Healthy Ground Beef Recipes
Find delicious and healthy ground beef recipes for an easy, weeknight meal that the whole family will love! From classics like meatballs and tacos to tasty dishes from around the globe, we've rounded up the best ground beef dinner ideas.
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Are you staring at a pound of ground beef wondering what to make for dinner? Ground beef is one of the most popular, versatile, affordable proteins out there, but it can get boring to always make the same things. Next time, try a brand-new ground beef recipe!
These healthy ground beef recipes are all completely different - from Asian dishes to American comfort foods - there's sure to be something you love in this list.
In this guide, you'll find delicious ground beef ideas for everything from Asian stir-fries to tacos, casseroles, slow cooker meals, pasta, and more.
Quick and Easy Ground Beef Recipes
on busy weeknights, these quick and easy ground beef recipes are the answer! With easy-to-find ingredients, these recipes are packed with flavor but can be cooked in 30 minutes or less!
Korean Beef Bowls
These easy Korean Beef Bowls come together in less than 20 minutes! Packed with the most delicious Korean-inspired ground beef, tons of fresh vegetables, and rice.
Easy Ground Beef Tostadas
Beef Tostadas are layered with creamy refried beans, taco-seasoned beef, and an assortment of flavorful toppings piled high on crispy tostada shells. This delicious tostada recipe takes Taco Tuesday to a whole new level.
Ground Beef Bulgogi Bowls
Ground Beef Bulgogi Bowls are chock-full of mouth-watering beef, whole grains, and fresh veggies. This 20-minute meal guarantees to please with the most delicious sweet and spicy sauce.
Ground Beef Tacos
Say goodbye to those pesky premade seasoning packets! These Ground Beef Tacos are so delicious you’ll wonder why you never tried them sooner. This 20-minute taco recipe is easy, flavorful, and perfect for the whole family!
Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
In just 15 minutes, make the most amazing Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps! They taste just like the delicious PF Chang's lettuce wraps with the most delicious sauce. Easy to make and healthy.
Beef and Broccoli Fried Rice
Beef and Broccoli Fried Rice made with lean ground beef, brown rice, and fresh broccoli is a twenty minute dinner that's healthy and delicious.
Thai Basil Ground Beef Bowl
This Thai Basil Ground Beef Bowl makes the perfect twenty-minute weeknight meal and you won't believe the flavor! Served with cauliflower rice, it's a healthy meal you will make again and again.
Thai Beef Cabbage Wraps
These 15-minute Thai Beef Cabbage Wraps make a delicious appetizer or dinner. Made with lean ground beef, Thai flavors, cashews, and cilantro all wrapped in a crunchy cabbage leaf.
The Best Meatball Recipes
One of the best ways to use ground beef is to make meatballs! From classic meatballs to the best Mexican chipotle meatballs and even some Asian meatballs that make the best lettuce wraps.
Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs
Few things are more delicious and comforting than meatballs simmered low and slow in tomato sauce with hints of Parmesan, parsley, and sausage studded throughout
Turkish Kofte Meatballs
These Turkish Kofte Meatballs are made with a delicious combination of ground lamb, ground beef, fresh herbs, and spices for a tasty dinner that tastes like takeout. They are easy to make and freezer-friendly.
Mexican Chipotle Meatballs (Albondigas al Chipotle)
These Chipotle Meatballs are the ultimate Mexican comfort food with tender meatballs simmered in a spicy chipotle sauce. Serve them over rice, polenta, or wrapped up in tortillas.
Healthy Greek Meatballs
Healthy Greek Meatballs packed with spices and parsley are a Mediterranean meal that's easy to make and can be served in so many different ways.
Asian Meatballs
Asian Meatballs with soy, ginger, cilantro, and Sriracha are easy to make, full fo Asian flavor, and great for leftovers.
Baked Spinach Meatballs
Spinach meatballs made with lean ground beef, frozen spinach, onions, garlic, and spices are delicious are a healthy and delightful protein to serve with pasta, rice, in salads, and they make the best sandwiches.
