16 Budget-Friendly Ground Beef Recipes

Sloppy Joes II

"This is the recipe my mother used for Sloppy Joes, and it always gets compliments," says Tamara.

Rave Review: "I browned the ground beef, onion, and green pepper. I then put the remaining ingredients into a slow cooker and cooked on low for about 3-4 hours. This recipe was really simple & delicious."—Brandy Berner

Melinda's Porcupine Meatballs

"This is, by far, the best recipe for porcupine meatballs I have ever had," says Melinda. "This is a recipe that was given to my mom when she married back in 1970. The recipe also includes cooking directions for stovetop cooking or cooking in the oven. Hope you enjoy as much as our family does."

Rave Review: "Definitely a 5 star recipe! Easy to throw together, ingredients I always have on hand, and super tasty! Served with salad and garlic bread (a must to soak up all the yummy sauce)." —Minnesota_Girl

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

"This is a quick, throw together slow cooker soup with a Mexican flair," says Janeen. "Teenagers love it. Serve topped with corn chips, shredded Cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Make sure you adjust the amount of chile peppers if you're sensitive about spicy foods."

Rave Review: I will definitely be making this again! My husband loved it and was craving more the next day. We ate it a spoonful of sour cream and cheese on top, with tortilla chips of course. It's also very good with rolls. Makes great leftovers!
—Lesli

Easy Mexican Casserole

"This is an easy and very tasty dish," says ANDREALF63. "I often substitute ground turkey and low fat dairy products and it is still delicious! Serve with chips, salsa, and green salad."

Rave Review: "Very easy to prep with ingredients I usually have on hand. Next time I think I may use plain yogurt instead of sour cream and mix it with a little taco seasoning to up the flavor and ease up the calories a little. You could totally add a can of corn or another thing of beans as well and it would be delicious. Thanks for a keeper!" —Jaime

Debdoozie's Blue Ribbon Chili

"This is the tastiest, easiest chili recipe you'll ever find," says Deb. "I recommend serving it with sliced jalapeno chile peppers and crackers or cornbread."

Rave Review: "Even my 7-year-old ate this! I coupled it with the "Absolute Mexican Cornbread" and, needless to say, it was a keeper. I followed the recipe only substituting the dark red kidney beans for pinto beans and added a little bit of fresh jalapeños...other than that it really doesn't need any tweaking!" —Christine

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

"This is an easy tasty meatloaf," says tangastar. "It tastes as good as it smells!"

Rave Review: "This recipe was fabulous!!!! Instead of spreading the ketchup and brown sugar on the bottom of the pan I mixed them together and used it as a glaze on top of the loaf and it came out beautifully. I won't be using any other meatloaf recipe again!" —Aimee

Shepherd's Pie VI

Yes, we know this recipe should be made with lamb in order to be called "shepherd's pie," and that since it's made with ground beef, it should be called "cottage pie." That said, this is a very popular, top-rated recipe — no matter what you call it.

Rave Review: "I've made this so many times that I must give everyone my updates. First, I season the beef with whatever I have on hand (onion powder, garlic powder, seasoning salt, meat magic, etc.) I use canned veggies (drained), and then top it with instant potatoes. (I use either 4 cheese or roasted garlic!) Then I top with about 1 cup of cheese (any Cheddar mix will do.) The result is delicious AND it is sooooooo much faster!" —CLS1220

Ground Beef and Cabbage

"My mother was a country cook, plain and simple. But as I have traveled and worked and experienced foods from around the world, I look back and realize that many of the dishes she prepared, while simple, were perfect for that moment. Sometimes we have to put emotion and love in a dish to make it extra-special. The dish I am going to give you today is one like that. Simple and easy, yet full of love and goodness. My mother used to serve this with corn on the cob and cornbread. Very inexpensive and very good as well. Enjoy an Ozark memory..." —mtgraham2

Rave Review: "I found this while looking for something to do with a cabbage and ground beef I had on hand and I can't believe how delicious this came out and yet so easy to put together and, all in one pot!" —Linder007

Tatertot Casserole

"Pretty tasty stuff. I did my own thing with it though," comments Melissa Worthy. "While browning the beef I seasoned it with onion powder, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, and a smidge of salt. I chopped up one small onion, and after draining the beef I mixed the beef, cream of mushroom soup, and chopped onions together and let them simmer a bit. Then poured the mixture into a 10x10 casserole dish. I added sharp cheddar. Then put the tots on, then added triple cheddar shredded cheese on top of the tots. My family loved it including my 2 year old who typically doesn't eat beef!"

Ground Beef Curly Noodle

"An easy, quick and economical recipe that kids really like. Ground beef, noodles, corn and tomatoes make a complete meal in one skillet," says recipe creator windedmama.

Rave Review: "Good, quick, easy and made with stuff I always have in the pantry and freezer!" —Lynn1775

Taco Pie

"It's a quick, easy meal that is very filling," says recipe creator stephanie. "Some people will also top it with regular taco toppings, i.e. lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, etc. It also is great as leftovers for lunches! Serve with taco sauce."

Rave Review: "My family really enjoyed this meal! I sautéed onion and bell peppers with the meat and added a layer of black beans. I also crumbled Queso Fresco over the finished pie." —Gena Haynes Chreiteh

Simple Hamburger Stroganoff

"I've always loved the taste of a good Stroganoff, but I hated the expense and preparation of beef tips or steak or roast beef to make it. So I created my own creamy Stroganoff," says recipe creator Jessica.

Rave Review: "Easy! My husband and my boys loved it. It made enough for leftovers for two more nights ( blessing and a curse). I used farfalle noodles instead of egg noodles and added garlic salt to taste. The only thing I'll do differently next time is cook the mushrooms separately in the hamburger pan. They were a little under done because I didn't want to overcook the hamburger. Quick and easy last minute dinner...tastes delicious too!" —Antonia Frasier

Salisbury Steak

"This recipe has been in my family for years. It's easy to cook, but tastes like it took hours to make!" says recipe creator Kelly Berenger. "I usually make enough extra sauce to pour over mashed potatoes. YUM!"

Rave Review: "This was a very simple recipe that my family loved. The only change I made was to add garlic powder. I will be making this again, for sure!" —Vampy

Stuffing Meatloaf

"Fantastic if you have limited ingredients. Adjustable with seasonings if needed as well, I used turkey stuffing as that is what I had on hand, came out fine. Nice density, did not fall apart while serving as some tend to do." —Jesse Seidel-Iaquilino

Instant Pot Beef-Stuffed Peppers

"Since today's electric pressure cookers are so versatile, you can make versatile recipes in them such as these stuffed bell peppers," says recipe creator bd.weld. "Top your bell peppers with your favorite garnish, such as pico de gallo. The stuffing can also be used for taco salads as well as tacos or burritos."

Rave Review: "I have to say WOW, because this recipe was simple and delicious! I thought I'd choose this as my first ever instant pot meal and I'm so glad I did." —Zepharius Lowell

Ground Beef Casserole with Brown Rice

Ready in 30 minutes, this simple recipe features Healthy brown rice and ground beef combine with peas, condensed cream of celery soup, milk, a little soy sauce, and garlic, topped off with Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese. "My mother used to make this ground beef casserole for my brother and I when we were kids," says BIFAERIE79. "Very filling. Takes well to additions and alterations."

More Ground Beef Recipe Ideas

• Browse All Ground Beef Recipes