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Ground beef is one of the most simple and versatile ingredients and can be used to make a huge range of family favorites.
From a quick and easy pasta dish to classics such as burgers and beef chili, it only takes a few ingredients to turn ground beef into a delicious meal.
Whether you’re looking for some simple, classic recipes or looking to try out something new in the kitchen, we’ve got you covered!
All our recipes today feature a very short ingredient list, and we’ve suggested substitutions and shortcuts for anything that might be a bit complex.
Keep reading to check out some of the most inspired ways to incorporate ground beef into your next dish!
So, what are the best easy ground beef recipes with few ingredients? Don’t panic – we’ve done the research for you!
Your delicious ground beef can easily be turned into amazing melt-in-the-mouth dinners, some of them with very few ingredients and barely any effort at all.
Whether you’re looking for simple, classic ground beef recipes or looking to try out something new in the kitchen, we’ve got you covered!
Keep reading to check out some of the most amazing easy ground beef recipes with few ingredients!
1. Spaghetti And Meatballs
Spaghetti and meatballs are a firm favorite in many households, and far easier to make than you might think!
All you need to do is mix your ground beef with some dried herbs, breadcrumbs, and egg, add in some marinara sauce, and serve on a bowl of steaming spaghetti.
We love this recipe not only because it has few ingredients, but you can also make double the batch and freeze the rest for another day. There is no reason to buy premade meatballs when making them yourself is this easy!
2. Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
The great thing about this recipe is that if you don’t have some of the ingredients, many of them can be substituted or left out altogether.
Don’t have any red pepper? Any other color pepper would work, or you could add chopped zucchini or sweetcorn instead.
No black beans? Kidney or haricot beans will work just as well. And as for the seasoning, any mix of Mexican-style spices will do!
The result is a gastronomic delight, packed full of great flavors and nutritional goodness. This will soon become a weeknight regular, with endless variations to keep the tastebuds tingling.
3. Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Succulent, juicy ground beef and vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes – what’s not to like? This is the ultimate comfort food and a great way to cook ground beef with few ingredients.
This dish is also a great way to use up those odds and ends of frozen vegetables you have lurking in the bottom of the freezer. Peas, sweetcorn, carrots, and beans will all add to the flavor, blending perfectly with the ground beef and gravy.
The best thing about shepherd’s pie is that it is so simple, even the most inexperienced of home chefs will be able to master it. If you’re not very confident in the kitchen, this easy step-by-step recipe will have you cooking up a treat in no time.
4. Cheesy Ground Beef Empanadas
Now, if you take a quick glance at this ingredient list for cheesy ground beef empanadas, you might be thinking that it looks rather long!
But on closer inspection, you will see that over half of the ingredients are seasoning for the beef. So, these can be swapped for a premixed spice blend, instantly cutting the list in half!
Then all you need is to cook up some ground beef and onion and add tomato sauce and your seasonings. Make your empanadas using pie crust – don’t forget the cheese topping – and you’re ready to pop them into the oven.
Bet you never realized that making a beef pie could be so easy!
5. Ground Beef Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
As anyone following a gluten-free diet will tell you, it can be a nightmare trying to find easy recipes that are free from gluten!
However, this beef ramen noodle stir fry has an incredibly short ingredients list, with no compromise on taste or quality.
The great thing about this dish is that it gives you the flexibility to add whatever vegetables you have lurking in the refrigerator. Simply slice everything so it will cook at the same rate, add it to the pan, and away you go!
6. Stroganoff Pasta Bake
Now, this might look like a highly indulgent dish of loveliness, but thanks to some clever substitutions it is actually relatively low in calories!
Plus, if you cook in a pan that is suitable for both the stovetop and the oven, you can make the whole dish from start to finish in just one pan. Less washing up, more time to enjoy your simple, tasty dinner!
If you don’t have any of the herbs and spices in this recipe, they can be substituted or left out altogether. The same goes for the Dijon mustard and Worcester sauce, which can be swapped for another type of mustard or seasoning.
7. Ground Beef Enchiladas
This classic Mexican dish is a great way to cook with ground beef – the recipe is super simple, and the whole dish takes just 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook. Dinner on the table in half an hour, perfect!
