Food and Recipes Dinner 5-Ingredient Ground Beef Dinners So Easy They Practically Make Themselves By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 10, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer As much as we love intricately layered gratins and time-intensive roasts, sometimes a quick, five-ingredient dinner sounds just about right. We're not Julia Child, after all. Pairing a quick-fix recipe with budget-friendly ground beef might not come off glamorous, but it's simple and easy enough to make us not care a single bit. Because when you have a pound of ground chuck in the fridge and a pantry full of staples, the possibilities are wonderfully endless. Odds are, you'll also have at least a couple of the game-changing ingredients used in each of these easy ground beef dishes before even heading to the grocery. So, if you see an ingredient list that's slightly longer, don't fret. Staples like spaghetti noodles, panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and other simple seasonings are no brainers. In case you're not already sold, check out these deliciously easy dinners with ground beef and just a handful of ingredients. 01 of 29 Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy This hamburger steak is a quick-fix Southern supper recipe we always keep on deck. Make some extra patties, which can be frozen for up to three months, so you'll have a backup plan on busy weeknights. 02 of 29 Serrano Pepper Burgers Hector Sanchez Recipe: Serrano Pepper Burgers Skip the boring sliced tomatoes and iceberg lettuce this time. Grill-roasted peppers add spicy heat, as well as a touch of sweetness and smoke, to these juicy burgers. How Long Does Cooked Ground Beef Last in the Fridge? 03 of 29 Taco Dinner Mac and Cheese Southern Living Recipe: Taco Dinner Mac and Cheese When the family is debating Mexican or macaroni and cheese, consider this dish the perfect compromise. Ground beef and taco seasoning give some major flavor to an already very simple, delicious macaroni and cheese recipe. 04 of 29 Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake Serve it up in individual ramekins, or spread it out in your trusty 9-by-13 baking dish. Either way, just make sure to whip up this tasty ground beef recipe that's ready in under an hour. 05 of 29 Extra-Easy Lasagna Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Martin Recipe: Extra-Easy Lasagna Lasagna is a forever family favorite, and this simple recipe might be our most-used. When we say extra easy, we mean it. 06 of 29 Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes We know you have some Texas toast in the freezer, and luckily it makes the perfect vessel for these cheesy barbecue Sloppy Joes. This comforting dinner will definitely be a forever favorite among the kids. 07 of 29 Swiss Burgers in Tomato Gravy Hector Sanchez Recipe: Swiss Burgers in Tomato Gravy This juicy, cheese-topped meal looks fancy and indulgent, but takes minimal effort and few ingredients outside the blend of amazing seasonings. (That's the trick to next-level burgers.) Quick tomato gravy will make you leave that ketchup in the kitchen. 08 of 29 Spaghetti Casserole Jennifer Davick Recipe: Spaghetti Casserole This slow-cooker version of our crowd-favorite spaghetti casserole makes it even more simple to throw together for supper. The hearty sauce with ground beef will ensure no one leaves the table hungry. 09 of 29 Super Quick Chili Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Super Quick Chili We've never seen anything quite as cute as these quick chili bites. Served in hollowed-out dinner rolls, this chili makes plenty of appearances at our tailgates, barbecues, and family suppers. 10 of 29 Bev's Famous Meatloaf Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Bev's Famous Meatloaf Skip the breadcrumbs and put one of those sleeves of saltine crackers (that we know you have in the pantry) to work in this home-style meatloaf recipe. Just a few key ingredients, like onions, green bell pepper, and a sweet tomato topping go to work to make one simply satisfying main dish. 11 of 29 Sloppy Joe Carolina-Style Burgers Hector Sanchez Recipe: Sloppy Joe Carolina-Style Burgers These over-the-top burgers might need a knife and fork—because we don't call them sloppy for nothing. A pile of cole slaw and a scoop of Sloppy Joe-style chili give amazing flavor and texture. 12 of 29 Southwestern Meatloaf Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Southwestern Meatloaf Get that Tex-Mex flair from using crushed whole grain tortilla chips instead of plain breadcrumbs to flavor this juicy meatloaf. Make with chipotle salsa for its spicy kick and smoky notes, then serve as a tasty meatloaf sandwich or alongside Tex-Mex sides. 