When weeknights get hectic, ground beef is the dinner hero that never lets you down—and these 31 crave-worthy meals prove just how versatile and delicious it can be! From cheesy taco mac and creamy beef stroganoff to crowd-favorite chili copycats like Cincinnati-style and Texas Roadhouse, this list is packed with bold flavors, comfort food classics, and quick-prep favorites. These dishes are budget-friendly, family-approved, and seriously satisfying—so don’t stop at one or two. You’ll want to see them all!

Homemade Cincinnati Chili Skyline Copycat Recipe

Skyline Chili on top of spaghetti with beans cheese and oyster crackers
Homemade Cincinnati Chili Skyline Copycat Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This homemade copycat recipe for authentic tasting Instant Pot Cincinnati chile will become a quick and easy family favorite. The sweet and savory sauce is spiced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garlic all infused with beef hamburger and tomato sauce.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Cincinnati Chili Skyline Copycat Recipe

Cheesy and Spicy Taco Mac And Cheese

A white ceramic dish filled with pasta shells mixed with ground beef and diced tomatoes, all coated in a yellow-orange sauce. The dish is placed on a brown cloth.
Cheesy and Spicy Taco Mac And Cheese. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

If you’re looking for a new Mexican-themed dish, I want to share this Taco Mac and Cheese Recipe with you. The fusion of these two classic favorites provides a variety of flavors, from the creamy delight of mac and cheese to the spicy kick of taco seasoning and the freshness of the toppings.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy and Spicy Taco Mac And Cheese

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joe Recipe For A Crowd

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joe Recipe For A Crowd. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This classic, crowd-pleasing Sloppy Joe recipe is both budget-friendly and easy to make. With a sweet and tangy sauce, tender ground beef, and minimal prep time, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Sloppy Joe Recipe For A Crowd

Meaty & Creamy Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

A fork lifts spaghetti with meat sauce from a green plate. The pasta is topped with a rich, chunky tomato meat sauce, suggesting a hearty meal. A red and white striped cloth is partially visible in the background.
Meaty & Creamy Spaghetti Sauce Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

You need to try this spaghetti sauce creamy crock pot recipe! It’s a rich, protein-packed, and comforting blend of ground beef, velvety cottage cheese, and tangy tomato sauce. Slow-cooked to perfection, it creates deep, hearty flavors in every bite, perfect for an easy, make-ahead meal.
Get the Recipe: Meaty & Creamy Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe

Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Wendy’s chili recipe is a crowd-pleasing, hearty beef chili perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re tailgating for the big game, hosting friends and family at home, or simply preparing a cozy weeknight dinner, this recipe is one everyone will want again and again.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe

Slow Cooker Cheesy Hamburger Soup

A round white dish filled with a creamy stew featuring chunks of potatoes, ground meat, carrots, peas, and green beans, topped with herbs. It rests on a red and white striped cloth.
Slow Cooker Cheesy Hamburger Soup. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This Cheesy Hamburger Soup has all the rich flavors of a hamburger in the form of a hearty soup! It’s made with savory ground beef, aromatics, tender potatoes, and even some extra vegetables for a nutritious twist. This delicious soup cooks in the slow cooker, so it’s perfect for a busy weeknight!
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cheesy Hamburger Soup

No-Bake Shepherd’s Pie

single serving shepards pie with mashed potatoes and cheese on top in a small cast iron skillet
No-Bake Shepherd’s Pie. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This quick, no-bake shepherd’s pie takes just 30 minutes and features budget-friendly ingredients, making it one of those filling ground beef meals everyone will love.
Get the Recipe: No-Bake Shepherd’s Pie

Slow Cooker Mexican Casserole Recipe with Ground Beef

Layered taco dip in a crock pot
Slow Cooker Mexican Casserole Recipe with Ground Beef. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Slow Cooker Mexican Casserole Recipe with Ground Beef is a delicious crockpot taco casserole made with taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, ground beef, and black beans, all layered in gooey cheese. It’s an easy-to-make tortilla casserole recipe that is budget-friendly and always a big crowd-pleaser.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Mexican Casserole Recipe with Ground Beef

Taco meat in a bowl and homemade taco seasoning
Taco Meat Recipe + Recommended Serving Size. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Planning a taco night? This essential recipe covers all the tips you’ll need for making taco meat, along with the recommended serving size per person for a taco feast.
Get the Recipe: Taco Meat Recipe + Recommended Serving Size

Thick And Meaty Crockpot Chili (No Beans)

A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, and jalapeño slices. The dish is served in a white bowl on a green plate, with a green cloth nearby.
Thick And Meaty Crockpot Chili (No Beans). Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Thick and meaty chili without beans recipe is made with savory chili seasonings, tomatoes, and chiles all slow simmered in your crockpot.
Get the Recipe: Thick And Meaty Crockpot Chili (No Beans)

Delicious Ground Beef Taco Recipe

A skillet with cooked ground beef mixed with diced tomatoes, stirred with a wooden spoon. Nearby are bowls of shredded cheese, salsa, and jalapeños on a wooden board. A striped cloth napkin is partially visible.
Delicious Ground Beef Taco Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Taco night just got even better! This Delicious Ground Beef Taco Recipe is quick, easy, and packed with bold flavors the whole family will love. No premade taco seasoning is needed with this festive blend of seasonings; your tacos just got better than ever!
Get the Recipe: Delicious Ground Beef Taco Recipe

Southern Beer Chili with Ground Beef Recipe

bobby jones beer chili recipe
Southern Beer Chili with Ground Beef Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

A southern classic beer chili recipe made with beer in honor of the master of golf himself, Bobby Jones. In Southern tradition, this chili has a unique twist. It’s made with grass-fed ground beef, tomatoes, classic chili seasonings, white corn, black-eyed peas, and Calamity Jane beer from PGA Georgia Selection.
Get the Recipe: Southern Beer Chili with Ground Beef Recipe

Hamburger Potato Casserole Without Canned Soup

A baked casserole with melted cheese, ground meat, and chopped herbs on top, in a white ceramic dish. The dish is placed on a rustic surface with a small leafy plant and a navy cloth in the background.
Hamburger Potato Casserole Without Canned Soup. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This hamburger potato casserole is a hearty, homemade comfort food made with creamy potatoes, seasoned ground beef, and a rich sour cream and cheese sauce—no canned soup needed! Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s an easy, family-friendly meal everyone will love.
Get the Recipe: Hamburger Potato Casserole Without Canned Soup

Hearty Sloppy Joe Casserole with Cornbread Topping

A skillet with a cornbread-topped pie, one slice missing. The slice is on a white plate, garnished with jalapeño slices and cheese. Nearby are small bowls of shredded cheese and jalapeños, all on a checkered cloth over a round wooden board.
Hearty Sloppy Joe Casserole with Cornbread Topping. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Sloppy Joe Casserole is a warm, comforting meal, bringing together the bold, tangy flavors of a classic sloppy joe with a golden, cheesy cornbread topping. This dish is simple to prepare, making it ideal for feeding a hungry family or welcoming friends to your table with warmth and ease.
Get the Recipe: Hearty Sloppy Joe Casserole with Cornbread Topping

Crockpot Ground Beef Taco Soup with Ranch

taco soup
Crockpot Ground Beef Taco Soup with Ranch. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Easy to make Creamy Ground Beef Taco Soup with Ranch Dressing is packed with beef, beans, & veggies, all in a cheesy tomato and ranch broth.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Ground Beef Taco Soup with Ranch

Simple Beef Stroganoff With Ground Beef Recipe

A white oval dish filled with creamy beef stroganoff pasta. The dish contains wide noodles, sliced mushrooms, and a creamy sauce, garnished with fresh parsley. A striped napkin is partially visible on the side.
Simple Beef Stroganoff With Ground Beef Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This beef stroganoff with ground beef is a creamy, budget-friendly comfort meal that comes together in just 35 minutes. Made with simple pantry staples, it’s perfect for feeding a family or serving a crowd without breaking the bank.
Get the Recipe: Simple Beef Stroganoff With Ground Beef Recipe