This low carb spaghetti squash and meatballs with fresh mozzarella is the ultimate comfort food. Flavor-packed beef meatballs and tender spaghetti squash noodles all tossed in a quick homemade marinara. You won't miss the spaghetti at all!
Tasty Ground Beef Soups and Stews
Ground beef is the perfect ingredient for soups, stews, and chili since it soaks up any flavors you are using!
Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Caldo de Albondigas is a hearty Mexican Meatball Soup made with homemade beef and rice meatballs, potatoes, and fresh vegetables served in a spicy tomato broth. This cozy, mouth-watering soup guarantees to please.
Easy Beef Chili (30 Minutes)
This Easy Beef Chili Recipe made with ingredients found in your pantry and ready in just 30 minutes. This simple chili is packed with flavor, good for you, and you won't believe it hasn't been simmering on the stove all day.
Healthy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Healthy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup combines all the flavor of classic lasagna without all the work plus it's a healthy version perfect for meal prep.
Pepperoni Pizza Chili (Stove Top or Slow Cooker)
Th Pepperoni Pizza Chili is the stuff dreams are made of packed with ground beef, sausage, garlic, beans, and marinara sauce for only 329 calories.
Spinach Turkey Tortellini Soup
This easy Turkey Tortellini Soup with spinach is packed with lean ground turkey, tomatoes, white beans, spinach, and tortellini in a delicious broth. Simple to make, full of flavor, and a family favorite.
Classic Ground Beef Recipes and More
There are honestly so many delicious ways to cook with ground beef! These recipes are some popular classics like baked ziti and our favorite burgers plus some creative ideas you definitely don't want to miss!
Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
This Unstuffed Pepper Skillet has all the taste of classic stuffed peppers in a one pan, easy to make recipe. This hearty recipe is nutritious, filling, and tastes amazing.
Baked Ziti Bolognese
This classic Baked Zitti Bolognese is a delicious baked pasta dish packed with turkey bolognese, tons of veggies, and delicious melted mozzarella cheese. Great to prep and freeze for a make ahead meal.
Zucchini Taco Boats
Zucchini Taco Boats have all the flavor of tacos with lean ground turkey, peppers, onions, salsa, and cheese. They are a healthy and low carb option for taco night!
Cheeseburger Salad
Cheeseburger Salad takes the best parts of a cheeseburger and transforms them into a fun and delicious salad. Made with lean ground beef, cherry tomatoes, dill pickles, and shredded cheese, this mouth-watering dish is perfect for healthy lunches or dinners.
Healthy Homemade Frozen Burritos
Healthy Homemade Frozen Burritos are better and affordable than store-bought. Fill them with your favorite ingredients for an easy meal.
Picadillo
This authentic Mexican Picadillo packed with lean ground beef, potatoes, and carrots in a spicy Chipotle tomato sauce is a classic Mexican guisado that is delicious with corn tortillas or rice.
Italian Beef Burgers
Italian Beef Burgers made with garlic, herbs, and onion and a touch of tomato sauce are delicious, perfect for grilling, and make a great dinner.
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with ground turkey, creamy ricotta cheese, spinach, fresh basil, and mozzarella makes a dreamy low carb meal that is filling and delicious.
Tips for Cooking with Ground Beef
Now that you have a list of all my favorite healthy ground beef recipes, I want to share some of my biggest tips. These will help you as you buy ground beef, cook it, and save it for later.
Some of the tips in this list might seem obvious, and others might be new to you. I hope they all help you become a better cook as you use ground beef in your recipes.
- Always Drain and Rinse Ground Beef - It's no secret that ground beef has lots of fat. As you brown it, that fat turns to grease. It's important to remember to drain the grease and then rinse the ground beef off before you cook with it. This will remove as much saturated fat as you can before you add it to your meals.
