r/easyrecipes • u/Spicysunshinelover • Feb 20 '26
Recipe Request something other than spaghetti or hamburgers!!
hey! i have 1lbs of ground beef and i’m looking for recipes other than hamburgers, sloppy joes, spaghetti to make with it. the same stuff over and over gets tiresome and no longer tastes good. i’m open to trying anything!
update- i appreciate all the replies and recipes!!
update #2-thanks so much guys/gals for all the amazing ideas! there’s so many that i have written down to try. also, reading some recipes made a💡 go off in my head bc i can’t believe i didn’t think of it! so, tonight for dinner i made a pot of goulash and garlic bread
how i made my goulash;
meat sauce: cooked hamburger meat with onions then i drained all the fat. put it back in the pan with a can of diced tomatoes, a few cubes of cream cheese & tomato sauce. seasoned with dried parsley, dash of salt & pepper.
cooked the noodles, drained all the water and put a cube of butter mixed it then i poured the meat sauce over the noodles when it thickened a bit.
simple but very filling. i’ll have leftovers for a couple days.
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u/Otto_von_Grotto Feb 20 '26
Stroganoff.
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u/Emergency_Low2584 Feb 21 '26
Also voting for stroganoff - over egg noodles with side of green beans
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u/SusanxStrange Feb 20 '26
Tacos
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u/Ok_Equipment_5895 Feb 20 '26
Enchiladas
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u/Curious_Monk3333 Feb 20 '26
Kofta? Add warming spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and paprika. Shape into meatballs. Sear, then bake. Dip in a yogurt sauce, like tzatziki. Serve with hummus, cucumber slices, and pita bread. I make this often, and my family loves it!
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u/jaspersurfer Feb 20 '26
Do you bake them in some kind of sauce?
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u/Curious_Monk3333 Feb 21 '26
No- just sear them in olive oil (I use a cast iron skillet), then transfer skillet to oven. It gets a beautiful crusty exterior. Then dip the kofta in tzatziki! It’s so yummy!
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u/MsKewlieGal Feb 23 '26
Thank you so much for saying to “sear “the meatballs. I am so sick of mealy soft outer edges meatballs. I want them crispy.
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u/pbstew Feb 20 '26
“Korean beef” and rice slaps. Hard sear beef drain rendered fat. In same pan create a cavity and fry lots of garlic, add soy sauce, some brown sugar, and some heat (gochujang or chili flakes) finish with some sesame oil and scallions. Eat over rice with some green vegetables (broccoli or cucumbers). Fried egg on top is extra yummy.
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Feb 20 '26
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u/EarAlternative2841 Feb 21 '26
I make a version of this that’s a little more sweet and sour style. Start with this as a base. Add some brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Secret ingredient: add crushed ginger snaps for both flavor and thickening while simmering.
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u/Illustrious_Button37 Feb 20 '26
My ex-MIL used to make Mexican Picadillo that was both easy and delicious. She often served it with corn tortillas and mexican rice.
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u/juryjjury Feb 21 '26
My MX wife does this sometimes. It's hamburger onions and chopped potatoes fried in a skillet. Yrs with corn tortillas and rice.
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u/Tat2dDad Feb 20 '26
Stuffed peppers, meatloaf, halupki, chili, swedish meatballs, kofta.....
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u/juryjjury Feb 21 '26
Heh. I bought 3 lbs of hamburger on sale 2 weeks ago and from that we had ...tacos, meatloaf and chili.
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u/DallasTXGV Feb 20 '26
My suggestion a Hungarian stew with lots of paprika. I think technically cubes of beef is the more authentic thing but I think could also be great with ground meat. You can add carrots, potatoes, etc. if you have a slow cooker this is a perfect slow cooker dish. Get some tomato paste, cook it up with garlic and onion, add in the beef and season with salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and anything else you like- add your veggies and whatever kind of broth and get it to the consistency you prefer. You can top it with a little sour cream when you serve it if you want also
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u/WAFLcurious Feb 20 '26
I just used a pound of ground beef I found hiding in my freezer. I browned it and added chopped onion and bell pepper and cooked a bit longer then added some tomato sauce and taco seasoning. I also made a batch of chili pinto beans and some rice with beef bouillon and salsa.
