What Do You Season Ground Beef With? A Guide to Flavorful Seasonings

Ground beef is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many dishes from burgers to tacos to pasta sauce. However plain ground beef can be bland and boring. That’s where seasonings come in – they add flavor, aroma, and depth to ground beef, taking it from blah to ta-dah! But with so many seasoning options available, it can be confusing to figure out exactly what to use. This guide will walk you through the most popular and delicious ways to season ground beef for maximum flavor.

Dry Seasoning Blends

Dry spice rubs and seasoning blends are an easy way to quickly add big flavor to ground beef. Here are some tasty options

All-Purpose Blend

An all-purpose blend of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper provides a simple way to enhance ground beef’s savory umami flavor Use about 1 teaspoon of each for every 1 pound of meat. This works well in tacos, pasta sauce, soups, and more.

Taco Seasoning

For taco night, you can’t go wrong by making your own taco seasoning with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, and a pinch of oregano and cayenne. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of this into 1 pound of ground beef as it browns. Way better than those store-bought packets!

Italian Herb Blend

Italian flavors like oregano, basil, thyme, and garlic make ground beef perfect for burgers, meatballs, or spaghetti sauce. Mix together equal parts dried herbs with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Use about 1-2 tablespoons per pound of meat.

Jerk Seasoning

For a Caribbean twist, make a spicy jerk blend with garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, brown sugar, thyme, ginger, and more. Stir a few tablespoons into ground beef for an adventurous flavor profile.

Chili Powder Blend

Whip up a homemade chili seasoning with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. This amps up ground beef’s flavor wonderfully for hearty chili.

Fresh Ingredients

In addition to dry spice blends, fresh ingredients like herbs, garlic, citrus, and onions can significantly enhance the flavor of ground beef. Here are some tasty combos:

Lime and Cilantro

Brighten up ground beef tacos with fresh lime juice and cilantro stirred in at the end. The tangy, herbaceous flavors pair so well with the meat.

Rosemary and Garlic

These two ingredients are made for each other. Mince fresh rosemary and garlic and mix into meatballs or a pound of ground beef for a simple weeknight meal.

Caramelized Onions

Saute sliced onions in olive oil until super soft and caramelized before adding your ground beef. The sweet onions add amazing depth of flavor.

Worcestershire Sauce

Add a tablespoon or two of Worcestershire while the beef browns for an umami flavor boost. It’s especially good in burgers and meatloaf.

Helpful Seasoning Tips

Follow these tips to get the most out of seasoning your ground beef:

• For burgers, mix seasonings into the raw beef before forming patties so flavors permeate the meat.

• When making a big batch of taco meat or spaghetti sauce, season the beef while browning for the best flavor absorption.

• Add delicate herbs like cilantro at the end to preserve their fresh taste. Hearty herbs like rosemary can handle cooking.

• For optimal flavor layering, saute aromatics like onion and garlic first before adding ground beef.

• To avoid a salty taste, use a light hand with salt in rubs/blends – you can always add more to taste later.

• For food safety, only mix in fresh ingredients at the end once meat is fully cooked.

• Make extra seasoning blends to have on hand. They last for months and make weeknight cooking a breeze.

With the right seasonings, you can take ground beef from boring to sensational. Whether you like spicy, herby, tangy, or savory flavors, there are so many options to make your ground beef dishes mouthwateringly delicious. What are you waiting for? Grab some ground beef and spices and start seasoning!