Ground beef is one of those ingredients with endless possibilities. Whether it’s the star of the show or part of a rich background, ground beef adds a rich flavor to tacos, empanadas, burgers, meatloaf, and so much more. It’s a core ingredient in many different countries, allowing you to expand your cultural culinary experience further. The recipes below offer various ways to use ground beef in recipes for lunch or dinner (or even breakfast, we won’t judge you having a burger at 9 a.m.!) So venture outside of your average cheeseburger and see what deliciousness ground beef can help make.
Ground Beef Recipes for Burgers and Beyond
Great Gourmet Burger
The ultimate burger uses four meats instead of just basic ground beef. This Great Gourmet Burger is a mash up of ground beef, bacon, ground turkey, and ground pork. The end product is a juicy patty that’s full of flavor and is only better with your favorite toppings.
Animal Burgh’er
You’re probably used to finding many varieties of cheese on top of burgers but what about cream cheese? This Animal Burgh’er is much like the deep-fried goodness of a jalapeño popper. It’s full of thick slices of cream cheese, wheels of jalapeños, fresh basil, and of course tomato slices alongside raw onion.
Balkan Burger with Roasted Pepper Relish
While you have the choice to use lamb in this recipe, ground beef is a way to admire the tastes working alongside the meat such as the gooey feta cheese inside the patty and the spices that bring a bit of heat with each bite. It also gives you a chance to flourish in the homemade roasted pepper relish. Try adding it to your Balkan Burger for an extra punch of warmth and comfort.
Hawaiian Burger
Let’s just be honest, have you ever seen a more perfect looking burger? This Hawaiian Burger substitutes the usual pineapple ring for a pineapple-onion jelly. To contrast this sweetness we add on a mayo-barbeque spread and crispy bacon. There’s nothing better than a stacked burger that you have to unhinge your jaw to get a bite of.
Recipes Beyond the Burgers
Even though ground beef and burgers go hand in hand, there are plenty of other recipes you can make with ground beef instead.
Best Sloppy Joe Hand Pies
So while this recipe is sort of burger-adjacent, these no-mess hand pies make enjoying a sloppy joe a whole lot easier. Each bite contains a mix of flaky dough, savory ground beef, peppers, onions, and carrots. You can even include a dipping sauce tray so everyone can get creative with their dinner.
Picadillo
This Latin American dish cooks up ground beef with minced vegetables, apple slices, raisins, almonds, and seasonings. Our Picadillo is a warm and savory dish that you can serve over rice, dip chips into, or enjoy all on its own.
New Year Turcos
Move over empanadas, Turcos play with the balance of sweet and savory flavors in a similar blanket of dough. Hailing from Sephardic Jews of Mexico, these bundles wrap up ground beef, apples, almonds, and onion with a blend of winter seasonings like anise, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Bobotie with a Twist
Over in South Africa, Bobotie is a spiced ground meat dish in a savory custard. Our twist to this usual recipe is the inclusion of ground ostrich alongside the ground beef. But don’t worry, if you don’t have ostrich on hand you can use all ground beef instead. We recommend serving it alongside rice and chile jam to compliment the beef.
The Best Wendy’s Copycat Chili Recipe
There’s nothing quite like diving into a bowl of chili on a cold day. Instead of spending your extra dollars at Wendy’s, you can make this Copycat Chili Recipe that uses beef and beans at home. Try dressing the finished product up with cheese, sour cream, or hot sauce and serve with crackers or bread.
Story by Kylie Thomas
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