85 Budget-Friendly Ground Beef Recipes That Will Never Let You Down

There’s a good reason why the Taco Bell grilled cheese burrito has inspired a cult following. Stuffed with Spanish rice, crunchy tortilla chips, seasoned beef, sour cream, nacho cheese, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla, and fried in more cheese, this burrito is missing nothing. And now you can make it at home.

Get the Copycat Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burritos recipe.

If you love our taco lasagna, then get ready to meet a new staple in your weeknight dinner rotation: this cheesy taco bake. Instead of using tortillas, like we do in our lasagnchiladas, we're layering seasoned ground beef, cheese, and tomato-sour cream mixture on top of tortilla chips for added texture.

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This is not only the perfect copycat recipe, it's a perfect chili recipe, and we have Dave and Wendy to thank for the inspiration! We kept this recipe as close to the original as possible and you can tell in the results.

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Meatballs are one of my favorite weeknight dinner categories for their ease and endless adaptations. They’re simple to make and, if done well, can be so flavorful. Plus, they also make for a great meal prepping for the week. The only annoying thing about them? Forming each individual meatball, over and over again. Enter: these jumbo-sized meatballs.

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This hearty Tex-Mex taco lasagna hits so many of the classic casserole notes: Cheesy? ✔️ Perfect for a crowd? ✔️ Flavor for days? ✔️ Great (greatest?) way to stretch a pound of ground beef? ✔️ The list goes on and on.

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This dish is exactly what it sounds like. Everything you’d usually find between the noodle layers in lasagna—saucy beef Bolognese and herby ricotta—rolled into flour tortillas and topped with more Bolognese, mozzarella, and Parmesan, then baked until bubbly and perfect.

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A classic nostalgic comfort dish, goulash is the hearty weeknight dinner we'll always crave. The best thing about it? Everything cooks together in one pot—even the pasta!

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Sure, this Midwestern classic is ideal for the kiddos, but trust—your inner child will be scooping seconds too. If you love a dinner shortcut (hello, canned cream of mushroom soup!) spiked with a little semi-homemade love, then this crispy-potato topped beauty is a must.

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I decided to recreate all the warmth, heartiness, and flavor of meatball subs in a simple one-pot pasta dish. The resutl? This meatball Parm orzo has all the makings of your favorite go-to weeknight meal. It only uses one pot and involves barely any chopping, and it's certainly a crowd-pleaser.

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I love cabbage in any form, but these baked cabbage burgers are something extra special. Roasted cabbage steaks are topped with melty cheeseburgers and a smattering of all your favorite burger condiments for a cozy wintertime take on this summer backyard staple.

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Quesadillas are a classic late-night snack or easy dinner, but when we need to serve a crowd, we bring out the sheet pan. This hack makes cooking quesadillas for a crowd easier than ever. In just around an hour, you'll have a cheesy, crowd-pleasing meal that is sure to satisfy.

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In this recipe, gnocchi gets the taco treatment for a simple weeknight meal. Along with some ground beef, black beans, and plenty of cheddar cheese, it’s a fun twist on the potato-based pasta.

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Bell peppers are strong enough to hold their shape in the oven, and the flavor is subtle enough to go well with just about anything. This is our favorite recipe, but the customization options are endless—check out all our stuffed pepper recipes here too.

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Here is the ultimate comfort food hybrid with a crispy, juicy, thin beef patty, melty American cheese, and all the classic smash burger fixings loaded onto a toasted flour tortilla. You’ll never have to choose between burger night or taco night again!

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Craving a juicy cheeseburger but not the mandatory nap that comes with it? This cheesy, saucy, veggie-packed burger bowl is your solution. These bowls are just as versatile as an actual burger, so have fun with your preferred toppings too.

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We love stir-frying for countless cheap and easy dinners, but especially in this recipe that combines ground beef with broccoli, carrots, and teriyaki sauce. Best part? Ground beef means no slicing or dicing the meat; just go from the package directly to the pan and get cooking.

Get the Ground Beef Stir-Fry Teriyaki Bowls recipe.

While many chili recipes call for simmering for at least an hour, our best-ever beef chili can be made in just 40 minutes. If you’re looking for the most classic version to come home to after a long day, then this is the recipe for you.

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These meatballs are juicy, tender, and glazed to perfection in a sauce made with sweet pineapple chunks. You can serve this as a quick and easy dinner, or stick a toothpick in each meatball for a crowd-pleasing make-ahead appetizer.

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It can be hard to replicate the perfection of a restaurant-quality burger, but this casserole captures the same magic in the form of an easy weeknight dinner. Bonus: no flipping patties over a hot grill!

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Classic stuffed peppers are one of our readers’ all-time favorites, and we thought we'd done them every possible way...until now. Here, we swap the bell peppers for poblanos and update the typical stuffing by using fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle chiles, and spices.

Get the Beef & Rice Stuffed Poblano Peppers recipe.