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  7. 21 Easy Ground Beef Dinners That Are Perfect for Weeknights

21 Easy Ground Beef Dinners That Are Perfect for Weeknights

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins February 21, 2022
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Stuffed Cabbage with Beef
Credit: Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ali Ramee / Audrey Davis

Put the pack of ground beef in your fridge to delicious use with these weeknight-friendly dinners. With just 30 minutes of active time in the kitchen, you can whip up a cheesy, veggie-filled casserole or a batch of savory stuffed peppers. Or, keep it classic with a burger and fries or a batch of spicy taco soup. Whatever you choose, you're in for something healthy and tasty. Recipes like our Stuffed Cabbage with Beef and One-Pot Cheesy Tex-Mex Pasta are simple ways to end a busy day.

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Tater Tot Casserole with Beef, Corn & Zucchini

Skillet Beef, Corn & Zucchini Tater Tot Casserole
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Casseroles can be for summer too! We packed this one with peak-season vegetables—corn, zucchini and tomatoes—then topped it with crispy tater tots and gooey melted cheese, making it a dinner winner.

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Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Ground beef and cauliflower combine to create a hearty weeknight casserole that both kids and adults will love. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

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Stuffed Cabbage with Beef

Stuffed Cabbage with Beef
Credit: Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ali Ramee / Audrey Davis
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This lightened-up version of stuffed cabbage uses lean ground beef and less sugar than the traditional recipe—but is every bit as delicious. The sauce sinks into the cabbage rolls while baking, which helps deepen the flavors.

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One-Pot Cheesy Tex-Mex Pasta

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This comforting one-pot pasta dish has a Southwestern kick. Chili powder and pico de gallo flavor the dish, while melted Mexican cheese adds a creamy finish. Top it with your favorite fixings like scallions, cilantro and sour cream, and serve it alongside a crisp green salad for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.

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Classic Beef Burgers with Cauliflower Buns

Classic Beef Burgers with Cauliflower Buns
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These juicy burgers skip the traditional bread bun in favor of a savory grain-free cauliflower bun that contains a bit of Cheddar cheese. A mixture of onions, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce gives the burger patties tons of flavor, and the addition of a tangy special sauce completes the package for a burger with serious personality. Note: If you would like to make these burgers gluten-free, be sure to check the ingredients for the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce to make sure they're gluten-free.

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Taco Soup

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We gave the plain old taco an easy, one-bowl makeover by turning it into soup! We garnish this zippy dish with pickled jalapeƱos, Cheddar cheese and tortilla chips, but feel free to mix it up with any of your favorite taco toppers.

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Chili-Topped Sweet Potatoes

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Transform ordinary baked potatoes into a full dinner with these chili-topped spuds. In this healthy recipe, we use sweet potatoes for an added nutrient kick. Sprinkle on extra toppings as you see fit--sliced scallions, chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sliced jalapeƱos are all tasty choices.

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Easy Lasagna

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This classic beef lasagna recipe is easy to make and will be ready to eat in just over an hour.

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Bean & Beef Taco Soup

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This taco soup is filled with quintessential taco ingredients and flavors--from two types of hearty beans, to corn and ground beef--but it's the toppings that really make this soup stand out. Better yet, this healthy soup is easy to make and leftovers freeze beautifully for later.

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Taco Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

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Revamp traditional shepherd's pie with this Tex-Mex take on the classic comfort food with taco seasoning, black beans and a little jalapeƱo. The flavor- and veggie-packed filling gets topped with cilantro-lime sweet potatoes for a satisfying and healthy dinner recipe.

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Stuffed Cabbage Soup

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Like stuffed cabbage? You'll love this easy stuffed cabbage soup. It's got all of the classic flavors of stuffed cabbage without all the fuss of stuffing. Plus, you can make this warming soup ahead of time or freeze it for later for a quick dinner or lunch.

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Skillet Ravioli Lasagna

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This easy inside-out ravioli lasagna is the ultimate weeknight comfort food--no layering or mixing bowls required. Feel free to swap in ground turkey for the beef. Look for fresh mozzarella balls (also called "pearls") in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store.

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American Goulash

American Goulash
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American goulash, also known as old-fashioned goulash, is the perfect economical family meal. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so this satisfying dish can cook in just one pot.

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Beef Pad Thai

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We've bulked up the serving size of beef pad thai by adding in lots of healthy veggies like matchstick carrots, snap peas and scallions. Look for whole-grain brown-rice pad thai noodles to add an additional 3 grams fiber to each serving.

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Credit: Jacob Fox
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Inspired by stuffed peppers, this soup is ready faster and with fewer dishes too! Have fun with the toppings—we top it with onion, Cheddar cheese and tortilla chips here, but salsa, sour cream and corn would also make stellar additions.

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Marinara Meat Sauce Topped Baked Potato

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Break out of your pasta routine by subbing in a baked potato in this simple and satisfying dinner for one.

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Pasta Puttanesca with Beef

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This easy slow cooker ground beef and pasta recipe makes a great meal any night of the week.

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Cheeseburger Stuffed Baked Potatoes

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Skip the bun and serve all of your favorite cheeseburger ingredients--beef, cheese, tomatoes, red onions and lettuce--with baked potatoes for a hearty and easy dinner recipe that kids and adults will love. Feel free to swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or tofu crumbles.

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Cheesy Beef Enchilada Casserole

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This veggie-packed beef enchilada casserole is mild, so put out hot sauce and chopped jalapeƱos if you're feeding heat-seekers. The quick and easy dinner recipe makes extra cheese sauce--save it to make One-Pot Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts later in the week (see Associated Recipes) or serve it with steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, for an easy side dish.

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Open-Face Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches

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This cheeseburger and eggpant Parm fusion recipe is a winning combination. Breaded eggplant slices are topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a delicious grilled lean beef burger--it's American classic meets Italian restaurant favorite! To make it a complete meal, serve with spaghetti with a side of steamed vegetables.

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Southern Beefy Skillet

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Make this entire meal in one skillet! The beef soaks up the flavor from the vegetables and herbs, making it juicy and full of flavor.

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    1 of 21 Tater Tot Casserole with Beef, Corn & Zucchini
    2 of 21 Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole
    3 of 21 Stuffed Cabbage with Beef
    4 of 21 One-Pot Cheesy Tex-Mex Pasta
    5 of 21 Classic Beef Burgers with Cauliflower Buns
    6 of 21 Taco Soup
    7 of 21 Chili-Topped Sweet Potatoes
    8 of 21 Easy Lasagna
    9 of 21 Bean & Beef Taco Soup
    10 of 21 Taco Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
    11 of 21 Stuffed Cabbage Soup
    12 of 21 Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
    13 of 21 American Goulash
    14 of 21 Beef Pad Thai
    15 of 21 Stuffed Pepper Soup
    16 of 21 Marinara Meat Sauce Topped Baked Potato
    17 of 21 Pasta Puttanesca with Beef
    18 of 21 Cheeseburger Stuffed Baked Potatoes
    19 of 21 Cheesy Beef Enchilada Casserole
    20 of 21 Open-Face Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches
    21 of 21 Southern Beefy Skillet

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    21 Easy Ground Beef Dinners That Are Perfect for Weeknights
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