Diabetic Ground Beef Recipes

For your next barbecue, try these Hawaiian-inspired sweet and savory burgers. They're made from lean ground beef and have bacon and crushed pineapple baked right in. Served with barbecue sauce on Hawaiian sweet rolls, they're sure to impress your guests.

This is a version of the famous meat sauce of Emilia Romagna, of which Bologna is the capital. Giuliano Hazan's family is from Emilia Romagna, and he learned to make Bolognese sauce from his mother, Marcella, who learned it from her grandmother, Mary. Its classic pairing is with homemade tagliatelle or pappardelle but it's also very good with rigatoni, shells or any substantial pasta shape, preferably one with ridges, that has nooks and cavities to trap the sauce. Adapted from How to Cook Italian by Giuliano Hazan; Scribner, 2005.

Zucchini noodles (or "zoodles") are all the rage as they're a healthy, gluten-free alternative to pasta. In this recipe, crisp-tender zoodles and sautéed mushrooms are served with a meaty tomato sauce. You'll be serving up more vegetables and we promise--nobody will miss the pasta!

Picadillo, a Latin American-style hash, is usually made with ground beef. This one uses bison or lean beef and plenty of spices including chili powder, cumin, oregano and cinnamon.

This version of the favorite ground beef sandwich is livened up with jalapeño peppers and chili powder.

Vegetables and lean meatballs streamline a traditional Italian meatball soup to make it lighter while keeping all the great flavor. Save some of the meatball soup to make a delicious casserole for later.

Ground beef cooked with tomatoes and briny olives can be found all over Latin America. This is a favorite Cuban variation served over plantains, starchy vegetables that look like giant bananas. You can also serve the picadillo over rice or potatoes, so this easy dinner recipe is versatile too.

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.

This filling black bean chili recipe is loaded with protein and ready in just 45 minutes. We've provided several variations for this recipe to suit your flavor and dietary preferences.

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.

Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a hearty beef and mushroom filling are baked with tomato sauce and cheese for an Italian-style dinner that's ready in less than an hour.

Delicious and filling, these beef, tomato and pepper filled tortillas are the perfect option for an easy dinner.

Lamb and eggplant are combined in dishes throughout the Mediterranean. Together they deliver a complex, hearty, earthy flavor that's truly satisfying. In this dish, toasted pine nuts and tangy feta cheese are excellent accents.

Homemade meatballs flavored with garlic and rosemary take center stage in this simple 1-hour soup recipe. Great Northern beans and barley add a healthy dose of protein and fiber to this hearty and filling dish.

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.

You can't go wrong with these classic marinara meatballs filled with applesauce, zucchini, and green onions.

It's easy to make your own lower-sodium enchilada sauce to add rich flavor to these fresh and light tostadas.

Whole-wheat noodles, low-fat cheeses and light pasta sauce make this beef and pasta casserole healthy but still deliciously satisfying.

The 95-percent-lean ground beef helps lower the fat and calories in this hearty pasta dinner. Using whole wheat ziti boosts the fiber.

Our favorite mix for the meatballs is half beef and half lamb. Plus, the warming spices in these meatballs make this soup recipe perfect for sub-zero nights. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the delicious broth.

Eggplant gives this pasta sauce a rich meatiness that complements the ground beef. Plus the eggplant allows us to use a little less beef but still have a generous and hearty serving.

These meatballs are stuffed with plenty of rice, which, as it cooks, pokes out of the meatballs, making them look like prickly little porcupines. The little meatballs are cooked in a mildly tangy tomato sauce that's a sure crowd-pleaser.

Looking for a pasta that's lower in carbohydrates? Look no further than spaghetti squash. Mix it with homemade meatballs and lower-sodium pasta sauce, and you will quickly love this healthy swap.

Do you like bacon cheeseburgers? Try this healthy meatloaf recipe packed with bacon and Cheddar cheese. It has all the flavor of a bacon cheeseburger with none of the guilt.