14 Cheap Recipes with Ground Beef
Learn the best ground beef recipes to make on a budget
No matter what mood you're in or who you're cooking for, there's almost always a ground beef recipe that fits the occasion. There are so many uses for ground beef that it's no wonder it's such a staple. Thankfully, even the cheapest types of ground beef are full of flavor.
If you're looking for affordable meals with portions that will satisfy the whole family and then some, you're in the right place. Every recipe in this list is simple, quick, and delicious.
Keep the emphasis on "delicious." Everything on this list is packed with amazing flavors. Eating on a budget should never have to mean eating sad, tasteless food. These 14 recipes are cheap and easy enough for your weeknight dinners but tasty enough that you'll never feel embarrassed serving them to guests.
1. Easy Beef Burrito
Everyone loves burritos for lunch, but getting good ones can be shockingly expensive even at cheaper fast food restaurants. Thankfully, they are easy to prepare at home. It's easy to adapt the recipe for to-go meals, too: just remove the more watery ingredients like tomatoes.
2. Quick and Easy Taco Soup
You'd never believe how cheap and easy this meal is by just looking at it. Avocado and fresh herbs make a great-tasting, fancy garnish, but it's easy to swap them for something simpler if you're in a rush or your budget is extra tight.
3. Easy Taco Meat
Tacos are a classic cheap and easy meal. Little touches can make all the difference when it comes to making your Tuesday night (or any other time) feel extra special.
4. Simple Shepherd’s Pie
Few meals are as simple and wholesome as shepherd's pie. This recipe is ready in under an hour, but the leftovers warm up well for days.
5. 4-Ingredient Ground Beef Casserole
Yet another ground beef meal you'd swear was complicated until you saw the recipe. All you need are four ingredients and about half an hour. No trouble at all!
6. Homemade Hamburger Helper
Looking for a shot of nostalgia? This updated childhood classic will deliver. A perfect mix of veggies and seasonings ensures that this meal will never be described as bland.
7. Ground Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff is so simple but it's yet another proof of how versatile ground beef is. You don't have to get too fancy to mix things up and enjoy a completely different mix of flavors and textures.
8. Easy Taco Pizza
This flatbread Mexican pizza is sure to be a fan-favorite no matter who's eating it. It's fun for kids and full of delicious, wholesome flavor for adults.
9. Easy Pizza Casserole
If you're not feeling up for flatbread, you can get most of the same flavors in this incredibly easy pizza casserole. Spiral pasta is a great complement to the other flavors in this delightful dish.
10. Busy Day Rice Casserole
This might just be the ultimate comfort food. Thankfully, it's quick and easy to make as well; you won't even have to cook the rice beforehand. This recipe has all the flavors of a stuffed, beefy, cheesy burrito in a pan.
11. Homestyle One Pot Goulash
Another great easy meal. This one works equally well as a light dinner or as a side for a bigger meal or potluck. Ground beef, mushroom, and tomato are a wonderfully tasty and filling combination.
12. Amish Meatloaf
Sometimes simple is all you want or need. This down-home meatloaf will never turn out bland or dry and it's great either fresh or warmed up.
13. Cowboy Dinner
If you've never tried this cornbread- and ground beef-based casserole, you are absolutely missing out. And, once you make it, you'll be shocked how easy it was to pack all the best flavors of Southwest cooking into one dish.
14. The Best Burgers
There's no way to make a ground beef meals list without including a burger recipe. There are a million out there, and so many of them try to set themselves apart by adding crazier and crazier ingredients and toppings. Ignore all that and chow down on this perfectly simple, perfectly juicy creation. You'll never need another burger recipe.
Up next:
9 Essential Meal Planning Tips
There are so many great budget ground beef recipes. Share your favorites with us in the comments below!
Read NextEasy Hasselback Potatoes