- Buy In Bulk and Freeze - Ground beef is also one of the higher-priced types of meat you can buy. One of the best ways to save money is to buy it in bulk. If you do, then separate it into one-pound portions and place each pound in a resealable freezer-safe food storage bag. Since most recipes call for one pound of meat, you'll have what you need when you need it.
- Make Once, Eat Twice - Another way to save money is to make a simple recipe that you can use in a different way the next day. This gives you two meals for the price of one. For example, reuse taco meat on top of nachos. Or, add Korean beef to some rice as a stir fry.
Storing Ground Beef
Raw ground beef only lasts about two or three days past the sell-by date in the refrigerator. This is why you should always pay close attention to the sell-by dates when you are buying ground beef.
If you think you'll cook it right away, it's totally fine to get the ones that must sell today. If you don't think you'll be able to use it, freeze it for a later time.
Ground Beef Substitutions
In all of my recipes, you'll find suggestions and options for other types of meat you can use instead of ground beef. Most often, ground turkey is a perfect 1:1 substitute for ground beef. It also has less flavor, so you might have to add a bit more seasoning to it, but it can usually work just as well as ground beef.
Healthiest Ground Beef Choices
There are a couple of things to consider when choosing which type of ground beef to buy and which is the healthiest.
First is the fat content in the meat. If you want to eat less unhealthy fats, you should choose ground round or ground sirloin beef that is at least 90% lean.
Ground beef which is 95% lean is the best option if you are looking to eat less saturated fat and want the lowest calorie option.
The higher the fat content of the beef, the more calories and fat grams it contains. That means 80% lean beef has more fat and calories than 90% lean ground beef.
Some people also consider where and how the beef was raised, looking for grass-fed, local, and organic options.
How to Defrost Frozen Ground Beef
Freezing ground beef can help you save money - but what is the safest and healthiest way to thaw it when you are ready to use it?
If you have plenty of time, it will take about 24 hours to thaw one pound of ground beef in the refrigerator. This is the safest and best way to thaw frozen meat.
If you don't have a lot of time, submerge the frozen ground beef in cold water - not hot or warm. The cold water will defrost the ground beef in about an hour. Using hot or warm water could cause bacteria to grow on the outer layer of meat while the inner layer is still frozen.
The quickest way of all is to use the microwave. Remove the packaging, place the meat on a plate, and then microwave it at 50% power for about 5 minutes, rotating and flipping the meat every minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions about cooking with ground beef.
Which type of ground beef is the healthiest?
There are a couple of things to consider when choosing which type of ground beef to buy.
First is the fat content in the meat. If you want to eat less unhealthy fat, then you should choose ground round or ground sirloin.
Then, look at the food-grade too. Prime grade comes from well-fed young cows. Choice grade is middle of the road and is still high-quality. Select grade is the leanest option. It's also less juicy, but it's the healthiest choice as well.
How do you make ground beef taste good?
The number one way to add flavor to bland ground beef is salt. In fact, many people who think there beef is lacking flavor are simply missing some salt. Kosher salt is best.
Another way to add flavor to ground beef (or ground hamburger) taste good, is seasoning. Adding spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, or herbs to ground beef to infuse the meat with flavor. Fresh aromatics like diced onion, garlic, and bell peppers also are a great way to enhance the flavor.
Browning ground beef and draining off any excess fat also helps to improve the flavor.
Why do some people add milk to ground beef?
Some recipes, especially for meatballs or grass-fed beef, may call for adding milk to ground beef. Whole milk and yogurt contain enzymes that can help tenderize beef and ensure it stays moist.
For that reason, in recipes where beef can get dried out, sometimes a touch of milk is adding to help ensure it stays tender and moist.
Do you need to use oil to brown ground beef?
Generally speaking, ground beef has enough natural fat that you do not need to add any additional oil or butter when browning it.
Simply cook the meat in a hot skillet so the beef gets brown and releases the excess fat into the pan. Break the meat up as it cooks with a wooden spoon and drain off any extra grease or fat in the pan.
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