The Best Budget Ground Beef Recipes That You Don't Want to Lose by Donna John

Ground beef is still one of the best budget-friendly options for families. Ground beef is versatile and can be prepared in so many different ways – from stir-fry to casseroles to soups to sandwiches to tacos to meatloaf and so much more.

Here are 25 of our top high-protein, budget-friendly ground beef recipes that are quick, tasty and family pleasing. What's your favorite way to use ground beef? Tell us in the comments section below!

Amish Hamburger Steak Bake: This delicious ground beef casserole was the Recipe of the Year in 2024. This hall-of-fame recipe is a must-make!

Blue Ribbon Ground Beef and Potato Casserole: This savory casserole recipe is cheesy, creamy and full of flavor and textures. The different textures come from tender, soft potatoes on the bottom of the dish, and crispy potato-chip like potatoes around the edges. Combine that with creamy beef and cheese, and you've got a winning casserole dinner everyone is going to devour.

Mexican Ground Beef Casserole With Tortilla Chips: Loaded with ground beef, corn and cheese, this easy Mexican casserole recipe is sure to be one that's requested over and over again.

Ground Beef Lettuce Cups: The Asian flavors we love are cooked into ground beef and then wrapped in a crunchy lettuce leaf. Yum.

Amish Ground Beef Pasta Bake: With soups and milk in the mix, this Amish ground beef casserole recipe has a lot of sauce. Flavorful sauce!

Mexican Ground Beef Potato Casserole: Creamy potatoes layered with spicy seasoned ground beef, corn and cheese is incredible. This Mexican potato casserole recipe is all you need on your plate.

Ground Beef and Potato Taco Filling: Take your tacos up a (homemade) notch by making this easy beef and potatoes taco recipe.

Thai Beef Dinner: Grab your wok, a pound of ground beef and a few other simple ingredients and you've got a delicious Thai dinner on the table fast.

Cheesy Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers: This easy stuffed pepper recipe uses sweet red peppers, ground beef, tomato sauce and either cooked rice or potatoes. You can't go wrong!

Ground Beef Fettuccine Stroganoff: This easy fettuccine beef stroganoff recipe is ready in about 20 minutes.

One-Skillet Shepherd's Pie: This easy shepherd's pie recipe is cooked in one skillet and is topped with creamy mashed potatoes, garlic butter and cheddar cheese.

Ground Beef and Cabbage Casserole: Love cabbage rolls but don't feel like stuffing and rolling? This easy ground beef and cabbage recipe cooks in one pan and in less than 30 minutes.

Ground Beef Enchiladas: This easy ground beef enchilada recipe is a family pleaser.

Teriyaki Meatball Kebabs: Teriyaki ground beef meatball kebabs are a quick and easy dinner or a fun appetizer. And everyone loves eating dinner on a stick!

Hamburger Soup: Hamburger soup is just pure comfort food. Loaded with vegetables and ground beef, this is one of the best and easiest soup recipes you'll come across.

Frito Pie Casserole: Corn chips in a pie? Oh, heck yes. This baked Frito pie recipe is a little different than others because of the addition of corn and sour cream.

Beef Taco Soup: Mmm. Mmmm. That's the sound you'll make while eating this creamy beef taco soup recipe.

Cheesy Baked Meatball Casserole: The hot Italian sausage in this meatball casserole recipe provides a little extra kick. Don't forget to make extra for meatball sandwiches the next day or the day after.

Ravioli Lasagna: Make this ravioli lasagna recipe once and it will soon be the most requested recipe in your house. No joke.

Ground Beef Hamburger Steaks: When you're short on time, this easy hamburger steak recipe is quicker to make than packing up the car and heading to your local diner.

Sloppy Joes: There are sloppy joe recipes, and then there's this ooey, gooey, cheesy ground beef sloppy joe sandwich recipe. OMG.

Amish Shipwreck Casserole: Take a step back in time this week and serve your family an old-fashioned meal.

Quick Taco Soup: Why do we love this taco soup recipe? Because all the ingredients are in your pantry and it takes about 20 minutes to make.

Indian Masala Keema: Masala keema is simply ground beef with Indian spices. All this easy masala keema recipe needs is some pita bread and dinner is done.

Oven-baked Meatballs: This easy ground beef meatball recipe bakes in the oven and can be used right away or frozen for later.

Ground Beef Cauliflower Rice Bake: This beef cauliflower rice recipe is awesome if you’re looking for something really satisfying and also quick to prepare for lunch or dinner!

Grandma's Prize-winning Meatloaf: This is an old-fashioned meatloaf recipe that is grandma approved – and delish!

Ground Beef Gravy With Mashed Potatoes: This ground beef recipe is not only quick and easy, but a budget-friendly recipe with six simple pantry ingredients that cooks in one pan.

Creamy Ground Beef Alfredo: This ground beef alfredo pasta recipe is rich, creamy and tastes like a million bucks.

Ground Beef Pitas: This ground beef pita recipe is quick (20 minutes!), easy and loaded with Middle Eastern flavors and fresh vegetables.

Ground Beef Broccoli Stir Fry: The ground beef stir fry recipe has minimal prep and cooks up in no time in one pan. Dinner perfection!

One-Pan Ground Beef Spaghetti: One pan. Ready in under 30 minutes. Minimal prep – just chopping an onion, mincing garlic and tearing a few basil leaves. Done.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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