served in a rich, roux-based beef stock and crème fraîche gravy. Offering mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam on the side is a must.
This Spanish-inspired recipe sees baked eggplants stuffed with a meaty ragù flavored with cumin, cinnamon, red pepper, and nutmeg. It calls for ground lamb, but ground beef works equally well. The eggplants are sprinkled with Manchego cheese before being returned to the oven until the cheese is melted and golden.
Lasagna might just be the ultimate crowd-pleaser: layers of silky pasta, creamy sauce, and a rich, meaty ragù, all topped with a crunchy cheese lid – what’s not to love? Even better, the cooking time is mostly hands-off. Just leave the meat sauce to slowly cook away, make your béchamel sauce, and assemble the dish in 20 minutes. The oven will do the rest of the work for you.
For a meaty version of this fast, fragrant stir-fry, follow our recipe – but swap the ground soy for ground beef. Ready in just 20 minutes, it's a quick and filling midweek supper. A crispy fried egg completes the dish.
Get the recipe for stir-fried beef with basil and chili here
A dinner featuring meatball subs is always going to go down a storm. This recipe makes four saucy, decadent meatball sandwiches, though you could always double up the ingredients to feed more. Add sliced mozzarella, provolone, Cheddar, or American-style cheese to the subs and grill until melted, to take them to the next level. Any leftover meatballs are perfect for lunch the next day.
These South African–inspired burgers are all about the marinade. Before being shaped into patties, ground beef is steeped in a mix made from various sauces (tomato, Worcestershire, and peri peri included), as well as fruit chutney, red wine, cola, paprika, and a barbecue spice blend. This makes the finished burgers extra succulent, rich, and sweet.
These spicy Italian meatballs combine finely ground beef chuck steak with flavorsome pork shoulder and creamy ricotta. Once assembled, the meatballs are braised in a chili-spiked red onion and tomato sauce, but you could use a jar of store-bought marinara, if you prefer.
Get the recipe for spicy Italian meatballs here
We're calling it: this is the ultimate cheeseburger recipe to make at home. It uses beef with a 20% fat content, which makes the burgers extra juicy. Season the patties well with salt and pepper before they go on the grill, then load with cheese (the melty American kind works best), dill pickles, tomato, red onion, and lettuce for a feast of a meal.
These meatballs are incredibly tasty – there's chili for heat, plus classic Italian herbs oregano and basil, as well as pine nuts, which provide great texture. The tomato sauce is rich and vibrant, with fresh tomatoes and white wine adding depth of flavor. Simply serve with spaghetti, Parmesan, and fragrant basil.
Here a family favorite is given an indulgent upgrade, with the addition of a smoky, spicy butter that's stirred in at the end. Serve this rich and warming chili with rice, sour cream, grated Cheddar, and a wedge of lime to balance out the heat.
These succulent, spicy beef skewers won’t last long once they’re on the table. Ground beef with a high fat content makes them extra juicy, and if you barbecue them, they’ll develop a nice smoky char. Pile onto a bed of hummus, then top with a zesty mix of red onion, lemon, parsley, and sumac to serve.
Amp up a classic cottage pie by replacing the usual layer of mashed potato with decadent potato dauphinois (potato slices cooked in cream) instead. Follow the recipe below to make the dish, swapping the ground lamb for beef, if you like. Serve with your choice of green vegetables.
When you've got a bit of time on your hands, this comforting Italian dish is the perfect foodie project. Filling the delicate tortellini with meat does require patience, but the end result is well worth it, particularly if you serve the pasta covered with a rich beef Bolognese sauce, as we have here.
What’s more comforting than a bowl of cheesy, gooey mac ’n’ cheese? Mac ’n’ cheese with meat sauce underneath it! Follow your favorite recipe for mac ’n’ cheese (we love the cauliflower one below), but spread a layer of Bolognese sauce over the base of the dish before adding the cheese and pasta – then, just bake in the oven as usual.
Cornish pasties are a hearty delight, originating from Cornwall, UK, where they’re arguably the county’s most loved export. In the recipe below, they’re made the traditional way: shortcrust pastry shells are stuffed with ground beef, chopped potato, swede, and onion, then baked in the oven. Serve with mushy peas or pickled cabbage for a filling meal.
A proper gourmet burger, this recipe combines ground beef, diced venison steak, and chorizo for the ultimate in flavor and texture. Harissa and smoked paprika add a hint of smokiness and spice, while Mexican chili cheese, garlic, and parsley mayo, pickled red onions, and grilled red peppers are the perfect toppings.
Speed is of the essence with this brilliantly spicy, pleasingly salty stir-fry recipe. Prep all the ingredients in advance, pop your pan over a high heat, and get cooking. Key to success is ensuring the ground beef becomes properly browned and crisp before you add the fragrant ginger and garlic. Serve spooned over rice or piled into crunchy lettuce cups.
Get the recipe for ginger beef stir-fry with lime and herbs here
These moreish pastry parcels pack a real flavor punch. The meat (you can substitute the lamb in this recipe for ground beef) is spiked with fiery green chilies, chili powder, garam masala, and ground coriander, before being encased in flaky puff pastry. Any leftovers are great for lunch the next day.
In this recipe, beef shin, bone marrow, and lean ground beef are simmered slowly in red wine, herbs, and star anise to make a deeply flavorsome stew. While the stew simmers, you can prepare the herby dumplings, which are added in 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time. This comforting dish goes really well with buttered green vegetables.
Tasty, filling, and budget-friendly, there’s a whole lot to love about this hearty beef and potato pie. Here, ground beef is simmered with vegetables and various spices, then layered in an ovenproof dish with phyllo pastry. The whole thing is then baked in the oven until the butter-brushed phyllo is crisp and golden brown. You can vary the vegetables depending on what you have to hand - cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, and fresh or frozen corn would all work well.
This traditional Greek dish features layers of baked eggplant, ground meat, zucchini, and potato slices topped with a thick, cheesy sauce. It's fine to use either beef, pork, or lamb mince, depending on your preference, or opt for a combination of all three.
This classic British dish is almost identical to shepherd’s pie, the defining difference being that it uses ground beef instead of lamb. A comfort food favorite that people of all ages adore, the dish freezes well, so it's worth making a double batch and filling the freezer with the extras.
For a twist on a classic, try Indian-spiced burgers. Garam masala, garlic, and ginger give the patties a lovely aromatic flavor, while the caramelized onions and roasted chili yogurt add a pleasing sweetness and creaminess. Serve with sweet potato fries for a proper treat.
This gorgeously rich slow-cooker version of Bolognese sauce is worthy of a place in everyone’s recipe repertoire. There’s minimal hands-on cooking and prep time, and the dish can be left to simmer away all day, ready to be spooned over pasta, baked potatoes, or rice, or even wrapped up in a soft flour tortilla and topped with sour cream and Cheddar.
These meatballs with a gorgeous Mediterranean spin will go down a storm with everyone at the table. The recipe calls for a mix of ground beef, lamb, and pork, but you could make them with just beef, if you prefer. The tomato sauce meanwhile is gently spiced with thyme, cinnamon, ground cumin, and sweet paprika, for a wonderfully fragrant end result. You can serve the meatballs as part of a mezze, with warm flatbreads, or for a more substantial main course, with steamed orzo or mash and a green salad.
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Get the recipe for Greek meatballs here
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Last updated by Emily Shardlow-Price.