The 13 Easiest Ground Beef Dinners Ever

Make ground beef the star of your dinner table.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published March 09, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
homemade hamburger helper in a skillet at a table setting with two glasses of soda and a side salad

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

Ground beef is a versatile, quick-cooking protein that builds the foundation of these 13 simple recipes. From a nostalgic take on Hamburger Helper to simplified "un"-stuffed peppers, the best thing about these recipes is that they require minimal prep, have relatively few ingredients, and require no special equipment to make. That means anyone can make them, and everyone will enjoy them!

  • Cheesy Hamburger Pasta Skillet

    A top view of a skillet with the Cheesy Hamburger Skillet Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "This recipe calls for a whole 8-ounce block or about 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. You can also swap the cheddar cheese for other melty cheese like Monterey Jack or provolone." —Simply Recipes Contributor Megan Splawn

  • Easy Taco Casserole

    easy taco casserol in a pot at a table setting with bowls of toppings, chips on a platter, and a bottle of beer

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "To make this recipe work best, use sturdy, thick-style tortilla chips and not restaurant-style chips." —Senior Editor Laurel Randolph

  • 20-Minute One-Pan Beef and Chickpeas

    plate of 20-Minute One-Pan Beef and Chickpeas with rice and greek yogurt

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "My favorite way to serve this dish is with steamed basmati or jasmine rice. If you start the rice first, everything will be ready at the same time. You can also use a more convenient, even quicker rice—like frozen, bagged, or microwave—if you really want time and effort to be minimized." —Simply Recipes Contributor Devan Grimsrud

  • Salisbury Ground Beef

    salisbury ground beef with a side of green beans on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "Serve this Salisbury ground beef over freshly cooked tagliatelle, pappardelle, or egg noodles." —Simply Recipes Recipe Developer Jasmine Smith

    Continue to 5 of 13 below

  • 5-Ingredient Gingery, Garlicky Ground Beef

    Ground Beef with Rice

    Simply Recipes / Myo Quinn

    "I keep whole ginger in the freezer and grate just what I need for cooking. Frozen ginger is easier and safer to grate than fresh because the fibers don't get stuck on the blades. You don't need to peel the ginger and can grate it right over the wok." —Associate Editorial Director Myo Quinn

  • Baked Ground Beef Tacos

    Baked tacos on a platte surrounded by bowls of toppings (bowl of shredded iceberg lettuce, bowl of diced onions, bowl of tomatoes, bowl of salsa, and a bowl of sour cream)

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas, RD

    "Room-temperature tortillas are easier to work with, especially if you’re folding them in half like in this recipe. I typically pull mine out of the fridge about 30 minutes before I need them." —Simply Recipes Contributor Sara Haas

  • Easy Beef Krapow

    Beef Krapow in two bowls

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "This recipe calls for Thai basil, which has a minty floral aroma that is very distinctively delicious and iconic to this dish. If you cannot find it at your local Asian supermarket, feel free to use sweet basil since it is more readily available." —Simply Recipes Contributor Frank Tiu

  • Hamburger and Macaroni

    Hamburger and Macaroni

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Up the veggie factor by adding finely chopped vegetables like carrots, celery, zucchini, or mushrooms, or canned or frozen vegetables like corn or peas." —Simply Recipes Founder Elise Bauer

    Continue to 9 of 13 below

  • Creamed Tacos

    creamed tacos in bowl with chips, lettuce and tomatoes

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "To keep things most efficient, as the meat browns, prep the lettuce and fresh tomato." —Senior Editor Sara Bir

  • 5-Ingredient Barbecue Meatloaf

    Overhead shot of a sliced up meatloaf on a white serving plate, with three slices turned on their side

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "My mom usually tucks her meatloaf into her well-worn meatloaf pan, but I find that baking the meatloaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet is quicker and tastier. Using a sheet pan also allows for more air circulation during baking, which equals more browned bits around the edges." —Simply Recipes Contributor Ivy Manning

  • Homemade Hamburger Helper

    homemade hamburger helper in a skillet at a table setting with two glasses of soda and a side salad

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "If you like some heat, spice things up with Creole or Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, or chili flakes." — Simply Recipes Contributor Jasmine Smith

  • Unstuffed Peppers

    spoonful of unstuffed pepper lifted from skillet with more

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "Using microwavable rice means you don’t have to dirty a pot making a batch of rice. You don’t even have to microwave it—the rice will finish cooking and heating up in the skillet." —Senior Editor Laurel Randolph

    Continue to 13 of 13 below

  • 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake

    My family's 5-ingredient pasta bake

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "Since the pasta will be cooked twice, it’s better to slightly undercook it during its initial boil. Check it two minutes before you expect it to be done to determine texture. It should still be a little hard." — Simply Recipes Contributor Sara Haas

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