Best Texas Roadhouse Chili Copycat Recipe

Texas Roadhouse chili with cheese and jalapenos on top
Best Texas Roadhouse Chili Copycat Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

If you want to serve thick Texas-style red chili, then you need to make the Best Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe. It’s one of my reader’s favorite recipes on Intentional Hospitality. They have tested it, and declare it’s the best copycat Texas Roadhouse Chile you can make at home, hands down!
Get the Recipe: Best Texas Roadhouse Chili Copycat Recipe

Original Tater Tot Hotdish With Ground Beef Recipe

A casserole dish filled with a tater tot hotdish. The top layer consists of crispy, golden tater tots arranged in neat rows, drizzled with ketchup. Some are removed to reveal a filling of mixed vegetables and ground beef. A plaid cloth is nearby.
Original Tater Tot Hotdish With Ground Beef Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This authentic original tater tot hotdish recipe stays true to its Midwestern roots, combining simple, hearty ingredients in a way that has stood the test of time.
Get the Recipe: Original Tater Tot Hotdish With Ground Beef Recipe

Favorite Hearty Hamburger Vegetable Soup

A bowl of hearty beef and vegetable soup filled with chunks of beef, carrots, celery, beans, potatoes, and green beans in a tomato-based broth. Next to the bowl are a few saltine crackers on a wooden surface, and a blue checked cloth is nearby.
Favorite Hearty Hamburger Vegetable Soup. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This Hamburger Vegetable Soup is the perfect dish for cozy family dinners, potlucks, or sharing with a friend in need. It’s simple, satisfying, and packed with wholesome ingredients that nourish the body and soul.
Get the Recipe: Favorite Hearty Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Classic Cheesy Nacho Casserole with Ground Beef

nacho casserole on a plate
Classic Cheesy Nacho Casserole with Ground Beef. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Nacho Casserole has layers of classic nacho ingredients layered between tortilla chips or Doritos smothered in a creamy beef and cheese sauce.
Get the Recipe: Classic Cheesy Nacho Casserole with Ground Beef

Mexican Taco Soup With Ground Beef

A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese and chopped green onions. The chili contains beans, ground meat, corn, and diced red peppers, with a rich, thick tomato-based sauce. Tortilla chips are placed beside the bowl on a colorful blue plate.
Mexican Taco Soup With Ground Beef. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

The taco soup is filled with delicious Mexican spices, ground beef, and hearty beans in a rich beef and tomato broth. It’s perfect for serving over crispy tortilla chips and all your favorite Mexican toppings.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Taco Soup With Ground Beef

Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni

A bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese garnished with fresh parsley served on a table with gold cutlery and a napkin in the background.
Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest

Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni Recipe is an easy and delicious dinner that tastes amazing and is just as fast to make as the boxed version…only made with real ingredients! This is one of my go-to, weeknight ground beef recipes that my whole family enjoys. Ready in a flash and cooked in only one pan, too.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni

Juicy BBQ Meatballs Crockpot Recipe

bbq meatballs in crock pot ready to cook with sauce on top
Juicy BBQ Meatballs Crockpot Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This easy BBQ meatballs recipe guarantees juicy, tender hand-rolled meatballs covered in a homemade smokey barbeque sauce and then simmered in a slow cooker. Perfect for easy entertaining or an easy home-cooked weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Juicy BBQ Meatballs Crockpot Recipe

Easy Zippy’s Chili Copycat Recipe

zippy's chili copycat with rice on top
Easy Zippy’s Chili Copycat Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Make Zippy’s chili recipe at home. Loaded with ground beef, Portuguese sausage, and warm spices like paprika and cayenne. Best part, this unique chili can be made in your slow cooker for easy meal prep.
Get the Recipe: Easy Zippy’s Chili Copycat Recipe

