Ground beef is a kitchen staple in my house. It’s affordable versatile and my family loves it. But when I buy 2 pounds at a time, I sometimes wonder – what should I make with all this ground beef?
Luckily, 2 pounds of ground beef can be stretched into a variety of easy delicious meals. Here are 15 of my favorite recipes to try when you have 2 pounds of ground beef on hand.
1. Burgers
2 pounds of ground beef is perfect for making 8 quarter-pound burgers. Shape the beef into patties, season them how you like, and grill or pan fry until cooked through. Serve the juicy burgers on buns with your favorite toppings like cheese, lettuce, tomato, and condiments. Having a cookout? Burgers are always a hit!
2. Meatballs
Turn 2 pounds of ground beef into around 30-40 meatballs. Mix the beef with breadcrumbs, egg, and seasonings, shape into balls, and bake or simmer in your favorite sauce. Meatballs are very versatile – serve them over spaghetti, in soup, or even in slider sandwiches. The options are endless!
3. Lasagna
With its layers of tender noodles, meaty sauce, and gooey cheese, lasagna is a perfect way to use 2 pounds of beef. Brown the ground beef along with aromatics, herbs, and red wine to make a rich Bolognese sauce. Assemble the lasagna with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan for a hearty baked pasta dish.
4. Chili
A big batch of meaty chili is a winner. Cook the ground beef with onions, garlic, peppers, chili powder, cumin, beans, and beer or broth. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and scallions. Chili also freezes very well, so enjoy some now and save the rest for later.
5. Tacos
Spice up taco night with 2 pounds of seasoned ground beef. Serve it in tortillas or taco shells with all the fixings – lettuce, tomato, salsa, guacamole, cheese, and more. Easy to customize based on whatever you have on hand or different tastes in your family.
6. Pasta Bolognese
This classic Italian meat sauce is made for big batches. Gently simmer the ground beef for hours with tomatoes, wine, cream, herbs and spices for a rich, hearty Bolognese. Toss with pasta and Parmesan cheese for a restaurant-quality meal at home.
7. Sloppy Joes
These saucy, messy sandwiches are a crowd-pleaser. Cook the beef with onion, bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, and spices. Pile it high on burger buns and pass the napkins! Quick to make and even better for leftovers.
8. Spaghetti and Meatballs
A favorite combo of kids and adults alike. Cook Meatballs ahead of time, then simmer them in marinara sauce along with 2 pounds of cooked ground beef. Toss with hot spaghetti and sprinkle on some Parmesan and fresh basil. Bellisimo!
9. Shepherd’s Pie
Also known as cottage pie, this comfort food classic tops beef with creamy mashed potatoes. Cook the ground beef with veggies like carrots, peas, and onion. Transfer to a baking dish, spread the potatoes on top, and bake until bubbly and browned.
10. Stuffed Peppers
Peppers make the perfect vessel for a flavorful ground beef stuffing. Cook the meat with rice, onion, garlic, herbs and cheese. Stuff the mixture into bell peppers and bake until tender. Enjoy two for dinner and save the rest.
11. Meatloaf
Homemade meatloaf is pure comfort food. Mix together ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings and any chopped veggies you like. Shape into a loaf, glaze with ketchup, and bake to delicious perfection.
12. Casserole
For an easy oven-to-table meal, make a casserole. Cook ground beef with veggies, seasonings and sauce, then combine with pasta, rice or potatoes. Top with cheese and bake until hot and bubbly. Feed the whole family with these convenient one-dish meals.
13. Empanadas
For hand-held meat pies, fill dough rounds with cooked ground beef, spices, onions, olives, raisins or other mix-ins of your choice. Fold the dough over and seal before frying or baking. Enjoy this flavorful finger food hot out of the oven.
14. Pizza Topping
Spice up pizza night by swapping out pepperoni or sausage for crumbled cooked ground beef. Scatter the browned meat over the sauce and cheese for a delicious twist. Feel free to add other toppings – mushrooms, peppers, onions – for even more flavor.
15. Soup
Bump up the protein in soups and stews by browning 2 pounds of ground beef and adding it in. Try beef and bean chili, vegetable beef soup, taco soup, or Italian wedding soup with mini meatballs. Hearty and comforting!
As you can see, the possibilities are endless when cooking with 2 pounds of ground beef. Try out a new recipe next time you have extra on hand. Mix and match flavors to please your family’s tastes. And enjoy convenient leftovers for lunches or quick meals later on. With a little creativity in the kitchen, 2 pounds of ground beef can go a long way!
Apple of My Eye
Crisp lettuce is the perfect carb-free vehicle for a flavorful Asian beef mixture, and these healthy wraps come together in just 25 minutes.
