Ground Beef Main Dish Recipe Collection

This Recipe page contains frugal and easy-to-make Ground Beef Main Dish Recipes!

If you’re looking for easy-to-make, delicious-tasting, and inexpensive ground beef main dish recipes, you’ve come to the right page. We’ve got complete recipes, .pdf downloads, and videos to help you be successful in creating awesome meals.

But if you’re looking for some of our mouth-watering chunk beef recipes. Visit our Chunk Beef Main Dish Recipes page.

Ground Beef Main Dish Recipes on this page include:

Sloppy Joes, Meatloaf, Italian Meatballs, Italian Lasagna, Hash, Tagliarini, Pastichio (Greek Lasagna), Dolmathes (Greek Stuffed Grape Leaves), Best Ground Beef Chili

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1. Simple Sloppy Joe’s Recipe.

PRINT THE RECIPE HERE

Sloppy Joes is one of our amazing ground beef main dish recipes. This easy one-pot meal has ingredients that are simple and when combined, make a delicious dinner or lunch.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Ground Beef  (TVP can be substituted for up to 1/2 of the ground beef)
• 1 Medium or Large Onion — Diced
• 1 Cup Celery — diced
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1 Green Pepper — diced
• 1 Cup Ketchup or 1 small can of tomato paste with 1 cup water
• 2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp Salt

Sloppy Joe Directions:

• Cook onion and beef thoroughly.
• Drain fat.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until a smooth sauce appears and the veggies are tender.
• Add more water if needed.
• Serve on hamburger buns or bread.

Cook extra and freeze for use later in the month. You can also cook the beef and onion, drain the fat, and then transfer everything into your slow cooker for the rest of the day. This is a great recipe for when several family members have different dinner schedules and you want to make sure everyone gets a good meal!

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2. Comfort Food Meatloaf

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Meatloaf is one of our delicious ground beef main dish recipes. It’s a super easy meal that can be served at any time of the year. We like to use 80/20 ground beef but you could also substitute ground turkey. The 73/27 ground beef seems too fatty for this recipe and the leaner percentages of ground beef like 94/6 may require a little more seasoning as the meat won’t provide it.

 We serve this meal with a vegetable or salad and with baked potatoes, butternut squash or corn. The potatoes can be washed, individually wrapped in a piece of foil, and put in the oven with the meatloaf on the rack below it.

Ingredients for Meatloaf Recipe:

• 3 lbs. Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1 Tsp. Salt and  ½ tsp Pepper (a few shakes)
• 2 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tbs. Prepared Mustard or 2 tsp mustard powder
• 1 Tbs. Ketchup
• ½ Cup Minced Onions (or 1 onion diced fine) Minced work best for this recipe as they help bind up the loaf by absorbing moisture.
• 3 Cups Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
• 1  6oz can Olives – drained and chopped
• 1 Cup Oats
• 11 x 15 glass baking dish or large baked enamel roasting pan (rectangular or oval)

Directions for preparing the Meatloaf recipe:

• Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Place the mixed loaf into the center of a baking dish.
• Cook uncovered at 350* for 1 hour.
• Serve with ketchup or make a brown gravy.

Serves 8 to 10 people. Depending on how hungry your family is, you may have some leftovers to take for lunch!

A Smaller Meatloaf Recipe to serve 4

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1 Lg egg
• ¼ tsp salt and some shakes of pepper
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp prepared mustard or ½ tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp ketchup
• ¼ cup minced onion or 1/3 to ½ fresh onion diced fine
• 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• ½ can of olives, drained and chopped fine. This can be left out if preferred.
• 1/3 cup of oats

Serves 2 to 4 people with possible leftovers for lunch the next day

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3. Authentic Italian Meatballs

PRINT THE RECIPE HERE

Authentic Italian Meatballs is another one of our great ground beef main dish recipes. This family recipe has been handed down for at least 3 generations. These authentic Italian meatballs are delicious and easy to make. As a favorite ground beef main dish recipe, this can easily be doubled or tripled. Yields approximately 8 to 12, two-inch meatballs.

Ingredients for Authentic Italian Meatballs:

• 1 lb Ground Beef or Turkey
• 1 egg
• ¼ Cup Ground Flax Seed or oats (optional)
• 1 ½ Cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
• ½ Tsp granulated or powdered Garlic
• 1 Tbs grated Parmesan
• 1 Tsp Parsley Flakes
• ¼ to ½ Onion chopped fine

Directions for Authentic Italian Meatballs

Roll into 2-inch balls and fry in a frying pan, browning on two opposite sides. After browning, drop into a pot of simmering spaghetti sauce, for a minimum of 1 hour. This time will finish cooking the meatballs and add flavor to the sauce and the meatballs.

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4. Italian Lasagna – How to Make it Delicious

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This homemade Italian Lasagna recipe and our Authentic Italian Spaghetti Sauce recipe have been handed down in our family for 4 generations. It’s one of our awesome ground beef main dish recipes. it’s a great meal for feeding a large group of people. We’ve prepared this recipe to serve between 100 and 275 people at different functions – Eagle Court of Honors and Weddings.

It is always a big hit and can be prepared well in advance of the date you want to serve it. Annette always says that this lasagna recipe tastes much better than Stouffer’s Lasagna.

Ingredients to make a large baking dish of Lasagna to serve 20 to 25 people:

Deep dish roasting pan: at least 3 inches deep – if you use a shallower pan, the ingredients will spill over the edge of the pan and make a mess in your oven . . . unless you put it on a large cookie sheet. We’ve discovered that you can’t make the pan as full of ingredients if you try to squeeze it into a regular-sized roasting pan.

15 Lasagna Noodles: Commercial Grade (we purchase ours from Smart & Final)

Ricotta Cheese (part-skim): 5 lb tub. Using ½ tub for each layer. You could get by with two 2 lb containers – and only use 2 lbs on each layer

Mozzarella Cheese: 2 – 3 lbs shredded and divided into 3 equal portions. One portion for each of 2 layers and the final portion for the topping

Parmesan Cheese: 3 ounces of grated Parmesan cheese. One ounce for each of 2 layers with the final ounce of Parmesan used for the topping.

Spaghetti Sauce:

8 quarts. You will use approximately 4 quarts in making the lasagna and that will leave you with 4 quarts to be used as the sauce on top of the lasagna and for sopping up with garlic bread when you serve it.

Ground Beef: 2 lbs cooked with onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and divided into 1-pound containers.

Garlic Powder or Granulated Garlic: 2 TBS added to ground beef while cooking

Onion: 1 large diced small and added to ground beef while cooking

Salt: ½ tsp – add to ground beef while cooking

Pepper: ¼ tsp – add to ground beef while cooking

Plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

Watch the Video where Annette and her daughter Becky demonstrate all of the steps to make delicious homemade Italian Lasagna!

Directions for Homemade Authentic Italian Lasagna

This is a two-day process, so leave yourself plenty of time.

The day before assembling the lasagna:

Make spaghetti sauce the day before – get the recipe here. Cook ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. Cut the ground beef while cooking to break it up so you have crumbles, not chunks. Drain off the fat and discard it. Divide into 2 separate but equal containers. Save to add to the lasagna layers.

The day of making the Lasagna:

Put a 12-quart pot of water up to boil and start cooking 5 full-length lasagna noodles at a time. These will be used for the bottom layer of the lasagna. Parboil noodles for 10 minutes. You don’t want them cooked all the way or they’ll turn to mush when you cook the full pan of lasagna

1. Coat the bottom of your deep-dish roasting pan with approximately 3 ladles of spaghetti sauce.
2. Lay 5 partially cooked noodles in the bottom of the pan overlapping each noodle by about ½ inch. Trim ends to fit in the bottom without going up the sides.
3. Spread 1 pound of the meat mixture over the noodles.
4. Cover the meat mixture with a light layer of spaghetti sauce.
5. Spread 2 to 2 ½ pounds of Ricotta Cheese in large dollops over the sauce and meat layer.
6. Evenly sprinkle 1 lb of the Mozzarella cheese as the next layer.
7. Evenly sprinkle 1 ounce of Parmesan cheese onto the Mozzarella cheese

Repeat steps 2 through 7 for your second layer – you can use cut / partial-length noodles in this layer. Top the second layer of ingredients with noodles and gently press down on the noodles to even out any lumps. Spread a layer of sauce on top of the final layer of noodles. Sprinkle the last pound of Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese on top.

Baking Instructions

Bake covered with aluminum foil for 1 hour and 45 minutes at 350 degrees Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes to set up before cutting. We cut the lasagna into approximately 2-inch squares. When serving it is helpful to use a spatula and a knife or a second spatula to help get the lasagna out of the pan so the pieces don’t slide onto a plate.

Freezing Instructions

We’ve prepared lasagna and frozen it for 3 to 4 months with this storage method and it is indistinguishable from fresh-made lasagna. Cover each pan with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Years ago we learned that if you only put aluminum foil on the pan, the acidity of the spaghetti sauce would eat holes in the foil. Be sure to remove the plastic wrap before cooking.

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5. One-Dish Happy Hash

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Happy Hash is one of our easy ground beef main dish recipes. It has a family rating of 9 on a 10-point scale and rarely has any leftovers. We call it One-Dish Happy Hash, Who Hash, or Annette’s Ground Beef Hash. Whatever it’s named, you’ll call it delicious!