13 of 29 Sloppy Cola Joe Dogs Melina Hammer Recipe: Sloppy Cola Joe Dogs Go ahead, and plan on a delicious mess with these Sloppy Joe-topped hotdogs. They're livened up with a splash of cola, which gives the ground beef a sweet boost. Top with sliced pepperoncini peppers and coleslaw if you want some heat and crunch. 14 of 29 30-Minute Chili Southern Living Recipe: 30-Minute Chili This deliciously easy chili comes with a short ingredient list, can be made in one pot, and is ready in 30 minutes. Simmering the ground beef might be the hardest part, which says it all. Once you've finished that, you just pour everything else in, and stir. 15 of 29 Richard's Sloppy Joes Southern Living Recipe: Richard's Sloppy Joes You just can't beat a homemade meal that's both incredibly simple and crowd-pleasing. The short ingredient list works hard to give a hearty dinner that adults and kids alike love. 16 of 29 Pepper Relish Mini Meatloaves Photo: Melina Hammer Recipe: Pepper Relish Mini Meatloaves Get dinner on the table even faster with these mini meatloaves. With fewer ingredients and a shorter cooking time, this recipe makes for a better weeknight supper. 17 of 29 Lean Green Lettuce Tacos Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Lean Green Lettuce Tacos Who needs taco shells? With some zucchini, yellow squash, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, you turn lettuce cups into a leveled-up taco. 18 of 29 Red Bean Chili Southern Living Recipe: Red Bean Chili Pull an onion, can of beans, tomato juice, and soup out of your pantry to make this simple—but delicious—chili on a busy evening. 19 of 29 Chili in a Biscuit Bowl Tina Cornett Recipe: Chili in a Biscuit Bowl If there's two things we love around here, it's biscuits and chili. Now, you can have both at the same time, and most of the ingredients are probably in your pantry right now. 20 of 29 Tomato 'n' Beef Casserole With Polenta Crust Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Tomato 'n' Beef Casserole With Polenta Crust This is a one-dish deal with a cheesy Polenta Crust. Sharp Cheddar, fresh veggies, and ground beef create a winning combination. 21 of 29 Smothered Enchiladas Southern Living Recipe: Smothered Enchiladas It doesn't take much to throw together these enchiladas, but the end result tastes like you spent all day making it. 22 of 29 Chili-Topped Potatoes William Dickey Recipe: Chili-Topped Potatoes Chili meets the baked potato in a divine mashup that calls for things you probably already have, like canned beans and tomatoes, taco seasoning, and onions. You'll only need to run out to stock up on garnishes like the green onions. 23 of 29 Bacon, Peach, and Basil Burgers Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Bacon, Peach, and Basil Burgers Summer called, and it needs these burgers. Sweet peach slices and peach chutney get a punch from the chopped pickled jalapeño peppers. 24 of 29 Bacon Cheeseburger Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Bacon Cheeseburger The key to this burger? Smashing it on the grill for an irresistibly crispy edge. Add a little extra bacon and you won't have to ask us twice. 25 of 29 Texas-Style Beef Enchilada Casserole Photo William Dickey / Styling Katherine Eckert / Food Styling Alyssa Porubcan Recipe: Texas-Style Beef Enchilada Casserole Enchilada, meet the easy everyday casserole bake. It's a Taco Tuesday replacement that'll garner no complaints—watch everyone come around for seconds. 26 of 29 Easy Chili Lee Harrelson Recipe: Easy Chili There are a lot of chili recipes out there, but we think this one reigns supreme. It's not frilly, but that's part of the charm. With a handful of simple ingredients, you've got dinner or the perfect potluck dish. 27 of 29 Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe: Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup Hearty, comforting, warm—what more could you want from a soup? Serve with a side of crunchy saltines for a cozy winter meal. 28 of 29 Doritos Casserole Micah A. Leal Recipe: Doritos Casserole Up your casserole game with a sprinkling of Doritos—after all, it's an acceptable way to eat some chips for dinner. A can of chopped green chilies gives the whole dish a kick, and some cream of chicken adds a little richness. 29 of 29 Cast-Iron Skillet Burgers photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Cast-Iron Skillet Burgers Break out your trusty cast-iron skillet and prepare to be amazed by this one-dish wonder. With onions caramelized in bacon fat accompanied by juicy patties, these burgers are one for the books. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit