What to make with ground beef
With ground beef you can make tacos, spaghetti bolognese, sloppy joes, skillet lasagna, cheeseburger pasta, shepherd’s pie, stuffed peppers or beef and broccoli. Brown it in a hot pan without stirring for the first few minutes for better flavor, and cook it to 160°F.
ground beef
10 easy ideas with ground beef
Family-tested favorites. Tap one to get the full recipe, scaled for your table.
Weeknight Beef Tacos
20 minSeasoned beef with a splash of tomato sauce so it stays saucy, plus a toppings tray.
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One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
25 minThe homemade answer to the boxed kind: beef, pasta and cheddar cooked in one pot.
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Skillet Lasagna
35 minAll the layers of lasagna, made on the stovetop with broken noodles in about half the time.
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Classic Sloppy Joes
25 minA tangy, slightly sweet beef filling on toasted buns, with a little grated carrot hidden inside.
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Spaghetti Bolognese
40 minA quick weeknight meat sauce with onion, garlic and crushed tomatoes simmered for 20 minutes.
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Shepherd’s Pie
1 hrBeef and vegetables in gravy under a blanket of mashed potatoes, baked until golden.
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Korean Beef Rice Bowls
20 minGround beef in a soy, garlic and brown sugar glaze over rice with cucumbers.
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Stuffed Bell Peppers
55 minPeppers filled with beef, rice and tomato sauce, then baked with cheese on top.
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Swedish Meatballs
40 minTender meatballs in a creamy gravy, served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
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Beef Chili
45 minBeef, beans and tomatoes with mild chili spice. Even better the next day.
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Kitchen notes on ground beef
Brown, don’t steam
Use a large, hot pan and leave the beef alone for 3 to 4 minutes before breaking it up. Crowding the pan or stirring constantly steams it grey.
Cook to 160°F
Ground beef is safe at 160°F. Color is not a reliable test, because beef can brown before it is safe.
Stretch a pound
Add a can of rinsed lentils or black beans, or a cup of finely chopped mushrooms, to feed six with one pound of beef.
Storage
Raw ground beef keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge and 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Flatten it in a zip-top bag before freezing so it thaws in an hour.
Questions about ground beef
Should I drain ground beef?
With 80/20 beef, spoon off most of the fat after browning but leave a tablespoon for flavor. With 90/10 or leaner beef there is usually nothing to drain.
How do I thaw ground beef quickly?
Seal it in a bag and submerge it in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. A flat one-pound package thaws in about an hour. Cook it right away.
Can I substitute ground turkey for ground beef?
Yes, in almost any recipe. Turkey is leaner, so add a little oil when browning and cook it to 165°F instead of 160°F.