Ingredients for One-Dish Happy Hash:

• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 1 pound chub of Breakfast Sausage
• 5 Carrots, sliced
• 1 large Onion, diced
• 5 Potatoes, cubed
• 1 large can Cream of Mushroom Soup (26 oz)
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder or 4 cloves chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions for Ground Beef Happy Hash: 

Brown ground beef and sausage. Let cool. Mix in a roasting pan (or any pan approximately 11″ x 15″ in size) with all other ingredients. Cover with foil. Cook at 350º for 1 hour. Serves 6 to 8. This recipe is very flexible and vegetables can be increased or decreased as desired.

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6. Tagliarini Recipe

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This Tagliarini recipe is one of our favorite ground beef main dish recipes. It is a family favorite made with cheese, noodles, and ground beef. Annette prepares everything but the noodles and cheese, on our once-a-month cooking day and then freezes the meal. When she wants to cook it, she defrosts it, heats it up, adds the cooked noodles, and finally tops it with cheese as indicated below in the instructions.

Tagliarini Ingredients

• 1 to 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped, or 1 heaping tsp. of garlic powder
• 1 medium to large onion, diced
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. chili powder (or more depending on your tastes)
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 T honey
• 2 cups of water
• 1/2 lb. dry noodles (we like twirls)
• 2 cups cheese (cheddar or a combination of other cheeses your family likes)

Tagliarini Directions

Combine diced veggies with ground beef and steam to cook. Drain off the fat and scoop the meat mixture into a 9″ x 13″ (or larger) pan. Stir in spices and honey. Add tomatoes and water. Heat in 350º oven for 30 to 45 minutes. When the liquid is boiling, stir in noodles and top with cheese. Cook 30 minutes longer. It is delicious.

7. Pastitsio Recipe or Greek Lasagna

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This is a family favorite recipe that was handed down from Steve’s grandmother to his mom and then to Annette. It’s spelled two different ways: Pastitsio and Pastichio, but no matter how you spell it, it’s a unique and delicious Greek main dish that will disappear from the pan. One of the excellent ground beef main dish recipes!

Meat Mixture Ingredients

• 2 lbs Ground Beef (80/20 or 85/15 are best)
• 1 Onion Diced Fine
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Can of Tomato Paste – 3oz
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• ½ tsp. Nutmeg
• 1 lb of Pastichio Noodles. These can be found at Greek or Italian deli/markets, or even at a Middle Eastern market or restaurant.

White Sauce Ingredients (Bechamel Sauce)

• 1 Stick of Butter (4 oz) melted in a pan
• 1 Cup of White Flour
• 6 Cups of Milk
• ½ tsp Nutmeg
• 6 to 9 Large Eggs
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• ½ Cup of Grated Cheese (Parmesan, Romano, Kefalotiri or a mixture of any of the above)
• Corn Starch to thicken

Pastichio Directions:

Prepare the Meat Mixture

• Cook the ground beef with the diced onion, salt and pepper.
• Drain off the liquid (fat/grease).
• Add Tomato Paste, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg. Mix and warm up until blended. Set this aside for later.

Layer Noodles and Meat Mixture

• Cook long tubular Pastichio Noodles until just undercooked (parboiled) about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Drain, rinse, and lay half of the noodles in 11 x 15 greased baking pan.
• Lay the meat mixture on top of the noodles.
• Layer the remaining noodles on top of the meat mixture and set aside.

Prepare the White Sauce

• Melt butter in a pan and whisk in the flour until smooth.
• Slowly blend in the milk at a low temperature.
• Beat 6 eggs in a bowl and slowly add to the white sauce mixture until blended.
• Turn the heat up just above medium temperature setting to thicken for about 5 to 10 minutes. Add baking powder, nutmeg, and cheese to the mixture. Keep stirring.
• As the mixture thickens, liquefy 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with water in a separate bowl. Add liquid cornstarch to the mixture. Repeat the cornstarch step a second time if needed to thicken the mixture.

Final assembly of the Pastichio

• Pour ½ of the white sauce mixture over the meat and noodle layers.

Cooking Directions for Pastichio

• Bake at 350º for 20 minutes, then add the remaining white sauce to the top of the pan.
• Sprinkle with a small amount of grated cheese mixture.
• Cook for an additional 60 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Allow to sit for 15 minutes before cutting so that the mixture will set up.

Serves 10 to 15 people.

8. Dolmathes with Avgolemono Sauce 

PRINT THE RECIPE HERE

Greek Dolmades with Egg-Lemon Sauce

This is a recipe that’s been in Steve’s family for 3 generations. It’s one of our favorite ground beef main dish recipes!

