20 Easy Ground Beef Meal Prep Recipes for Busy Weeknights

Low lift, high protein

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The Modern Proper

If you're like me, ground beef has saved dinner countless times. I always have a pound of meat in my fridge or freezer to use in a pinch when I'm feeling uninspired (or lazy). Whether I'm craving burgers, meatballs or slow cooker soup, it never hurts to have the protein on hand. With a little forethought though, you can make dinner *ahead* with the help of this meaty main.

Below, you'll find 20 easy ground beef meal prep recipes that can be fully or partially prepared in advance. In some cases, that means letting the Crockpot work its magic while you catch up on chores for a few hours. In others, it means assembling a party-sized batch of soup or freezer-friendly casserole to serve a crowd when the occasion strikes. A few of my favorites include shepherd’s pie, chipotle cocoa three-bean chili and ground beef with potatoes. Read on for a bounty of tasty ideas.

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1. Slow Cooker Bolognese

  • Time Commitment: 6 hours and 45 minutes
  • Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, high protein, make ahead
  • Serves: 4

"This recipe is a set-it-and-forget-it number that tastes rich and hearty without much effort on your end," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen writes. The stick-to-your-ribs meat sauce essentially cooks itself in the handy Crockpot, so you can focus your energy elsewhere before dinner. Pair it with pappardelle or another long noodle.

2. Swedish Meatballs

  • Time Commitment: 40 minutes
  • Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, high protein
  • Serves: 6

Fun fact: Meatballs freeze like a charm. This ground beef meal prep recipe can be made mostly ahead if you form the meatballs in advance and keep them on hand for whenever a hankering for IKEA strikes. Might I suggest serving them over make-ahead mashed potatoes?

3. Chipotle Cocoa Three-Bean Chili

  • Time Commitment: 50 minutes
  • Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, high fiber
  • Serves: 6 to 8

This chili recipe is vegetarian as is, but it could certainly accommodate a pound of ground beef. The mix of smoky chipotles and paprika, bold cocoa powder and brown sugar make for an impeccably balanced base. “I always put out a variety of toppings so my guests can customize to their liking,” recipe creator Shelly Westerhausen Worcel adds.

4. Mini Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
  • Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
  • Serves: 4

As far as ground beef meal prep recipes go, meatloaf wears the crown. It's easy to mold and store in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to cook it. And in this case, bacon adds an extra layer of crispy, fatty, savory splendor to every bite (not to mention a tangy mixture of ketchup, Dijon and vinegar).

5. Classic Stuffed Peppers

  • Time Commitment: 40 minutes
  • Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, gluten free
  • Serves: 6

This nostalgic dinner is easier than ever, thanks to store-bought marinara sauce, leftover rice and pantry staples. Assemble this ground beef meal prep recipe completely (down to the gooey cheese crown), then keep it chilled until you're ready to bake and dig in.

6. Shepherd’s Pie

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
  • Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein
  • Serves: 6

There's no need to wait for St. Patrick's Day to indulge in this twist on an Irish classic. Teeming with robust, Guinness-infused ground beef stew and topped with goat cheese mashed potatoes, this party main is a delicious departure from the pub standard.

7. Baked Coconut-Curry Meatballs

  • Time Commitment: 45 minutes
  • Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special occasion-worthy
  • Serves: 6

"Lamb curry is something you might not think to make at home, but transforming the dish into a quick-cooking meatball curry makes it approachable any night of the week," recipe creator Tieghan Gerard writes. Of course, the recipe can be made with ground lamb or beef (or perhaps a mix of both).

8. Slow Cooker Deep-Dish Pizza

  • Time Commitment: 4 hours and 25 minutes
  • Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
  • Serves: 4

Slow cooker recipes are a home chef's BFF when it comes to making dinner ahead of time. This layered masterpiece is a prime example, as it's layered with marinara, mozzarella, fresh produce and savory ground meat (Italian sausage or beef are both fair game). Even picky eaters will be up for the task.

9. Lasagna Soup

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour
  • Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, high protein
  • Serves: 8

One of the best approaches for easy ground beef meal prep? Throw the meat in a soup that you can reheat (or freeze) for the long haul. Here, lasagna noodles are simmered with fresh veggies, crushed tomatoes, spinach and your choice of ground beef, pork or Italian sausage. The ricotta, mozz and Parm merely gild the lily.

