Healthy Budget Ground Beef Recipes

Find healthy, delicious budget ground beef ideas, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

American Goulash

Rating: 4.73 stars
7
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

Rating: 4.8 stars
5
Two of our favorite comfort-food sandwiches join forces in these family-friendly dinner sandwiches. We found that softer buns make this easier to eat, and it's all the better when wrapped takeout-style in a sheet of foil.
By Katie Webster

Mini Meatloaves with Green Beans & Potatoes

Rating: 4.55 stars
8
This healthy meatloaf recipe and side dishes are all made in the oven on two sheet pans so that everything's ready for the dinner table at the same time. The potatoes go into the oven first to start roasting while the mini meatloaves and green beans are prepped and added to the oven partway through.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Zucchini Lasagna

Rating: 4.2 stars
5
Roasted zucchini slices stand in beautifully for wheat pasta in this no-noodle lasagna. The simple swap reduces calories and eliminates gluten. It's also a great way to use up extra zucchini if your plants are prolific.
By Carolyn Casner

Taco-Stuffed Zucchini

Rating: 4 stars
1
These stuffed zucchini boats are filled with all your favorite taco ingredients like seasoned meat, cheese and avocado. They're perfect for a a low-carb alternative on taco night or a great kid-friendly way to sneak in more vegetables.
By Carolyn Casner

Taco Lettuce Wraps

Rating: 5 stars
1
Don't limit yourself to lettuce for this low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wrap recipe--any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Baked Beans with Ground Beef

Upgrade baked beans from classic side dish to a meaty main meal by adding lean ground beef. The final result, a superfast hearty casserole, is an easy and fast dinner option. Ground turkey or even sausage would work nicely in this dish. Just watch the sodium.
By Hilary Meyer

Classic Hamburger

Rating: 4.67 stars
5
Slow-cooked onions add moisture and flavor to these lean beef burgers. A quick blend of mayonnaise, ketchup, relish and vinegar makes a perfect tangy, sweet and creamy “special sauce” for this burger. We love the dill relish here, but use sweet relish if you prefer it. Serve with sweet potato fries.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mexican Skillet Lasagna

Rating: 4 stars
2
This easy Mexican-inspired lasagna recipe replaces the noodles with tortilla strips that become like tender ribbons in the cayenne- and cumin-spiked tomato sauce. Topped with Cheddar and cream cheese, the lasagna is just as soulful as its Italian cousin and can be made on a busy weeknight in about 30 minutes using a single skillet. Excerpted from The Dinner Plan by Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion, published by ABRAMS © 2017.
By Kathy Brennan & Caroline Campion

No-Noodle Eggplant Lasagna

Rating: 4.8 stars
4
Satisfy your craving for cheesy, indulgent lasagna with this noodle-less version. Roasted eggplant slices stand in for noodles in this low-carb, gluten-free lasagna.
By Carolyn Casner

Hamburger Buddy

Rating: 3.61 stars
51
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes

Rating: 4.72 stars
14
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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Inspiration and Ideas

Pita Chip Nachos

Pita Chip Nachos
Swap tortilla chips for pita chips in this healthy Mediterranean nacho recipe. For a party, create one large platter—just be sure to serve with plates!
Taco Lettuce Wraps

Taco Lettuce Wraps
Don't limit yourself to lettuce for this low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wrap recipe—any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap works.
Spicy Meatloaf with Collards

Spicy Meatloaf with Collards
The EatingWell Taco

The EatingWell Taco
Rating: Unrated
6
Chili-Cheese Nachos

Chili-Cheese Nachos
Rating: Unrated
1
Mom's Chili

Mom's Chili
Rating: Unrated
2

Classic Hamburger for Two

Rating: 4.5 stars
2

Slow-cooked onions add moisture and flavor to these lean beef burgers for two. A quick blend of mayonnaise, ketchup, relish and vinegar makes a perfect tangy, sweet and creamy “special sauce” for this burger. We love the dill relish here, but use sweet relish if you prefer it. Serve with sweet potato fries.

All Healthy Budget Ground Beef Recipes

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Rating: 4 stars
1
How do you get classic beef stroganoff on the dinner table in under an hour? Use ground beef instead of cubed steak. Ground beef cooks in a fraction of the time but is just as delicious in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and served over whole-wheat noodles.
By Carolyn Casner

Chili Cornbread Casserole

Rating: 3.76 stars
9
Here's a fun way to serve chili and cornbread together. Don't let the ingredient list intimidate you--this casserole is easy to make and a real crowd pleaser.
By Jessie Price

Basic Meatloaf

Rating: 4 stars
4
While meatloaf purists focus on the meat, we like to look at meatloaf as a way to pack extra veggies and whole grains into a meal, as we do in this healthy, classic meatloaf recipe.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

EatingWell Meat Pie

Rating: 4.6 stars
2
Traditionally meat pie recipes are made with mostly ground pork. This recipe for French-Canadian meat pie, or tourtiere, is lightened up by using lean ground beef with a little ground pork for flavor and bulked up with plenty of shredded vegetables. You can make it even easier by using a store-bought crust.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Pita Chip Nachos

Swap tortilla chips for pita chips in this healthy Mediterranean nacho recipe. For a party, create one large platter--just be sure to serve with plates!
By Carolyn Malcoun

Cheddar-Stuffed Mini Meatloaves with Chipotle Glaze

Rating: 4.59 stars
10
Individual meatloaves not only take the guesswork out of portion size, they cook quicker than a large loaf. Look for ground chipotle in the spice section of the market--it gives the glaze a hit of smoke and spice. Serve with roasted broccoli and brown rice tossed with cilantro.
By David Bonom

