18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (2024)

  • Ground Beef
  • The Latest

They're as versatile as they are global.

By

Mimi Young

18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (1)

Mimi Young

Editor

Mimi Young is an editor and chef.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Published January 09, 2024

Trending Videos

18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (2)

Even as a culinary professional, I get stumped sometimes staring at the ground beef in the butcher's case. Sure, it's on special, but what the heck do I want to do with it? Do I go with the tried and true burger or meatloaf? Maybe something I've never tried making at home before, like Jamaican beef patties? I know I'm not alone in my quandary.

We've delved into our vast Serious Eats library to come up with a collection of recipes to inspire you to rethink how to cook your favorites or try cooking something new—such as Cincinnati chili, grilled Korean-style bulgogi burgers, skillet tamale pie, seekh kebabs, and Cuban picadillo. Whatever the mood or occasion, there is a perfect ground beef recipe for you.

  • Pressure Cooker Ground Beef and Bean Chili

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (3)

    Classic beef-and-bean chili done right normally requires plenty of time to simmer to fully tenderize the meat—not ideal for the impatient cook. But Daniel's pressure cooker method reduces the cooking time considerably without compromising on flavor, and is bolstered with a little coffee, dark chocolate, and fish sauce to add subtle toasty and savory notes.

    Pressure Cooker Ground Beef and Bean Chili

  • Cincinnati Chili

    Cincinnati chili may seem idiosyncratic in the pantheon of American chilis, but there is much to love about this dish of spiced meaty chili piled on a bed of tender spaghetti and topped with diced onion and a mound of shredded cheddar. Jed's version includes a little dry active yeast to replicate the famed Skyline Chili signature seasoning.

    Cincinnati Chili

  • Classic Meatloaf (The Food Lab)

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (5)

    Leave it to Kenji to improve on an American classic, coming up with a version that's deeply moist and meaty with a firm tender texture that holds its shape so each slice stays intact. It's perfect as is served up with a side of ultra-fluffy mashed potatoes, or layered in a sandwich.

    Classic Meatloaf (The Food Lab)

  • Grilled Korean-Style Bulgogi Burgers With Kimchi Mayo and Pickled Daikon

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (6)

    Bold flavors of Korean bulgogi married with proper burger grilling technique equals the best kind of fusion cooking. Layering in colorful crunchy vegetables and piquant kimchi mayo turns this burger into a visual feast.

    Grilled Korean-Style Bulgogi Burgers With Kimchi Mayo and Pickled

    Continue to 5 of 18 below.

  • Curried Jamaican Beef Patties

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (7)

    These brightly hued flaky pastries—loaded with deeply seasoned ground beef, onions, garlic, and Scotch bonnet peppers—are ubiquitous throughout Jamaica. They're found in ramshackle roadside stands, neighborhood restaurants, and even resorts. One bite can magically transport you to a warm sunny beach!

    Curried Jamaican Beef Patties

  • Cuban Picadillo

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (8)

    This easy-to-make Cuban comfort food classic is deceptively simple but big on flavor. The layers of flavor begin with a sofrito and finish with briny green olives, capers, and raisins that add brightness and texture. Serve it with white rice and black beans.

    Cuban Picadillo

  • Easy Skillet Tamale Pie With Cornbread Crust

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (9)

    Although it's hard to say whether this savory skillet pie of beef chili topped with a buttery, tender, crisp-edged cornbread crust was actually inspired by the Mexican tamale, it's definitely part of the great lexicon of Americanized dishes. Browned butter gives the cornbread a rich, nutty aroma.

    Easy Skillet Tamale Pie With Cornbread Crust

  • Salisbury Steak With Mushroom Brown Gravy

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (10)

    Like Daniel, Salisbury steak was one of my favorite TV dinners as a kid (and the only school cafeteria offering I actually wanted to eat). His rendition features a juicy and tender steak-like patty smothered in a rich mushroom gravy accentuated with sweet, complex onion flavor.

    Salisbury Steak With Mushroom Brown Gravy

  • American Chop Suey (Macaroni, Beef, and Cheese Skillet Casserole)

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (11)

    Despite its origins, calling this "choy suey" is perhaps a bit of a misnomer. Nevertheless, you can't argue that the combination of tender macaroni, tomato sauce, and ground beef (seasoned with Worcestershire sauce) baked with lots of melty pockets of mozzarella cheese isn't deeply satisfying. This one-skillet wonder is almost as easy as cracking open a box of Beefaroni mix.