Taco Dip with Ground Beef Recipe

Layered taco dip over nachos
Taco Dip with Ground Beef Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This hot, creamy, cheesy taco dip is one of those easy-to-make ground beef dinners that comes together in just 15 minutes, making it perfect for gatherings or game day.
Get the Recipe: Taco Dip with Ground Beef Recipe

Copycat Skyline Chili Recipe with Ground Beef

A plate of spaghetti topped with chili, kidney beans, chopped onions, and shredded cheese. A fork is lifting some noodles. In the background, bowls of shredded cheese, chopped onions, and beans are visible.
Copycat Skyline Chili Recipe with Ground Beef. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Easy Crockpot Skyline Chili recipe brings authentic flavor with a sweet, savory sauce spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Skyline Chili Recipe with Ground Beef

Soft & Delicious Egg-Free Meatballs Recipe

gluten free meatballs
Soft & Delicious Egg-Free Meatballs Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Learn how to make delicious egg-free meatballs with this easy-to-follow recipe. Get secrets to creating mouthwatering meatballs.
Get the Recipe: Soft & Delicious Egg-Free Meatballs Recipe

Lasagna Soup

A bowl of lasagna soup topped with ricotta cheese and basil, with a spoon resting inside. A small bowl of ricotta and fresh basil leaves are visible in the background. The dish is served on a white surface with a striped napkin nearby.
Lasagna Soup. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest

Lasagna Soup has everything you love about lasagna, all in one bowl. Using many of the ingredients found in my highly rated Lasagna Recipe, this soup is loaded with ground beef, Italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, spinach, ricotta and parmesan cheese, and garnished with fresh basil on top.
Get the Recipe: Lasagna Soup

Southern Baked Beans With Hamburger Meat

A close-up of cooked ground beef with beans in a skillet. A silver spoon is partially submerged in the mixture, highlighting its texture and rich color.
Southern Baked Beans With Hamburger Meat. Photo Credit: Butter and Baggage

These easy baked beans with ground beef are a perfect side dish for cookouts. Smoky with a sticky sweet sauce, they’re a classic.
Get the Recipe: Southern Baked Beans With Hamburger Meat

DIY Cheesy Hamburger Helper with Beef & Bacon

A plate of pasta shells mixed with cooked ground meat, garnished with chopped green herbs. A fork is placed among the pasta, indicating a serving in progress. The dish appears flavorful and savory.
DIY Cheesy Hamburger Helper with Beef & Bacon. Photo Credit: Butter and Baggage

My version of homemade hamburger helper is dressed-up with bacon, garlic and onion, white wine, heavy cream and two types of cheese. Recipe serves 8.
Get the Recipe: DIY Cheesy Hamburger Helper with Beef & Bacon

Hamburger Soup Recipe

A bowl of vegetable soup with a spoon. The soup contains chunks of carrots, potatoes, celery, pieces of broccoli, and ground meat in a rich, seasoned broth.
Hamburger Soup Recipe. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest.

This humble and simple Hamburger Soup recipe is the perfect comforting dinner or quick weeknight meal. Filled with ground beef and veggies!
Get the Recipe: Hamburger Soup Recipe

21 Dishes You Forgot About That You Loved As A Kid

chicken and soft dumplings with peas and carrots
21 Dishes You Forgot About That You Loved As A Kid. Image credit: Intentional Hospitality

Remember those dishes that made you race to the dinner table as a kid? The ones that filled the house with comforting smells and felt like a warm hug in every bite? This roundup brings back 21 childhood favorites you may have forgotten but still secretly crave. From creamy mac and cheese to old-fashioned peach cobbler, these recipes are pure nostalgia made easy. They’re the kind of meals and treats that bring back memories and create new ones—so don’t miss a single one! Get All The Recipes: 21 Dishes You Forgot About That You Loved As A Kid