Dolmathes Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. – Ground Beef (80/20 or 85/15)
• 1 Large Onion Diced
• 1 Cup White Rice
• Mint Leaves – Chopped (Fresh or Dry)
• ¾ cup Water
• 1 lb. Jar of Grapevine Leaves
  (these can be found in Greek, Italian, or Middle Eastern markets)
• 4 Beef Bouillon Cubes
• 4 Cups of Water

Directions for Rolled Grape Leaves – Dolmathes

Mix Ground Beef, Onion, Rice, and Mint in a large bowl. Add water until the mixture remains moist. Let the mixture sit for several hours to allow the rice to soak up the water.
Pull grape leaves from the jar and gently unroll them.
Pinch off any grape leaf stems as you prepare each leaf. Dispose of the stems.
Put a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture into the center of each leaf.
Fold over the sides and roll up the leaf until the meat is completely surrounded.

The Glass Cooking and Serving Dish

Gently place rolled grape leaves into the bottom of a glass or ceramic casserole. We use a 3-quart-sized casserole with a glass lid.
You can put torn grape leaves on the bottom of the casserole if you have any (this step is not necessary).
Arrange rolled grape leaves in neat rows and layer until the meat is used up.
You can make this recipe ahead of time and freeze for use weeks later. Or you can cook them immediately after rolling them.

Cooking Your Grape Leaves

When ready to cook, (defrost if frozen) add 4 cups of water and 4 bouillon cubes.
Place casserole on stovetop and bring to a boil.
Turn down the temperature on the stove to low and simmer for 45 minutes until thoroughly cooked.

Avgolemono Sauce Ingredients

• 6 Eggs
• 3 Cups of Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
• 3 or 4 Cups of Beef Broth
• Corn Starch

Directions for Egg Lemon Sauce – Avgolemono

Make this sauce AFTER the grape leaves have been cooked.

Beat 6 eggs in a 4-quart saucepot. Add 3 cups of lemon juice. You can use less if your family is not fond of this taste.

My original recipe from Steve’s mom called for 1 ½ cups lemon.

Because we have a Meyer lemon tree growing on our property, and our family loves this taste we use it more.

Add 3 to 4 cups of beef broth that you have ladled out of the cooked grape leaves casserole.

Heat this mixture slowly over medium heat. Use a large whisk and stir constantly while heating. As the sauce heats up it will thicken. If you stop stirring, you risk the egg solidifying (curdling) and the sauce won’t be as smooth.

When you feel the sauce start to thicken and before it comes to a boil, add the liquefied cornstarch.

Liquefy Cornstarch

You can liquefy the cornstarch by taking one tablespoon of cornstarch powder and mix it in a one-cup measuring cup with 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Stir until the powder becomes a thick liquid.

The sauce has to be made right before eating. Let guests or family spoon the sauce over the Dolmathes on their plates.

This recipe serves 8 to 10 people and will rarely have any leftovers.

If your group is larger, consider serving Greek Pastichio, Greek Chicken (Souvlaki) or Greek Shish Kabob with this.

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Best Ground Beef Chili Ever

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Annette found this Chili recipe in a popular magazine and promptly altered it to make it her own. It is a fabulous slow cooker meal, and during the Summer, can be put on a back porch or back patio to cook. As long as there are no animals that would devour a piping-hot crock!

Chili Ingredients

• Ground Beef: 2 pounds of cooked ground beef, or raw chunks of beef. If using beef chunks, the preferred cut of meat is bottom round, top round or rump roast.
• Garlic Cloves: 5-8, chopped fine
• Cooked Beans: 2 cups. These can be cooked from scratch the night before, or use 2 cans of different color beans such as white (navy or cannelloni), red (kidney), brown (pinto) or black. Black was used in this recipe.
• Salsa: 1 jar 16 oz or 2 small cans of green chiles, or fresh chili peppers. Pick whatever hotness level your household likes.
• Canned Tomatoes: 2 cans of diced or stewed tomatoes weighing approximately 15 oz or 1- 28 oz can of the same kinds of tomatoes.
• Chili Powder: 1tsp
• Ground Cumin: 2 tsp
• Oregano: 1 tsp dried
• Beef Bullion Cubes with 2 cups water
  Onion: 1 large chopped onion, which can be any color/ kind – yellow, white or red.

Chili Directions

Put all ingredients in your slow cooker. It should be at least a 4-quart size. Cook on high for 5-6 hours because the crock will be very full. You want to make sure all the flavors blend together. This recipe should easily feed 6 adults or a family of 8 with children.

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For more amazing recipes, visit Annette’s Pinterest page!