    American Chop Suey (Macaroni, Beef, and Cheese Skillet Casserole)

  • Tater Tot Casserole (Hotdish)

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (12)

    Ever-present throughout the Midwest, "hotdish" is an entire meal baked in a casserole—consisting of meat, vegetables, a starch, and sauce. Golden, crispy tater tots reign supreme as the preferred starch, while ground beef is the traditional meat of choice. Sohla swaps out condensed canned soup in favor of a creamy from-scratch sauce made with roasted mushrooms.

    Tater Tot Casserole (Hotdish)

  • Classic, Savory Shepherd's Pie

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (13)

    Daniel's take on the British shepherd's pie starts with a glorious layer of ultra-rich mashed potatoes loaded with butter blanketing a savory, meaty ragù-like sauce studded with peas and carrots. While it's traditionally made with ground lamb, ground beef is a popular substitute—particularly for those who don't like the flavor of lamb.

    Classic, Savory Shepherd's Pie

  • Kotlet (Persian Ground Meat and Potato Patties)

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (14)

    Popular throughout Iran and the Persian diaspora, these ground meat and potato patties are incredibly versatile and easy to make. Serve them hot or cold, as a main dish, side, snack, or even a sandwich filling.

    Kotlet (Persian Ground Meat and Potato Patties)

    Continue to 13 of 18 below.

  • Seekh Kebabs (Pakistani Spicy Grilled Ground Meat Skewers)

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (15)

    Getting the right flavor profile is certainly key to making what Kenji calls the "meat-on-a-stick of your dreams." The other is properly salting, chilling, and grilling the meat to achieve seekh kebab nirvana.

    Seekh Kebabs (Pakistani Spicy Grilled Ground Meat Skewers)

  • Hoisin-Glazed co*cktail Meatballs

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (16)

    These sticky, tangy bite-sized morsels are much cooler than the toothpick-skewered co*cktail meatballs they served in the 60's. Paired with an irresistible dipping sauce, they're the ideal snack to munch on while sipping an ice-cold martini...shaken or stirred.

    Hoisin-Glazed co*cktail Meatballs

  • Moroccan Kefta and Bell Pepper Briouats (Ground Meat and Bell Pepper Pastries)

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (17)

    These triangular-shaped pastries filled with ground beef, caramelized onion, and bell pepper and flavored with garlic, sweet paprika, cumin, and coriander make for an excellent finger food or starter. Although they're traditionally made with a Moroccan pastry called warqua, the more readily available phyllo is a fine substitute.

    Moroccan Kefta and Bell Pepper Briouats (Ground Meat and Bell Pepper Pastries)

  • Cheesy Stuffed Mexican Peppers With Red Chile Sauce

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (18)

    These Tex-Mex-style stuffed peppers are filled with a creamy mixture of ground beef and rice bound in two kinds of cheese and sour cream, and spiked with chile powder and cumin. It's topped with a luscious sauce flavored with ancho chile, unsweetened cocoa, cumin, and Mexican oregano.

    Cheesy Stuffed Mexican Peppers With Red Chile Sauce

    Continue to 17 of 18 below.

  • Brown Rice Congee With Beef, Shiitake, and Garlic Chips

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (19)

    Rice porridge is a classic breakfast staple throughout Asia, and brown rice turns this "blank canvas" into a heartier, healthier base for a variety of accompaniments—such as marinated ground beef, dried shiitake mushrooms, and garlic chips. Reducing the water-to-rice ratio ensures that the brown rice congee will be just as creamy and silky as the white rice version.

    Brown Rice Congee With Beef, Shiitake, and Garlic Chips

  • Basic Ragù Bolognese

    18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (20)

    Ragù bologneseis a foundational component for several classic pasta dishes, including lasagna alla bolognese. We suggest making a batch and stashing it in your freezer.

    Basic Ragù Bolognese

18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary (2024)

FAQs

18 Ground Beef Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary? ›

For More Tender Ground Meat, Grind It After Cooking Too

And it's easy enough to get: Just cook your meat with seasonings as you usually would, then cool the mixture and transfer it to a food processor. Pulse it together to your desired consistency and you'll have a much more tender and hom*ogenous filling.

What is the secret to best ground beef? ›

For More Tender Ground Meat, Grind It After Cooking Too

And it's easy enough to get: Just cook your meat with seasonings as you usually would, then cool the mixture and transfer it to a food processor. Pulse it together to your desired consistency and you'll have a much more tender and hom*ogenous filling.