You can serve enchiladas as a meal in itself, or add side dishes such as spicy slaw, rice and beans, or a tossed salad.
8. Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls
You know when you find a new recipe that transforms a dish with just a few simple ingredients? This Korean-inspired dish is one of those!
All you need is brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger to turn browned ground beef into a true taste sensation.
The plain white rice pairs perfectly with the rich flavors of this recipe, and you can even add some finely sliced vegetables for a boost of nutritional goodness.
We strongly advise that you give this recipe a try, you won’t be disappointed!
9. Cheeseburger Pasta
When your children come bouncing in from school and ask what’s for dinner, imagine their faces when you say, “Cheeseburger pasta!” They’ll be bringing all their friends over for dinner before you know it!
This might sound like kid’s food, but we promise that it is anything but. The clever combination of ground beef, cheesy sauce, and al dente pasta blends together to give a delicious and indulgent meal.
And it can be cooked in one pan in just 20 minutes – you don’t get much easier than that!
10. Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are a great way to cook with ground beef if you’re getting bored of your usual recipes. This is a great recipe to make in advance and reheat, saving you time on a busy weeknight.
We love the combination of succulent, juicy, sweet oven-roasted peppers, filled with rich, flavorsome ground beef. The cheese topping is quite literally the icing on the cake!
If you are missing any ingredients, or have special dietary requirements, then this recipe gives some great suggestions for substitutions too.
11. Texas Cowboy Stew
Howdy, partner! Here is a classic Texan dish that can be bulked out to satisfy a hungry crowd. The ground beef, along with finely diced onion, forms the base for this dish, giving a rich, meaty flavor.
Then all you need to do is pile in any vegetables and beans you have lurking in the refrigerator, freezer, or pantry.
Add some chopped tomatoes, and sliced sausage (if you have it), leave it to bubble away for an hour or so, and you’ve got a hearty meal to satisfy the hungry cowboys in your life.
12. Ground Beef Patties In Mushroom Gravy (AKA Poor Man’s Steak!)
This might be called poor man’s steak, but there is nothing poor about this dinner! Ground beef is well seasoned before being formed into patties. These are seared to create a divine caramelized flavor, before being baked in the oven.
Our favorite thing about this recipe is the super-clever hack to make amazing mushroom gravy! A tin of cream of mushroom soup is blended with milk and herbs to make a rich and sumptuous sauce, perfect for your beef steak patties.
13. Creamy Ground Beef and Macaroni Tomato Soup
Soup can be one of two things – either light and refreshing, or full-bodied and hearty. This delicious beef and macaroni tomato soup definitely falls into the second category!
This is one of those soups that is a complete meal in a bowl. We doubt you’d need bread or toast on the side, as the macaroni will satisfy even the hungriest of appetites.
All you need to make this simple soup is ground beef, macaroni, a tomato-based sauce, and plenty of seasoning. The recipe calls for cream cheese, but as an alternative, you could grate any cheese from your refrigerator and sprinkle it on top.
14. Ground Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington is one of those dishes that you eat at a restaurant and think you would never be able to recreate it at home! However, using ground beef instead of a beef joint turns this luxury meal into a quick and easy recipe that will wow your family and friends.
The best thing about using ground beef is that you can make individual pastry parcels, one for each person. And as the pastry is one of the best parts of a beef wellington, you really can’t go wrong!
15. Cheesy Hot Beef Sandwich
A steak sandwich is one of life’s luxurious pleasures, and this ground beef version is guaranteed to satisfy the carnivores in your family!
The great thing about this recipe is that most of the ingredients are store-cupboard and pantry staples, so all you need to add is ground beef and cheese.
The end result is a beef-filled rich sauce, perfect for a gooey hot sandwich. Just don’t forget the napkins, because this is gonna be a messy eating experience!
16. One Pot Taco Pasta
We are huge fans of any recipe with ‘one pot’ in the title, and this one is no exception. And it cooks in less than 30 minutes, so it makes for a perfect speedy dinner after a busy day in the office.
This recipe combines the great flavor of ground beef with a rich and creamy taco sauce.
The pasta is cooked in the same pot, enabling it to take on the rich flavors at the same time as thickening the sauce. Then all you need to do is carry the pot to the table and serve – what could be easier?