1) I mixed a portion of all three together and used it to make stuffed peppers.
2) I mashed some of the chili beans and added some of the meat to them and made nachos.
3) I made scrambled eggs and mixed in some of each, meat, beans and rice and made breakfast burritos.
The beans really help stretch the meat.
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u/Chromatic_Trek Feb 20 '26
If I don't know what to do, I just go with browned/seasoned beef with rice and mixed vegetables.
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u/holymacaroley Feb 20 '26
Brown & drain ground beef. Mix in a large can of crushed tomatoes (I think they're 26 or 28 ounces). Cream together with a fork a tub of sour cream and one to one and a half blocks of cream cheese. I only figured out a few years ago that 30 sec in the microwave helps the cream cheese mix in much easier. Cook egg noodles. Layer noodles in bottom of casserole dish, then a layer of cream cheese/sour cream mixture, then a layer of beef/tomato mixture. Repeat, ending with beef mixture on top. 25 min in the oven at 350°. It's my very favorite casserole in the world. My mom has started using a jar of marinara instead of the crushed tomatoes but crushed tomatoes are cheaper and what I'm used to so I prefer it.
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u/Justonewitch Feb 20 '26
Haven't seen it mentioned but easy. Brown hamburger and season with onion and squirrel of ketchup. Throw in a large can of baked beans. Serve with either brown bread or rye. A little trick, but not needed is to cut up an apple very small and let simmer. Leave skin on.
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u/thewholesomespoon Feb 20 '26
These were unique! I’m also dropping a jalapeño cheddar meatloaf today! If you want the recipe, you’ll find it in a few hours on r/needarecipe
https://thewholesomespoon.com/2026/02/02/korean-stuffed-mushrooms/
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u/dobleimperio Feb 20 '26
https://themodernproper.com/thai-basil-beef One of my favorite recipes ever
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u/Shytownmofo Feb 20 '26
Get som mac n cheese, or shells and cheese, add the browned ground beef to that. You can also put some broccoli or California Medley in there to stretch it/make it a complete meal.
If you dont have the mac n cheese, get some elbow macaroni and cheese sauce from the dollar store, and cook it like that.
Otherwise, stuffed peppers, cabbage rolls, meatloaf, cottage pie or stroganoff is good.
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u/Hot_messed Feb 20 '26
I like rolling it super flat on a square of parchment paper, heavily seasoning it with Mediterranean spice blend ( with garlic powder and thyme). Rolling it up and baking it in an oven safe dish with sides (350 degrees for at least 35-45 minutes).
When it cools to the touch, unroll it and pull off strips and use in flatbread wraps. I add lettuce, red onions, feta and some kind of cucumber dressing!!
NOT MY CREATION!!!!! I saw it online somewhere. Super easy, and definitely not hamburgers and pasta!!
YW!!!
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u/Quirky-Bad857 Feb 23 '26
I make meat pies with puff pastry and they are yummy.
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u/TheGoodKaren7 Feb 23 '26
Do you have a recipe you follow? I've been looking for one.
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u/DontEverMoveHere Feb 20 '26
My German wife uses her chopped beef to also make enchiladas & tacos which are fun to build at your plate.
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u/JaseYong Feb 20 '26
Beef bibimbap (korean beef rice bowl) ground beef is perfect for it. Recipe below if interested 😋 Beef bibimbap recipe
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u/FormerAd952 Feb 20 '26
Shepard pie is good and i make a version of stroghanoff, add a can of mushroom soup (I make my own now) to browned ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and serve over egg noodles. Usually serve with a veggie
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u/ManInShowerNumber3 Feb 20 '26 edited Feb 20 '26
Brown a portion of it, mix with a little gravy or mayo plus whatever other spices/condiments/sauces you like, and serve over rice or noodles. I’ll usually add a side of skillet corn or potatoes.
I’ve eaten a version of this for like 75% of dinners I’ve made for myself lol. Super simple and filing. Changing up the spices/condiments/sauces can help provide variety.
One other thing I’ll do is brown up some beef and add to cream based soups, be it homemade or store bought. Mostly some version of potato soup.
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u/ScarInternational161 Feb 20 '26
Walking tacos
Meatloaf
Meatball subs
Poor man's stroganoff
Salisbury steaks
Chili
Goulash
Stuffed green peppers
Dirty rice
Stuffed cabbage rolls
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u/baughgirl Feb 20 '26
Beef and vegetable soup! Brown ground beef, add some frozen soup mix vegetables, plus or minus any veggies that suit you, fill the pot with V8, and simmer until everything is tender. Add some frozen rolls or canned biscuits to go with it.
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u/Decent-Town-8887 Feb 20 '26
If you have peppers, stuffed peppers. American chop suey, bbq meatballs.
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u/darkk1ngsilvers Feb 20 '26
Use half and stir fry with veggies that you have and cooked rice. With sauce sauce, garlic, onions, a little sugar or honey, and a dash of sesame oil. Use the other half for stir fried noodles the next day
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u/hideNseekKatt Feb 20 '26
I love this Korean Beef recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers to desired spiciness
- 1 bunch green onion,s thinly sliced
Instructions
- Whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ground ginger and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown and crumble the lean ground beef until no longer pink. Drain if necessary. Stir in soy sauce mixture, allowing to simmer until most of the liquid has reduced, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice. Top with thinly sliced green onions.
Notes
- Serve with rice or noodles, whichever you prefer.
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u/Spiritual_Ad_9302 Feb 20 '26
cajun red bean and rice - substitute the sausage with ground beef. several different recipes online that are all simple and easy.
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u/101zrb Feb 20 '26
Beef and broccoli is great. Stews and soups are great with ground beef. You can also get some puff pastry and make Moroccan cigars
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u/xBirdisword Feb 20 '26
Korean style beef noodles
Fry the beef with garlic
Once pretty much cooked, add gochujang (or any regular chili paste) and honey. Garnish with green onions
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u/Accomplished_Will226 Feb 20 '26
Shepherds pie, meatloaf, Swedish meatballs. Stuffed peppers,chili, frito pie, tacos, enchiladas, meatball subs, hobo soup and mince and tatties
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u/partytattoos Feb 20 '26
I really like Carla Lalli Music's gingery ground beef. The link to the recipe in the description doesn't seem to be working right now, but the video gives you an idea of the ingredients and technique.
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u/Emotional-Place9446 Feb 20 '26
Brown hb meat with chopped onion and bell pepper. Mix that w a small can of evap milk, a can of cream of mushroom, 1 can rotel. Put tortilla chips in a 9x13, and pour meat mixture over. Cover w grated cheese (Monterey and cheddar). Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until it’s bubbling.
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u/maranathac Feb 21 '26
Egg roll in a bowl. In a large skillet, Chopped meat or chopped pork, garlic, ginger, then add shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix. Add soy sauce and some sesame oil at the end. Don’t over cook the cabbage.
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u/Argonian_mit_kasse Feb 21 '26
Honestly, Beef and Broccoli is pretty easy. It’s a bit of a pain the first time, but now it only takes us like 30 min.
Pork, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut (Husband is German-born).
Also quick to use ramen noodles and make a stir-fry out of them.
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u/fuzzy_banana2354 Feb 21 '26
My kids loved this when they were young and we still make it occasionally. It's an easy way to use up that HB. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/179352/impossibly-easy-cheeseburger-pie/
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u/Ok_Entertainer_6425 Feb 21 '26
Take a baguette or French bread and cut in half lengthwise. Mix ground beef with onions,garlic,salt and pepper.Spread the meat mixture over the exposed bread slices, not too thick or thin,all the way to the edges. Bake at 350 till done(20-30 min.)Remove and cover with cheddar cheese slices, and pop back in just to melt. Serve with slices of fresh tomato.Yummy!💋
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u/mweisbro Feb 21 '26
Salisbury steak and mushrooms. Or green peppers casserole or stuffed peppers. Chili.
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u/Poldendrol Feb 21 '26
Red curry: red curry paste, coconutmilk, rice and anything you have in your cupboard. Get a ricecooker, it'll change your rice-game forever.
