Ground beef is a versatile ingredient that works well in many dishes. Not only is it inexpensive and easy to prepare, but it can be frozen, which makes it ideal for quick meals. Listed below are the best recipes using ground beef. You can prepare these dishes tonight or prep them on Sunday and enjoy them for days to come. If you have leftover ground beef, they freeze well. Whether you need to feed a family or are hosting a dinner party, you can prepare these delicious recipes in advance.
Whether hosting a dinner party or cooking for a crowd, you’ll find a ground beef recipe that fits your family’s tastes and budget. From burgers to meatballs, these recipes will please everyone in your family. Ground beef is available in many different forms for vegetarians, including turkey, chicken, pork, and even fish, and it’s also easy to freeze and reuse leftover ground beef.
Ground Beef Nutrition Facts
What is Ground Beef?
Beef that has been finely chopped using a knife, a meat grinder (American English), or a mincing machine is known as ground beef, minced beef, or beef mince (British English). Hamburgers, bolognese sauce, meatloaf, meatballs, and kofta are just a few of the dishes that employ it. It’s not to be confused with mincemeat, which comprises chopped dried fruit, distilled spirits, spices, and historically (but now uncommon) minced/ground meat. Food rules in various countries designate different types of ground beef and what they can include. For example, in the United States, beef fat can be added to hamburgers but not ground beef, provided the meat is prepared and packed in a USDA-inspected facility.
The Best Recipes Using Ground Beef
Here are the best recipes using ground beef:
Ground Beef and Potatoes
Consider sloppy joes if you’re looking for a quick, easy ground beef recipe. This meaty stew will be a crowd-pleasing meal with minimal ingredients. Serve it with crackers or tortilla chips and a side of veggies or Rotel tomatoes. It’s also great on hamburger buns. The versatility of this recipe is one of its most appealing features. If you’re worried about the ingredients needed to prepare it, look no further! F&W offers a variety of recipes that can easily be adapted for any occasion.
Picadillo
The most famous ground beef recipe in Latin countries is the picadillo. Made in Puerto Rican style, this dish has tomato sauce and includes staples from Latin cooking, including olives and raisins. This dish is a family favorite and is an excellent way to sneak a few servings of vegetables into the kids’ diet. These delicious recipes can also be made into tasty sandwiches. So, get ready to enjoy delicious meals with your loved ones.
Casserole With Ground Beef
A simple casserole with ground beef is also a great way to prepare this meal on a budget. Instead of making multiple enchiladas, you can brown the ground beef and put it in a casserole. Once all the ingredients are combined in the dish, top with guacamole and other toppings of your choice. Whether you prefer spicy or mild flavors, this meal will satisfy everyone. And because it’s easy to prepare, it’s great for weeknight meals.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
For a slow cooker beef stew, place the frozen or fresh stew mixture in the slow cooker and cook on high for a couple of hours. Afterward, cook on low for two to three more hours until the stew is thoroughly cooked. Once the stew is cooked, divide it into freezer-safe zip bags and push out the air before freezing. This way, you can have ready to cook any meal. You can also freeze the leftover stew.
Lipton Soup Burger
Another great recipe for low-carbohydrate dinners is the Lipton soup burger. You can add onions and garlic powder for a variety of meal options. Make sure not to overmix the dish so it can’t be sliced. It’s great to bring it to a potluck party. It is also an easy to transport dish for the next day. It’s an excellent choice for family meals or as lunch for kids.
What Can I Add to Ground Beef to Make It Better?
Ground meat is exceptionally flavorful because minced garlic, fresh herbs, and dried spices are incorporated right into the meat’s interior, unlike a steak or roast, where the seasoning remains on the top. Depending on the flavor, use both fresh and dried herbs. Using a binder, which prevents the meat from fusing too firmly, is another crucial strategy for maintaining the texture as light and delicate. Breadcrumbs soaked in half-and-half work well as a binder, filling up the mixture but not making it dense. Grated cheese and sautéed onions also contribute to the looseness and richness of the dish.
For the brownest, juiciest results, a few last words:
- Try not to shuttle the meat around the pan, and let the patties stay in one place so they can brown properly. Just check that they’re not sticking to the pan.
- Resist pressing on the meat with the spatula. Pressing down pushes out juices, again yielding a dense, dry result. When feeling for doneness, give the meat a quick, gentle poke: it should feel springy-firm.
Is Ground Beef the Same as Mince?
So you’re trying to figure out the difference between ground and minced meat? We’ve got you covered, as usual. Contrary to popular belief, ground beef and minced meat are not the same things, and they can’t necessarily be used interchangeably for the reasons we’ll discuss in a moment. Although many people confuse ground meat and minced meat, they are not the same thing. Meat and fat are emulsified in ground meat.
On the other hand, Minced meat is finely diced skeletal muscle flesh. Ground meat has a creamy texture that is constant. Meat that has been minced is choppy and bulky. Ground beef dissolves when cooked in a chili or stew, whereas chopped meat keeps its structure. Cooked ground beef keeps its shape better than minced meat for the same reasons.
Perhaps this is why one is preferred for burgers, kebabs, and meatballs, while the other is preferred for chilis, fillings, gravies, pies, and stews (where the shape of the meat is unimportant). Some supermarkets add fillers to ground meat, such as water, coloring, or preservatives, to give it a more appealing color and increase its shelf life. With minced meat, this is more difficult, but it is still achievable.
What Spice Goes Well with Beef?
Here are some best spices and herbs that go well with ground beef:
Fresh Herbs
It’s preferable to sprinkle fresh herbs on meat right before serving. The fresh herbs listed below go great with steak, burgers, and any other cooked beef:
- Chives
- Basil
- Coriander
- Parsley
- Mixed herbs – pesto or ‘chimichurri,’ an Argentinian sauce made with oil, vinegar, and finely chopped parsley, oregano, and garlic.
Dried Herbs
Dried herbs go well with roast beef and can also be used in stews, casseroles, and braises. Remember that dried herbs are more effective than fresh herbs; you’ll need three times as many fresh herbs as dried herbs. The following dried herbs pair very well with beef:
Spices
Spices can be added to the beef before cooking and braising in pots, stews, curries, and casseroles. We recommend using a combination of herbs, spices, and salt/pepper when making a dry beef rub and letting it soak in for a few hours before cooking. Spices that go well with beef include:
Conclusion
Ground meat, veggies, rice, and herbs are stuffed inside stuffed peppers. Fontina cheese is used to enrich the filling. This recipe is delicious and healthy, and it can be cooked in about an hour. Enchilada Bake is another excellent ground beef meal. This dish takes about forty minutes to prepare and only has five primary stages. A taco casserole is another simple dish. Serve the casserole with toppings or a side salad after cooking it in the Crock-Pot or a skillet.
A typical ground beef dish is an attractive option for vegetarians, and it comes with mashed potatoes and is loaded with vegetables. Parade Chef Jon Ashton frequently substitutes macaroni and cheese for potatoes. Quinoa or gluten-free pasta can be used to make it more nutritional, and it’s high in protein and magnesium and has a moderate, nutty flavor. A tamale pie casserole is a fantastic option if you’re on a budget.