There are so many different chili recipes we love, but one of our all-time faves is Cincinnati chili, with its special ingredient. If you haven’t tried it before, you’re in for a real treat, and this slow cooker recipe makes dinners during the week a whole lot easier (plus, it makes good leftovers).
You don’t have to go to IKEA to get amazing Swedish meatballs. These babies are cooked in a rich and creamy gravy that just might ruin you for all future shopping trips.
The food bowl trend is nothing new, but we’re still suckers for recipes like this one, where all of your burrito or taco fixings are conveniently loaded up in one big, delicious bowl. These Mexican fiesta bowls are easy and healthy, plus, they’re toped with Fritos and toasted coconut, so what’s not to love?
When dinner gets whipped up in just 30 minutes and it’s all in one pot, you do a happy dance, because you hardly have any dishes to watch, and you also have time to sip on some wine while you watch your favorite show! Beef, seasonings, and marinara all get tossed with penne pasta and topped with mozzarella cheese in this weeknight star.
This simple hamburger soup is loaded with vegetables and is an incredibly easy weeknight comfort food dinner because more than likely you’ll have all of the ingredients on hand and ready for soup thanks to your pantry, fridge, and/or freezer. From FoodieCrush.
Meal prep’s a cinch when all you need is 20 minutes and some good tupperware! These flavor-packed Korean beef bowls feature ground beef cooked in a sweet sesame soy sauce, with brown rice and refreshing cucumbers.
This comforting soup tastes like something a sweet Italian grandma whipped up. Made with beef, tomatoes, and adorable teeny tiny pasta, it’s one your whole family will love, and it’s wonderfully versatile too, since it can be made in the slow cooker, Instant Pot, or stove top.
The Beach House Kitchen
This easy beef and quinoa enchilada bake comes together in just one skillet, in 40 minutes, with 5 easy steps. #weeknightwin.
This easy taco soup recipe made with ground beef can be made in 30 minutes on the stove top, Instant Pot, or slow cooked in the Crock Pot for a healthy Mexican-inspired, make-ahead, one-bowl meal.
Shepherd’s pie is one of our favorite cool weather comfort meals, but it can tend to be a bit heavy. This Paleo version is full of flavor, and is made lighter with a creamy pureed cauliflower topping that’s to die for.
Taking a bite of lasagna is like getting a big hug, and no lasagna is like Mom’s.
30-Minute meals are the stuff crazy weeknights are made of. These Korean beef bowls with veggies are pack a punch! Plus, they’re easy, healthy, and totally satisfying.
Cheeseburger macaroni, homemade Hamburger Helper, or hamburger mac and cheese. Whatever you call this homemade cheeseburger macaroni recipe, forget the box and make it from scratch, because it’s delicious.
A piping bowl of chili always hits the spot on a chilly evening. Add a side of freshly-baked cornbread into the mix, and you’ve got it made, but this skillet chili is topped with cornbread (genius), and we’re pretty obsessed.
We’re pretty sure we’ve never met a taco we didn’t like, but we’re in love with these beef tacos, cradled in puffy, pillowy tortillas with a quick pico topper.
Moussaka is the Greek answer to lasagna, and this one, layered with potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, beef, and creamy béchamel will have you saying opa for seconds from Jo Cooks.
Forget the cans of Manwich sloppy joe sauce, because my mom’s homemade sloppy joes recipe is just as easy to make and sixty-four (or more) times as good, especially knowing there’s a generous helping of vegetables inside this homemade, ground hamburger-ed, comfort food, beef-ey sandwich.
A killer homemade sauce makes these enchiladas super authentic, and the 10-minute prep time makes them totally weeknight-friendly.
✅The BEST way to MEAL PREP Ground Beef for BEGINNERS
FAQ
How many burgers will 2 lbs of beef make?
How many people does 2 lbs of ground beef feed?
- Main Course with Ground Beef: If ground beef is the primary protein, plan for 1/2 pound per person.
- Ground Beef as a Component: If ground beef is part of a larger dish (like tacos or pasta), 1/4 to 1/3 pound per person is often sufficient.
- Children: Smaller portions are generally needed for children, around 1/4 pound per child.
How many tacos will 2 pounds of ground beef make?
- Beef per taco: A typical taco contains around 2 ounces of ground beef.
- Pounds to ounces: Two pounds of ground beef is equal to 32 ounces (2 pounds * 16 ounces/pound).
- Tacos from ounces: 32 ounces of ground beef / 2 ounces per taco = 16 tacos.
What to do with leftover ground beef?
- Make it Mexican. …
- Stuff it into veggies.
- Stir it into chili. …
- Transform it into soup. …
- Whip up a casserole. …
- Roll up some meatballs.
- Dish it up in pasta. …
- Make it as easy as pie.