10. One-Pan Spaghetti and Meatballs

  • Time Commitment: 30 minutes
  • Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, kid-friendly
  • Serves: 8

For similar vibes in a more nostalgic package, there's this timeless dinner staple (which leaves you with minimal dirty dishes). To make it ahead, form the meatballs in advance and keep them in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to serve. Then, prepare the pasta and pan-fry the meatballs to tender perfection.

11. Beef Empanadas

  • Time Commitment: 2 hours
  • Why I Love It: make ahead, high protein, dairy free
  • Serves: 24 empanadas

Party coming up? It couldn't hurt to have a batch of these in the freezer ready to bake (or fry, if you're feeling ambitious). The filling is zesty and slightly spicy, thanks to taco seasoning and seeded fresh jalapeño. As for the wrapper, your guests will have no idea it's store-bought pie dough.

12. The Ultimate ‘Sweet Laurel’ Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

  • Time Commitment: 55 minutes
  • Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, high protein
  • Serves: 4

Am I the only one who instantly craves a cheeseburger when I think of ground beef? In case you're like me, consider this burger recipe for the books. The sweet spuds are homemade and kissed with Italian seasoning and cayenne, while the burgers are piled high with all the essentials. Season and form the patties in advance, along with the fries.

13. Polenta and Meatballs

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
  • Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly
  • Serves: 4

All the savory simplicity of spaghetti—in an unexpected, fancier package. Prepare the meatballs in advance (you can even douse them in sauce ahead of time), and all you'll have to do before dinner is prepare the polenta. Save even more time by using instant polenta.

14. White Turkey Chili with Avocado

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour
  • Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, high protein
  • Serves: 8

Sub ground beef for ground turkey, and you're in business. The rest of the tweaks—like trading kidney beans and canned tomatoes for white beans, corn and avocado—are already decided for you. Finish your bowl with pickled onions (or jalapeños, if you like spice) and a dollop of sour cream.

15. Ravioli Lasagna

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
  • Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
  • Serves: 8

If you love eating lasagna but find preparing lasagna to be a bit tedious, turn to this fun alternative. In place of noodles are ravioli (stuffed with whatever filling you'd like), which get layered with ground beef, herby marinara, ricotta, mozzarella and fresh basil for good measure. FYI, this freezer casserole will become a weeknight staple at first bite.

16. Hamburger Soup

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour
  • Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
  • Serves: 6

This crowd-pleasing soup recipe is one of the easiest ground beef meal prep ideas out there. Beef meets carrots, celery, tomatoes, potatoes, corn and green beans for a produce-packed soup that tastes like childhood. I wouldn't blame you for topping your bowl with some shredded cheddar to up the burger-like ante.

17. Ground Beef & Potatoes

  • Time Commitment: 55 minutes
  • Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
  • Serves: 6

This remarkably simple dish is peak cozy. Think rich ground beef, tender russets, sharp cheddar, scallions and a flurry of flavor-packed pantry staples (looking at you, Worcestershire). Serve it with dinner rolls, biscuits, rice or noodles with plenty of sour cream and hot sauce.

18. Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

  • Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
  • Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, slow cooker recipe
  • Serves: 6

This is one edible throwback that everyone can get behind, especially when the Crockpot basically cooks it for you. I'm betting you have nearly everything you need to prepare the dish too, from the garlic powder to the tomato sauce. Serve it with sesame seed buns and coleslaw.

19. Cheeseburger Casserole

  • Time Commitment: 30 minutes
  • Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, one pot
  • Serves: 5

Behold: homemade Hamburger Helper. It has all the staple components (like macaroni and ground beef), as well as a few rustic flourishes (like carrot, onion, corn and sriracha). Even so, this ground beef meal prep recipe can be whipped up and frozen for a busy future weeknight with ease.

20. Italian Wedding Soup

  • Time Commitment: 50 minutes
  • Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
  • Serves: 6

In this take on Italian wedding soup, the teeny-tiny meatballs are made with a mix of beef and pork, along with Parmesan, fresh parsley and breadcrumbs. Make a double (or triple) batch to store in your freezer for chilly nights that call for a hug in a bowl.


taryn pire 3

Taryn Pire

Food Editor

  • Spearheads PureWow's food vertical
  • Manages PureWow's recipe vertical and newsletter
  • Studied English and writing at Ithaca College