25 quick ground beef recipes
A pound of ground beef is one of the most useful things in the fridge. It browns in minutes and turns into tacos, burgers, bowls, chili and pasta sauce. Every recipe here is done in 20 minutes or less.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
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1. Classic smash burgers
Two thin smashed patties per burger with crisp, lacy edges, melted American cheese, pickles, onion and a tangy burger sauce on soft potato buns.
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2. Classic ground beef tacos
Tuesday-night hard-shell tacos with saucy beef in a homemade taco seasoning, loaded with lettuce, tomato, cheddar and sour cream.
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3. Sloppy joes
Saucy ground beef simmered with onion and bell pepper in a sweet-tangy sauce of tomato, ketchup and Worcestershire, spooned onto toasted buns.
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4. Copycat Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme
Our take on the Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme: spiced beef, cheese sauce and a crunchy tostada sealed in a toasted tortilla. Crisp, melty and quick.
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5. Spaghetti with meat sauce
Weeknight spaghetti with a rich ground beef and tomato sauce, boosted with tomato paste, garlic and oregano. A family favorite on the table in 20 minutes.
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6. Copycat Big Mac burgers
Our take on the Big Mac: two thin smashed patties, melty cheese, pickles and a tangy pink burger sauce on a sesame bun. Ready in under 20 minutes.
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7. Cheeseburger sliders
Twelve mini smashed cheeseburgers with melty American cheese, pickles and a tangy burger sauce, stacked into a slab of toasted Hawaiian rolls.
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8. Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Two crisp tortillas sandwiching spiced beef and refried beans, topped with red sauce, melted cheese and tomato. Our quick take on the Mexican Pizza.
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9. Classic grilled cheeseburgers
Thick, juicy backyard burgers grilled over direct heat with melted cheddar, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, onion and pickles on toasted buns.
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10. Copycat Wendy's chili
A thick beef and two-bean chili with tomato, onion, celery and green bell pepper, gently spiced and topped with cheddar. Our speedy take on Wendy's chili.
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11. Korean beef bulgogi bowls
Ground beef caramelized in a sweet soy, garlic and sesame bulgogi sauce, piled over rice with crunchy cucumber, carrot and kimchi.
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12. Walking tacos
Seasoned taco beef spooned straight into single-serve bags of corn chips and loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and salsa. Eat it from the bag.
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13. Beef and bean burritos
Big flour tortillas packed with spiced ground beef, refried beans and cheddar, folded tight and seared until crisp. Add microwave rice if you like.
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14. Smash burger tacos
Thin beef patties smashed right onto flour tortillas and seared crisp, with melted American cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles and burger sauce.
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15. Beef gyros
Quick homemade gyro meat: garlicky, oregano-spiced ground beef pressed thin, seared crisp and sliced into warm pitas with cool tzatziki, tomato and onion.
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16. One-pot cheeseburger macaroni
Ground beef and macaroni cooked together in one pot in a tangy tomato and mustard sauce, melted with cheddar and topped with pickles. Tastes like a cheeseburger.
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17. Patty melts
Thin beef patties with quick golden onions and melted Swiss, griddled in buttered rye until crisp. The diner favorite, ready in 20 minutes.
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18. Copycat Burger King Whopper
A wide, flame-grilled beef patty on a toasted sesame bun with mayo, ketchup, pickles, onion, tomato and lettuce. Our take on the Whopper, in 16 minutes.
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19. Mushroom Swiss burgers
Juicy beef burgers piled with garlicky, buttery sautéed mushrooms and melted Swiss cheese on toasted buns. A diner classic at home.
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20. Copycat In-N-Out Double-Double
Our take on the In-N-Out Double-Double: two thin mustard-seared patties, melty American cheese, grilled onions and a tangy spread. Ready in 20 minutes.
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21. Copycat Taco Bell Cheesy Gordita Crunch
Soft flatbreads glued with melted cheese around crunchy beef tacos, spicy ranch, lettuce and cheddar. Our take on the Taco Bell Cheesy Gordita Crunch.
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22. Chili cheese dogs
Seared franks smothered in a quick, rich ground beef chili sauce, piled with melting cheddar and chopped onion. Messy, hearty and ready in 20.
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23. Juicy Lucy burgers
Minneapolis-style cheese-stuffed burgers: two thin beef patties sealed around American cheese, cooked through until the center is molten.
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24. Copycat Subway Meatball Marinara
Our take on the Meatball Marinara: small garlicky beef meatballs simmered in oregano tomato sauce, in toasted rolls under melted mozzarella. Done in 20 minutes.
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25. Camp stove chili mac
One pot of beefy chili mac on the camp stove: the macaroni cooks right in the spiced tomato broth, then gets a big handful of melted cheddar.
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For the best flavor, get the pan properly hot and leave the beef alone for a couple of minutes before breaking it up, so it browns instead of steaming. Ground beef is safe at 160°F.
Common questions
What fat percentage of ground beef should I buy?
80/20 or 85/15 gives the best flavor for burgers and tacos. For sauces and bowls, 90/10 works well and needs less draining.
Can I swap ground turkey or chicken?
Yes, in most of these recipes. Add a little extra oil and seasoning, since leaner meat has less fat and flavor.