17. Ground Beef Meatloaf
Now, who said meatloaf had to be complicated? This quick and easy version requires just four groups of ingredients.
The ground beef is bound together using breadcrumbs and eggs and seasoned well with Italian herbs. Then all you need is a tomato-based sauce to top it off with, easy to make with a handful of store cupboard ingredients.
This recipe will only take ten minutes to put together and then needs baking for around an hour. Just enough time to relax in a hot bath with a glass of wine after a long day!
18. Skillet Lasagna
Lasagna is one of those ground beef dishes that everyone loves, but that takes a huge amount of time and effort to make.
Not to mention the number of dishes to wash up afterward, an absolute nightmare! Luckily, here we have a simple version that is quick and easy to cook.
This absolute genius of a recipe brings all the flavorsome elements of lasagna together but enables you to cook it in just one pan. Serve with crisp slices of garlic toast, and a freshly tossed salad, and enjoy your easy-peasy lasagna!
19. Loaded Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet
Beef and potatoes are a match made in heaven that we just can’t get enough of. Add bacon and cheese and you’ve got yourself a sheer gastronomic delight!
The thinly sliced potatoes in this one-pot dish enables them to cook through quickly, whilst also soaking up the flavor of the beef and bacon.
Cheese is loaded on top and the dish is baked in the oven, giving a gorgeous golden topping with rich, beefy gravy bubbling through.
20. Lebanese Beef Kafta
If you’re a fan of a takeaway beef kebab, you’ll adore this quick and easy way to make beef kofta at home. Ground beef is mixed with a blend of spices to give an authentic beef flavor, then molded into patties or onto kebab sticks.
These are then grilled or fried, before being served with flatbreads, salad, and the sauce of your choice.
This would be a great dish to cook outdoors, so next time you fire up the barbeque give it a try!
21. Ground Beef Mongolian Noodles
Don’t be daunted by the ingredients list for this recipe, as the creator gives some great suggestions of how to simplify it! All you really need is ground beef and noodles, and the rest can be adapted to suit whatever you have in your pantry.
To get the perfect flavor, stick to a few basic rules. You need something to add sweetness – sugar or honey – and some spicy flavors, such as chili, garlic, cumin, and coriander. The rest is up to you!
22. Chili Mac N Cheese
You know the saying ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,’ right? Well, that’s exactly what happens when two classic favorite recipes collide, and create something far, far better!
This recipe combines a classic ground beef chili with the ever-popular macaroni cheese. And this might sound complicated, but it is so simple that even the most novice of chefs could give it a try!
The result is an incredibly indulgent and delicious bowl of oozing loveliness, that we’d suggest pairing with a fresh green salad to make you feel a bit healthier.
23. Ground Beef & Sweet Potato Skillet
Whilst the previous recipe was filled with calorie-laden indulgence, this one is equally as hearty but far better for your health. The use of sweet potato is a great low-carb alternative to the standard potato or pasta used in one-pot cooking, and it is loaded with other vegetables as well.
The trick to this recipe is to ensure that the beef is browned before the vegetables are added, giving a great caramelized flavor. You can use any mix of herbs and seasonings you have available to add flavor, as well as a little bit of spice if you fancy it.
24. One Pot Mexican Ground Beef and Rice
Yep, it’s another one-pot dish, but if you want easy recipes this is as simple as you can get! Ground beef pairs perfectly with Mexican spices, vegetables, and rice to give a warming, nourishing dinner that the whole family will enjoy.
This complete meal can be whipped up in just half an hour and is incredibly simple to make. The broth gives it a great flavor, but if you don’t have any you can use a stock cube instead.
25. Ground Beef Bulgogi
If you’ve never heard of bulgogi before, you will love this tasty recipe. Bulgogi is a Korean dish, and the name literally translates as ‘fire meat’.
It is normally made by grilling thin, marinated slices of meat on a barbecue, but here we have a great adaptation for ground beef instead.
The author of this recipe makes some great suggestions for substitutions, so no need to panic if you don’t have all the ingredients. And with a cooking time of just ten minutes, you’ll be sitting down to a delicious din in no time at all!
26. Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
We’re big fans of clever hacks to create great flavor, and this simple dish is ingenious! All you need is ground beef, seasonings, beef broth or stock, rice, cheese, and a tin of mushroom soup.
Yes, that’s right – mushroom soup! This clever addition transforms the recipe into a creamy, indulgent casserole that will warm anyone on a chilly winter’s day.
And if you don’t have mushroom soap, then any other cream soup will work just as well.
27. Ground Beef Gnocchi
Gnocchi is highly underrated as an ingredient, and many people avoid it as they think it is difficult to cook. However, don’t be scared of the gnocchi, as it is easier than you realize!
This recipe uses dried gnocchi, dropped straight into the creamy sauce. Here it cooks gently alongside the beef, thickening the sauce and creating an incredibly intense and rich flavor.
28. Spaghetti Bolognaise
Aaah, that old favorite, spaghetti bolognaise! No list of ground beef recipes would be complete without this classic Italian dish, and here we have a quick and easy version that uses as few ingredients as possible.
Everyone has their own take on spaghetti bolognaise, but you need a few essential ingredients to create an authentic flavor.
Most of these will be found in the herb and spice rack, so you can play about with whatever flavors you have available to create the perfect blend.
This dish takes just 30 minutes to cook, but if you have time to cook it in advance this will give the flavors chance to blend.
29. Slow Cooker Ground Beef Stew
Many people forget about the crockpot when it comes to ground beef, as this is an ingredient that cooks through quickly. However, cooking the beef slowly at a low temperature brings out the very best flavor, as well as making an incredibly rich gravy.
For this recipe, all you will need is ground beef and seasonings of your choice. Bulk it out with potatoes and whatever vegetables are lurking in the refrigerator.
If you don’t have tomato soup then add any kind of tomato-based alternative – passata, chopped tomatoes, or tomato puree.
30. Ten Minute Sticky Ginger Beef
Beef and ginger are a match made in heaven, and everyone should give this delicious partnership a try. The rich, robust flavor of beef stands up perfectly to a sweet and sticky ginger sauce, creating a true taste sensation.
Pair this dish with some plain rice as a contrast to the intense beef and ginger mix, and add in some freshly steamed vegetables on the side. In just ten minutes you’ll have a dish so good that it will rival any Chinese takeaway!
31. Mongolian Beef Meatballs
Ready to take your meatball recipe to the next level? This Mongolian version of the classic meatball is deceptively simple, and tastes amazing!
The flavorings in this recipe can be created by combining salty and sweet flavors, such as soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Don’t panic if you don’t have all the ingredients on the list, as there are many substitutions available and some can simply be left out.
For example, dried ginger will work equally as well as grated ginger, and dark brown sugar can add caramelized sweetness if you don’t have hoisin sauce.
32. Homemade Beef Burgers
Once you’ve tried making beef burgers yourself, you’ll never buy ready-made burgers again! The trick here is to add far more flavoring and seasoning than you might think, to give an intense taste that leaves you wanting more.
Top tip – check your seasoning by frying off a small amount of the mixture in a pan before forming the mixture into patties.
33. Cheesy Ground Beef and Broccoli
You know how some flavors just work really well together? Well, beef and broccoli are one of those! Of all vegetables, broccoli seems to stand up well to the rich flavor of beef.
This is a low-carb recipe that needs just a few simple ingredients to create a tasty, healthy dinner. If you’re watching the calories you might want to cut back a bit on the cheesy topping though!
34. Classic Beef Chili
It wouldn’t be right to do a ground beef recipe roundup without including the classic chili con carne! We love this simplified version, that can be cooked in a Dutch oven or adapted for the crockpot.
The great thing about this recipe is that it tells you the purpose of each ingredient. That means that if you are missing something, you can quickly work out if you can manage without it or need to substitute something else.
35. Easy American Beef Goulash
Goulash is a traditional Hungarian stew, based on a beef broth flavored with paprika and other spices. The American twist on this recipe adds in more tomato, as well as macaroni to turn it into a one-pot dinner.
The vital thing to remember with this dish is that, while it is quick to cook, you must leave it to stand for five minutes before serving. This will allow the pasta to soak up the remaining juices, leaving a rich, thick, creamy sauce.
Up Next: Chili Meat Vs Ground Beef