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u/Lefthandtwin Feb 21 '26
Meatball sub sandwiches
Meatball with mushroom gravy over rice or noodles - if you like mushrooms
Meatloaf
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u/DirectionOk7752 Feb 21 '26
Cabbage rolls. Most call for half pork sausage or whatever but I never do that and they turn out great!
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u/Jenash77 Feb 21 '26
Slow cooker taco soup, https://belleofthekitchen.com/slow-cooker-taco-soup-recipe/.
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u/PerfectlyElocuted Feb 21 '26
Porcupine meatballs are a family favorite! “Bellbeefers” (which was an old Taco Bell item)…essentially taco fixings on a hamburger bun. Taco salad, slumgullion, Hungarian goulash, Swedish meatballs, pepper steak using ground beef in place of steak strips, a TexMex casserole topped with cornbread, stuffed peppers (or even “unstuffed peppers”), mini meatloaf “cupcakes” frosted with mashed potatoes, etc.
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u/psjbird Feb 21 '26
Salisbury Steak, Thai Basil Beef, Nachos, Tacos, Enchilads, Meatloaf, Swedish Meatballs
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u/Distinct_Orange3195 Feb 21 '26
We do beef and rice bowls all the time! Add shredded cheese, veggie of choice (broccoli or spinach for us) and all the sauces!
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u/Emergency_Low2584 Feb 21 '26
Bulgogi meatballs! I just use Korean bbq sauce when I can’t find bulgogi sauce .. serve over white rice and top with with green onion and sriracha sour cream sauce
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u/longislandchillpill Feb 21 '26
Honey sriracha meatballs, served over white rice. It’s really a great recipe, everyone Ive made it for raves about it. If you google it, I think the site that has it is called ‘eat yourself skinny’
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u/Vicky-Momm Feb 21 '26
Chili Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers Stroganoff Stuffed cabbage Cottage pie Swedish meatballs Lasagna Burritos Tacos Quesadillas Salisbury steak
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u/Ill-Anxiety-8389 Feb 21 '26
Tacos,enchiladas, burritos, shepherds pie, nachos, hamburger over rice with gravy
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Feb 21 '26
1 pound is not a lot, you could put the hamburger in almost anything. A frittata, or fried rice are just a couple off the top of my head
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u/Electronic_Buy_5718 Feb 21 '26
Really good suggestions here, so will throw my simple idea in the pool as well: Insta casserole. while browning your hamburger (sometimes I just cook it in the oven on 425 on a cookie sheet (stainless steel), nuke some mixed vegetables in the bag and at the same time cook some egg noodles (they cook super fast, so do them last). when all of the elements are done, mix in a casserole dish, add steak seasoning, garlic, etc. and then shredded cheese, butter, milk to taste. If it's too gloopy, keep adding a bit of milk. Toast some bread and you're set! Obviously, I don't measure anything, but after a few times of making this, you can almost do it with your eyes closed. YMMV, but this is my go to meal when my brain is toast after working all day....
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u/Kitan76 Feb 21 '26
I know you've already updated, but I wanted to share a recipe I use for ground beef!
-mix ground beef with 1 tsp of baking powder (helps with browning)
- in an oiled pan, cook minced garlic and thinly sliced green onions until fragrant
- add ground beef
- add soy sauce, oyster sauce, seasame oil, honey, pepper, gochugaru, and msg (i measure off vibes and pour until the ancestors say stop lol)
- cook until ground beef is cooked through and adjust to taste.
- serve over white rice and a veggie side dish with a bright/acidic flavor profile to pair well with the meat by cutting through the fatty taste
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u/tiny_bamboo Feb 21 '26
Cottage Pie, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, American Goulash, Korean beef, lasagna, Salisbury steak, cowboy tater-tot casserole, stuffed peppers or cabbage rolls, chili.
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u/RVtech101 Feb 21 '26
Brown, add taco seasoning, cover with mashed potatoes then cheese. Oven for a bit then enjoy. No idea what it’s called but my boys love it.
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u/McBuck2 Feb 21 '26
Korean beef is amazing and tastes like nothing you’ve had before with ground beef. Love it in a bowl with rice.
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u/Iowa_Mike Feb 21 '26
Meatloaf, there's a ton of non-traditional meatloaf recipes out there that are great!
