To stretch the ground beef, we use high-fiber bulgur and whole-wheat breadcrumbs in the meatballs, which are baked rather than fried.
Why put the cheese on top of the burger when half of it just melts off? Instead, form the burger around the cheese so you can char the meat and safeguard the more delicate flavors. Use any mixture of hard or semihard cheeses--Emmentaler and Gouda or Asiago and Parmigiano-Reggiano also pair well.
The original Salisbury steak was named after a popular late-19th-century diet doctor who recommended a high-protein diet. This version only resembles the classic in name and shape--the flavors are Asian rather than European and it's served atop a tender bed of sauteed watercress. Make It a Meal: Add brown rice or rice noodles and a cold Tsingtao beer.
Potatoes are one of the great comfort foods, especially when stuffed with a satisfying mixture of lean ground beef and broccoli florets plus reduced-fat sour cream and Cheddar cheese. Add a tossed salad and you have a healthy and hearty meal that will leave you feeling good.
This version of the chain-restaurant favorite has fresh flavors and a healthy nutritional profile. Vary the heat by varying the type of salsa you use. Baked corn tortilla chips and lime wedges are natural accompaniments.
Very finely chopping onion, mushrooms and carrots in the food processor is not only fast—it makes the vegetables hard to detect for picky eaters. They also form the base for the sauce of this ground beef skillet supper. Make it a meal: Serve with a green salad.
Chile Verde, usually a slow-cooked stew of pork, jalapeños and tomatillos, becomes an easy weeknight meal with quick-cooking ground beef and store-bought green salsa. Make it a Meal: Serve with fresh cilantro, red onion and Monterey Jack. Add cornbread on the side and your favorite hot sauce.
Ground beef is inexpensive and versatile—two great reasons to serve it for dinner. But there are even more great reasons to consider lean ground beef. For starters, the 93%-lean ground beef used in these healthy ground beef recipes, considered “lean” by the USDA, fits into a healthy eating plan. Few foods provide as much zinc, a mineral vital to growth and a healthy immune system. Plus beef is a great source of protein, iron and vitamin B12. And studies have shown that women with higher intakes of a naturally occurring trans fat found in beef had denser bones than women with lower intakes. Take advantage of the relatively little fat and all those health benefits with these easy ground beef recipes.