Neapolitan Meatballs

Rating: 4.83 stars
2
A touch of cinnamon distinguishes these delicious tomato-sauced meatballs. Adding whole-grain bulgur allows you to use less meat, resulting in meatballs with less than half the total fat and saturated fat of the original. Plus a vibrant-tasting combination of fresh and canned tomatoes in the sauce helps reduce the sodium by two-thirds. Serve with pasta, polenta or even on a whole-grain roll with a bit of melted part-skim mozzarella for a meatball sub.
By Patsy Jamieson

Stuffed Delicata Squash

Rating: 3.71 stars
4
In this Tex-Mex-seasoned stuffed delicata squash recipe we swap out half of the ground beef you'd normally use for bulgur to reduce saturated fat without skimping on the amount of stuffing. Serve with a mixed green salad with cilantro vinaigrette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pressure-Cooker Chili

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
Chili cooks in just 15 minutes when it's made in a multicooker. The beef gets infused with the flavors of chili powder and cumin. Shredded cheese, scallion and sour cream round out the meal, but feel free to garnish with whatever toppings you choose.
By Hilary Meyer

Blue Ribbon Meatloaf

Rating: 4.24 stars
6
In revisiting this classic, we put the meat back in the “loaf” by using ultra-lean ground beef and turkey. With fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs and beer-simmered sweet onions, you'll never notice the missing fat.
By Jim Romanoff

Beef Chimichangas

Rating: 4.33 stars
3
To slash 150 calories in this healthy chimichanga recipe, we bake rather than fry and use less beef by stretching the filling with mushrooms and beans. Top the baked chimichangas with fresh salsa (found near other refrigerated dips and sauces) instead of jarred salsa to save on sodium.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Oven-Fried Beef Taquitos for Two

Rating: 4.33 stars
1
This healthy beef taquitos recipe for two calls for baking instead of deep-frying, making the taquitos substantially healthier than what you'd get at a restaurant. One order of these little deep-fried, rolled-up tacos at a restaurant can set you back almost 1,000 calories and 60 grams of fat! Don't worry if some of the taquitos crack open while baking--they're still crispy and delicious. Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole and reduced-fat sour cream.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Skillet Moussaka

Rating: 2.75 stars
3
In Greece, moussaka is made with beef or lamb, layers of sliced eggplant and a creamy béchamel sauce all baked together in the oven. This variation takes plenty of liberties to make it easy, quick and healthful. Serve over whole-wheat pasta or with potatoes.
By Sheilah Kaufman

Beef Kofta with Bulgur & Kale Salad

Whole grains take too long to cook, you say? Well, say hello to bulgur, which can be ready in less than 15 minutes. Try this Middle Eastern-inspired healthy dinner recipe topped with plain yogurt or store-bought tzatziki for an extra hit of creamy flavor.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Bacon & Mango Tango Sliders

With a touch of sweet from the mango, savory from the bacon, plus a creamy avocado spread, this healthy slider recipe with takes burgers to a whole new level. Double the avocado mayo and use it for your next BLT.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Stuffed Chard with Fresh Marinara

Rating: 4.15 stars
4
Reminiscent of the stuffed cabbage of yore, the mild flavor of chard makes these beef-stuffed rolls perfect for the whole family. Make It a Meal: A side of whole-wheat spaghetti to soak up the sauce plus a glass of Syrah.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Southwestern Beef & Bean Burger Wraps

Rating: 4.75 stars
7
Kids and adults alike will love these quick, zippy burgers. The beans make the burgers a little fragile, so be careful when taking them off the broiler pan. Make it a meal: serve a green salad and frozen mango slices for dessert.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Reuben Meatloaf

Rating: 4.33 stars
1
Inspired by the classic Reuben sandwich, this nontraditional, healthy Reuben meatloaf recipe includes sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, dill pickles and rye breadcrumbs.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Stuffed Tomatoes with Golden Crumb Topping

Rating: 4 stars
2
Stuffed tomatoes are classic comfort food. Serve with a mixed green salad studded with garden-fresh vegetables. For vegetarians, omit the beef or turkey.
By Marie Simmons

Portobello & Beef Patty Melt

Rating: 5 stars
5
This diner classic gets a makeover by replacing some of the ground beef with finely chopped portobello mushrooms, which add moisture and flavor. We like a smear of pickle relish on top, but you could try chutney, mustard or hot pepper relish in its place.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Smoky Meatloaf

Rating: 5 stars
8
In this lightened-up meatloaf, healthy low-calorie shredded zucchini keeps very lean beef moist but doesn't take away from the meat itself. The flavor gets a boost from a touch of smoked paprika, Worcestershire and a sweet ketchup glaze. We've also included a variation with Italian flavors.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

EatingWell Sloppy Joes

Rating: 4.75 stars
9
Our updated Sloppy Joe takes lean ground beef and adds chopped cremini mushrooms and diced fresh plum tomatoes, all in a zesty sauce. Served on a whole-wheat bun, it's a hearty dinner sandwich that will please adults and kids alike.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cincinnati Chili

Rating: 3.25 stars
3
Cincinnati has a unique spin on chili--they serve it over spaghetti. Typically the chili is just made with meat, no beans, but we couldn't resist adding beans to add fiber and nutrients. Serve with sliced cucumber and red onion with lemon juice and olive oil.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Farmers' Market Sliders

Grill up your veggie haul from the farmers' market and pile them on as toppings in this healthy burger recipe. Bell peppers work well too.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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