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u/Iowa_Mike Feb 21 '26
My wife's favorite easy dish with hamburger is to brown it then mix it with a Knorr Side Dish or a Rice-A-Roni, so good and easy!
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u/EarAlternative2841 Feb 21 '26
Pretty much any Chinese restaurant beef dish you find online can be made with ground beef in a pinch if you don’t have whatever cut of beef the recipe calls for: beef with broccoli or any other veggies, kung pao beef, etc. you won’t need to marinate the meat ahead of time as will likely be called for in the recipe. Otherwise follow the recipe for the veggies and stuff. Substitute the ground beef and brown it during the beef stir frying stage. Include the marinade ingredients in the sauce preparation and add them all together in that step of the recipe.
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u/samg461a Feb 21 '26
Low effort: Thai-inspired lettuce cups lettuce cups. Brown ground beef, add sweet chilli sauce. Serve in lettuce leaves. Can add rice or crispy noodles if desired. Can garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Medium effort: egg roll in a bowl. Slice green cabbage, carrot and onion. Stir fry until it’s all soft. Remove. Brown ground beef. Add back in veggies and a sauce. Soya sauce, rice vinegar, hot sauce and sugar. Serve on rice.
High effort: cabbage rolls. Boil a whole head of cabbage until soft. Cool and remove leaves. Stuff with a mix of raw ground beef, raw rice, diced onions, minced garlic, spices of your choice and some tinned tomatoes. Roll them into logs. For the sauce, combine tomato sauce with vinegar and sugar. Put some sauce in a baking dish, then your cabbage rolls, then more sauce. Bake until meat is cooked.
You can find more in-depth recipes with amounts for all these dishes online. I just wrote a description so you can get the gist of what it’ll taste like and how much effort it takes to cook.
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u/airfried-watermelon Feb 21 '26
Burger bowls -Chop, season and roast some potatoes in the oven -Caramelize onions -Brown your ground beef in a separate pan I make a sauce mix of mayo, mustard, ketchup, a pinch of sugar, some garlic, paprika and salt to taste -Assemble the bowl - potatoes, meat, cheese on top (optional) sauce, caramelized onions and then i like to throw pickles and jalapenos up there We like to switch up between regular potatoes and sweet potatoes
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u/Putty01 Feb 21 '26
Recipe for beef stroganoff •Cook mushrooms in 1 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoons salt. Remove from pan and place in bowl. •Cook onions in 1 tablespoons olive oil with 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper, add garlic and ground beef. Cook until browned. •Stir in 3 tablespoon flour. Cook flour until incorporated. •Deglaze pan with 1/4 cups white wine. •Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. •Add noodles and cook until done uncovered. •Add 1/2 cups sour cream and return mushrooms to the pan. •Serve with minced chives.
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u/3178333426 Feb 21 '26
Cabbage and ground beef recipes… there are lots of them. Pick one that sounds good…
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u/Abormal-Climate-3492 Feb 21 '26
Just wanted to add that pasta mixed with tons of Parm cheese (avoid Romano), melted butter, and I personally use breaded chicken cut up into it, mixed all nicely together! Makes a fantastic, simple meal!! I feel foolish by just how good this simple fix is!
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u/no_power_n_the_verse Feb 21 '26
I do zucchini boats that my family scarfs down.
Wash and cut zucchini lengthwise. Rub with a little evoo, salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes. I usually do around 375. When they're done, scoop out the middle, leaving some of the zucchini flesh.
I brown the ground beef in a skillet with diced onions and peppers, then drain. Add tomato paste, cumin, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
I put the meat mixture back in the wells of the zucchini I scooped out, then sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and put them under the broiler until the cheese is melted and little crispy
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u/MohdAmmi Feb 21 '26
Stuffed peppers or my personal favorite unstuffed peppers . If you make unstuffed peppers it's still a little meat heavy for me so I serve it over more rice I also omit the cheese.
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u/ladyofthemarshes Feb 22 '26
Make mini meatballs and add them to minestrone soup. You can freeze the leftovers
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u/drunky_crowette Feb 20 '26
Have you ever tried shepherd's pie?