What meals can be made from ground beef and rice? ›

Mexican Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
  • Mexican Ground Beef and Rice Casserole.
  • Shepherd's Pie.
  • One-Skillet Enchilada Ground Beef Casserole.
  • 30 Minute Skillet Beef Pot Pie.
  • Cheesy Enchilada Chili.
  • Taco Pinwheels.
  • World's Best Chili (Made in an Instant Pot!)
  • Instant Pot Taco Soup.
Feb 26, 2024

How many meals can a pound of ground beef make? ›

One pound of ground beef can go a long way if you're cooking for one. In fact, we can get at least four single serving meals out of just one pound.

What makes ground beef better? ›

I always advise using cuts of beef that get the most amount of work from the cow, as this will render beefier-tasting meat, along with cuts that have a good amount of fat to add flavor. If you're willing to make it, I promise you, this will be the best ground beef you've ever tasted.

What does adding vinegar to ground beef do? ›

Acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt and wine weaken collagen and protein in meat. Once the proteins are broken by acid, one loose protein can bond with another and trap liquid in the meat, making it juicy and tender.

Why do you add baking soda to ground beef? ›

However, by gently tossing a baking soda solution with the meat (about ¾ teaspoon baking soda to 2 tablespoons water for 2lbs of grind) and letting sit for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking, beef loses less liquid, browns faster and tastes better.

How to brown 10 lbs of ground beef? ›

You add the cold ground beef to a hot cast iron skillet with a little vegetable oil, break it into a few large pieces with a spatula, and then leave it alone for four to five minutes so it can brown.

What is so special about Smash burgers? ›

A smash burger is a burger that is made by smashing the ground beef onto the grill or griddle with a spatula. Smashing the burger results in a sear on the outside of the meat, which locks in all of the juices and flavor.

How much ground beef for 20 burgers? ›

Burgers
  1. 10 burgers = 40 to 60 ounces = 2½ to 3¾ pounds ground beef.
  2. 15 burgers = 60 to 90 ounces = 3¾ to 5⅔ pounds ground beef.
  3. 20 burgers = 80 to 120 ounces = 5 to 7½ pounds ground beef.
  4. 25 burgers = 100 to 150 ounces = 6¼ to 9⅓ pounds ground beef.
4 days ago

What to add to ground beef for flavor? ›

ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons oregano.
  2. 1 tablespoon chili powder.
  3. 1 teaspoon cumin.
  4. 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
  5. 2 teaspoons onion powder.
  6. 12 teaspoon salt.
  7. 1 lb ground beef.
  8. 12 cup water.

What to add to hamburger meat for flavor? ›

Mixing salt, pepper and any other seasonings right into your ground beef is one way to season them. This method has the advantage of distributing the flavors throughout the meat, and it's the only realistic way to get add-ins like minced onion or herbs into the mix.

What is the best tasting ground beef? ›

80% lean ground chuck (shoulder) will be the juiciest and most flavorful. It's also the grind I recommend for making burgers for the grill. It has the perfect fat-to-meat ratio. These burgers will still be juicy when grilled to the recommended internal temperature of 160 degrees.

What can I add to ground beef to keep it moist? ›

How do I cook ground beef without drying it out? Use olive oil first to sauté the onion and garlic. Then add the meat and cook it until it's no longer pink. It takes a keen eye here but once that last pink is gone, take it from the pan immediately and it won't dry out.

What makes the best tasting beef? ›

Angus Cattle

These days, the top percentage of Angus beef is favored by high-end restaurants and meat distributors because of its consistently outstanding quality.

What are 3 tips for buying beef? ›

3 Tips to Keep in Mind When Shopping for Meat
  • Check for freshness. The first tip here is probably the most obvious but also probably the most helpful: Check the pack date on the label. ...
  • Know your labels. Meat labels can be confusing. ...
  • Ask the butcher.
Feb 2, 2022

What makes beef taste better? ›

Diet is one of the most influential factors that impacts beef flavor and aroma. This is because the dietary nutrients cattle consume directly impact the fatty acid profile and nutrient profile of their fat. One of the most-common mantras in the meat industry is that fat is flavor.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Carmelo Roob

Last Updated:

Views: 6432

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Carmelo Roob

Birthday: 1995-01-09

Address: Apt. 915 481 Sipes Cliff, New Gonzalobury, CO 80176

Phone: +6773780339780

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Gaming, Jogging, Rugby, Video gaming, Handball, Ice skating, Web surfing

Introduction: My name is Carmelo Roob, I am a modern, handsome, delightful, comfortable, attractive, vast, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.