Quick Easy Ground Beef Recipes for the Freezer (2024)

When I’m starting out our week or month and need to create an easy meal plan, first I go to my list of Budget Friendly Meals that I have been cooking and creating for years! I also use these Quick Easy Ground Beef Recipes for the Freezer.

Then create a basic meal plan foundation and go from there. I’ll share how I make my life easier with these hamburger meat recipes, so that you too can relax and not stress about what’s for dinner for weeks too if you like!

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Quick Easy Ground Beef Recipes

All of these easy ground beef recipes a delicious and kid-friendly! Some you can freeze while others are better served on the same day and use the leftovers withing a couple of days. I’ve added in some of my favorite tips and tricks for the best outcomes on these recipes.

How do I make Lean Ground Beef?

I have a simple secret that I LOVE to share about making a more fatty ground beef into lean ground beef. All you do is fry it up good so that most of the fat is cooked out of the meat. Then rinse Beef in a strainer in super hot water to remove any excess grease off of the meat.

This removes nearly all of the fat and it’s ready to freeze or for your simple hamburger meat recipes!

How do you Defrost Ground Beef?

Simply put in the refrigerator over night. Or you can also defrost in the microwave. I don’t recommend that you defrost on the counter for the day. this has proven to breed germs and can make you sick! You CAN however run warm water over your ground beef to defrost…if you don’t want to use the microwave and it’s last minute.

The good news is that if you have already cooked your ground beef BEFORE you froze it…half the work is already done and as soon as you defrost you can simply add meat to whatever recipe you decide to make!

Other Names for Ground Beef:

Ground beef is known by different names depending on the region you live in. So if you see these names when shopping or when you look up a recipe, you’ll know they are all the same. Here is a short list of names:

• Mince Meat
• Hamburger Meat
• Ground Chuck
• Ground Sirloin
• Ground Round

Easy Recipes with Hamburger Meat:

I think you will love these easy ground beef recipes with few ingredients and simple ingredients!

This is a super easy recipe and the Stroganoff can be made ahead of time and frozen then you simply serve over noodles or rice!

Easy Ground Beef And Vegetable Casserole Recipe

This 5 ingredient Easy Ground Beef and Vegetable Casserole Recipe is so hearty and deeelish! Made with simple ingredients that can be tailored to YOUR family’s liking!

Easy Beef Stroganoff Skillet Dinner

If you need an easy quick and hearty dinner that will keep your family going through the evening during a busy season…this it! A delicious 20 minute meal from prep to table!

I LOVE to make recipes using Frozen Hamburger Patties! Super easy Ground Beef recipes with few ingredients. They’re made in a snap.

• Pizza Burgers
• Mashed Potato Burger Stacks
• Cheesy Sloppy Joe Casserole
• Cheesy Sauce Burgers in the oven!
• Salisbury Steak
• Crockpot Salisbury Steak

More meals to make with ground beef ~

Taco Meat that is made ahead and frozen:

When I am cooking up one of the batches of hamburger I add taco seasoning. I use this meat to serve with to make some of these recipes:

• Tacos ~ make soft or hard/crunchy
• Nachos ~ Jazz up plain old nachos with taco meat, peppers, tomatoes and onions…maybe even add some homemade guacamole and sour cream
• Beef Enchiladas/Chimichangas ~ I have a recipe for Chicken Enchiladas…simply use taco meat instead!
• Taco Salads~ this recipe is chicken but you can use ground beef taco meat too
• Taco soup

Crunch Meatloaf Pie

Use Ground Beef in place of chicken and make Cheesy Beef Taco and Rice Skillet Meal! It’s super yummy and because your taco meat is made ahead it will only take minutes!!

When you’ve got ground beef already cooked and frozen, this is one of our favorite meals to make with ground beef! This Layered Beef Bake ready in a snap! Literally!

Use ground meat for Pizza topping!

My hubby loves meat on his Pizza. So when I make Pizza I have cooked Ground Beef all ready to roll.

Favorite Freezer meal time saver with Ground Beef

I like to a make a huge batch of Meatballs and then serve them in different ways with different sauces:

Meatballs Recipe

• 3 pounds lean Ground Beef
• 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
• 3 eggs
• 6 tbls. minced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Mix all ingredients together. Make into 1 inch balls. Put onto cookie sheets and cook in oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove meatballs to another cookie sheet and flash freeze. Divide into dinner portions and put into freezer bags.

Serve Meatballs with these 3 different sauces:

Sour Cream Stroganoff Sauce Recipe

• 1/4 C. butter
• 1 small onion
• 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 C beef broth
• 1/2 C – 1 pint sour cream ( I use 1 C)
• 1/2 teaspoon dill seed
• salt & pepper to taste

Heat butter, add onion. Cook on low, Stirring for about 5 min or until onion is clear but not browned. Blend in flour. Gradually stir in beef broth. Cook, stirring until thickened. Stir in sour cream, dill weed, salt & pepper. Add meatballs. Heat to serving temp or cool and reheat later. Serve over noodles. Serves 6 to 8. Or 20 appetizer servings.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

• 1 20 oz can unsweetened pineapple chunks packed in natural juices
• 1/4 C packed brown sugar
• 1 10 3/4 oz can chicken broth
• 1/4 cider vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 T ketchup
• 2 Tbls. cornstarch
• 1 C sliced green onion
• 3 green bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1 inch squares
• 5 oz can sliced water chestnuts
• 1/2 C shredded carrots

Drain the pineapple chunks, reserving 3/4 cup of juice (if there is not enough, add water to make 3/4 C) Combine juice, additional 1/2 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and stir until sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Cook over low heat until thick and bubbling, stirring constantly. Add green peppers, shredded carrots, meatballs, water chestnuts and 1 Cup of pineapple chunks. Heat until meatball are hot, stirring frequently. Serve with rice.

Swedish Meatballs Sauce Recipe

These Mini Cheesy Stuffed BBQ Meatloaves are so deelish and are made in the Crockpot! This is another one of those great ground beef dinner ideas that just popped into my head! You can make them ahead and freeze for later!

Quick Spaghetti

Thaw beef. Put into a pan with Store bought Spaghetti Sauce. (or homemade spaghetti sauce) Serve over noodles. Of course you can always use the meatballs from the recipe below to make spaghetti and meatballs.

You can be creative with your Spaghetti too like this French Bread Spaghetti!

I also make homemade hamburger patties and freeze them too! BIG money and time saver!

What is your favorite way to use ground beef?

More Quick Easy Ground Beef Recipes for the Freezer ~

Make these Pre Cooked Hamburger Patties and Freeze for Later! Great for a quick dinner or for kids to prep themselves, since you need only to pop into the microwave for a minute!

More Freezer Meals: