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33 Healthy, Easy Ground Beef Recipes
May 10, 2018
Craving ground beef but not sure what to make? These healthy, easy ground beef recipes will give you creative ideas on how to turn a staple ingredient into a unique meal option. It’s not always easy finding recipes for ground beef that satisfy my nutritional requirements along with my taste buds. That’s why I had so much fun rounding up these healthy ground beef recipes for you! They’re all family-friendly and tasty, and I know you’ll enjoy them.
A quick word before we kick off: I always recommend you purchase organic, grass-fed beef whenever possible. If that’s not an option, I suggest you do some research on the source of the meat in your area. If you can buy from a farmers market, that’s always a good option; you can speak directly to the farmers, who often raise their cows in an organic, sustainable way but can’t afford the certification.
If the majority of your groceries come from a big chain supermarket, look up the brands online and choose ones you feel comfortable buying from — and don’t be shy about letting the store know that you’d like different options! But most of all, have fun making (and eating) these ground beef recipes.
33 Easy Ground Beef Recipes
1. Beef Ricotta Casserole
This low-carb casserole combines ground beef with mushrooms, fresh herbs and cheese. Prep it the night before and pop in the oven while you decompress after work. Serve with a side salad or your favorite garlic bread for a full meal.
2. Beef and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
With two types of cheese, quinoa replacing the usual rice and fire-roasted tomatoes and chiles, these stuffed bell peppers pack a serious flavor punch.
3. The Best Ground Beef Tacos
This easy, kid-friendly recipe skips pre-packaged taco seasonings and mixes for a simple homemade version. Add toppings based on your family’s preferences, or set up a taco bar and let everyone choose their own!
4. Bone Broth Protein Meatball Soup
The secret ingredient in this soup is protein powder made from bone broth. The meatballs and various veggies like sweet potatoes and green beans simmer for an easy soup that’s great for feeding a crowd.
5. Cauliflower and Ground Beef Hash
This recipe tosses out the potatoes in favor of low-carb cauliflower. Serve with just the basics, like cheddar, beef and garlic, or add other fixings like sour cream, green onions and turkey bacon for more of a baked potato meal.
6. Double Layer Nachos
I call these nachos an appetizer, but you could seriously eat them as a meal. Thanks to the ground beef, black beans and raw dairy, they’re packed with protein. The jalapeños and peppers add spice and crunch, too. Finishing these off in the oven means the cheese gets perfectly melted and is so delicious.
7. Easy, Gluten-Free Beef Stroganoff
This healthy ground beef recipe ticks the box for comfort food while remaining gluten-free. Using sheep or goat milk yogurt means that it’s better tolerated than cow’s milk for people with dairy sensitivities, too.
8. Easy Mushroom and Ground Beef Skillet
This ground beef recipe with few ingredients is a great base for a weeknight meals. You likely have all the ingredients, like balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth, in the pantry, and it comes together in 30 minutes. Serve with a salad, brown rice, quinoa, tacos — whatever tickles your fancy!
Photo: The Seasoned Mom
9. Grandma’s One Pan Hamburger Helper
Let’s face it: the temptation to pick up a box of processed food is high, especially when the kids are refusing to eat anything but chicken nuggets or mac and cheese. That’s why this homemade hamburger helper is so great. It’s got kid-approved ingredients while still keeping out the nasties found in the boxed stuff. Make a big batch and freeze some for hectic evenings.
10. Greek Burger
These Greek-style burgers are bursting with flavor with just a few ingredients: feta cheese, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and a Greek spice blend. You can make these on the grill or in a pan, and serve in a bun, on lettuce or in a pita. However you chow down on them, I suggest adding my tzatziki sauce to drizzle on top!
11. Grilled Burgers and Vegetables
When you’re thinking of recipes with ground beef, a classic burger always comes to mind. This version has veggies, like onions and squash, built right into the burger. Not only do they keep the beef juicy, but there’s a serving of vegetables!
Photo: Mince Republic
12. Ground Beef Empanadas
This keto ground beef recipe is sure to become a favorite. The dough is made from almond flour, mozzarella and cream cheese, while the filling consists of ground beef, olives, salsa, seasonings and onions. You’ll be surprised by how easy and delicious these empanadas are.
13. Huevos Rancheros
When you think of ground beef recipes, you probably don’t think of breakfast, but with this huevos rancheros recipe, you can incorporate ground beef into your morning for an iron-rich, protein-packed start to your day.
14. Hamburger Steaks and Gravy
This ground beef recipe is genius: instead of buying expensive steaks, you’ll make hamburger versions of them. Then, you’ll use the pan drippings, along with heavy cream and xanthan gum, to make a creamy gravy. Serve over mashed cauliflower for a low-carb-friendly dinner.
15. Keto Ground Beef and Spinach Skillet
This one-skillet meal is packed with flavor. I love the combination of ingredients, like almond butter, spinach, ground beef and almonds, for a quick meal that’s anything but boring.
Photo: My Sequined Life
16. Loaded Mediterranean Beef Rice Bowl
Meals in a bowl are always so fun to make and eat, and this one is no exception. Ground beef is loaded onto brown rice and topped with pickled red onion. Served with cucumber slices, feta, hummus and a crazy-good yogurt sauce, this healthy ground beef recipe should definitely be on your dinner menu.
17. Mexican Zucchini and Beef
Put the zucchini growing in your garden or selling at the farmers market to good use with this ground beef recipe. It’s naturally low-carb and requires just zucchini, diced tomatoes, beef and seasonings. I love that the zucchini stays nice and firm in this recipe, adding some crunch without being raw.
18. Mini Paleo Pizzas
This creative recipe uses the top of mason jars to create small beef “pizzas” perfectly sized for mid-afternoon snacks or small lunches — excellent if you’re keeping a low-carb diet but still have those pizza cravings.
Photo: The Recipe Critic
19. Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs
The only thing better than meatballs? Stuffed meatballs! These ones have cheesy mozzarella goodness broiled right into them. This easy ground beef recipe is super versatile as well: serve with toothpicks as an appetizer, pile them onto a salad, serve as a meatball sandwich or top your favorite spaghetti recipe with them.
20. Paleo Chili
Raise your hand if you like a good ground beef chili recipe. This slow cooker version is one of the easiest. It packs in pumpkin, sweet potato and cauliflower but skips the beans for a truly Paleo-approved dish.
Photo: Worthy Pause
21. Paleo Moussaka-Inspired Greek Ground Beef Skillet
This healthy ground beef recipe, inspired by Greek moussaka, is naturally gluten-free and comes together quickly. The ground beef will be mixed up with olives, artichokes and spinach, and seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, paprika and thyme. Talk about a flavor explosion! Top with crumbled feta and enjoy.
Photo: In Sonnet’s Kitchen
22. Paleo Spicy Korean Ground Beef and Cauliflower Rice
There are lots of ground beef and rice recipes, but what makes this one special is the Korean-inspired spice. It’s pretty easy to whip up as well, requiring only coconut aminos, cauliflower and a few other seasonings and oils. Bonus: it’s ready in just 25 minutes!
23. Pressure Cooker Low-Carb Ground Beef Shawarma
The key in this healthy ground beef recipe is the shawarma spice mix. When combined with ground beef, onions, cabbage and red peppers, you’d be forgiven for thinking the beef has come right off the spit! Like all pressure cooker recipes, this one is pretty fast; it’s on the table in under 30 minutes.
24. Shepherd’s Pie
This lightened-up version of the classic shepherd’s pie may even be better than the original! Cauliflower takes the place of potatoes … and I use fresh herbs, like thyme and rosemary, for the delicious gravy topping. This one takes some time to assemble, so prep the mashed cauliflower in advance and then assemble the rest.
Photo: Life in the Lofthouse
25. Skinny Beef Enchiladas
Get the flavor of your favorite Mexican joint without all the extras by making these enchiladas. Ground beef, onions and cheese are stuffed in corn tortillas (naturally gluten-free!) then smothered in enchilada sauce and a bit more cheese and baked in the oven — no frying required. Serve with your favorite toppings.
26. Slow Cooker Ground Beef Tacos
This slow cooker recipe means you can set and forget dinner for a few hours but still come back to some deliciously seasoned beef that’s prefect for tacos — or taco salads, breakfast burritos and more!
27. Slow Cooker Meat Sauce
Cooking over 6–8 hours means this simple meat sauce is absolutely packed with flavor. Start this one in the morning, then serve over your favorite pasta for an easy supper.
28. Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew
This budget-friendly stew gets back to the basics with ground beef, hearty veggies, seasonings and tomatoes. It requires little prep time, cooks in the slow cooker, makes enough to feed the whole family and freezes well; this one is seriously an all-rounder.
Photo: Eazy Peazy Mealz
29. Southwestern Sweet Potato and Beef Skillet
Packed with veggies, beef, cheese and avocado, you can’t go wrong with this one-pan meal. It’s like a hearty topping for tortilla chips; in fact, you should totally eat it with some! I love that you get a helping of sweet potato, red pepper, spinach and tomato in each bite. It’s one of those meals that totally doesn’t taste as good for you as it is.
30. Spinach Mozzarella Meatloaf
This meatloaf provides a new spin on an old favorite. It’s packed with fresh spinach, mozzarella, onions and garlic and then baked in the loaf pan. It freezes well, so you can make two loaves and keep one in the freezer to have on hand.
31. Sweet & Savory Grape Jelly Meatballs
This meatballs are so fun! They’re stuffed with fresh herbs and goat cheese and then combined with grape jelly, which is just the right mix of sweet and savory.
Photo: The Seasoned Mom
32. 10-Minute Beef Teriyaki Skillet
An easy ground beef recipe with few ingredients, this teriyaki skillet may become your go-to recipe on those busy nights when dinner is the last thing on your mind. It’s ready in 10 minutes (really!), and the tangy beef is great with lettuce wraps or brown rice.
33. Zucchini Lasagna
Craving lasagna but skipping pasta, or going low-carb? Try it with zucchini instead! This ground beef recipe swaps the noodles for zucchini slices, but still has that meaty, cheesy flavor you’re craving.
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