10 Delicious Recipes to Make with Ground Beef and Diced Tomatoes

Ground beef and canned diced tomatoes make an easy, flavorful pairing that comes together quickly for weeknight meals. Combining browned ground beef with canned tomatoes creates a simple meat sauce to toss with pasta or serve over rice. Or turn them into savory casseroles, soups, skillet dinners and more.

Keep reading for 10 excellent recipes using ground beef and diced tomatoes as the base.

Quick Pasta Bolognese

For a fast weeknight pasta dish, browned ground beef, tomatoes, herbs and seasonings combine to make a simple meat sauce reminiscent of classic Bolognese.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1⁄4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 oz pasta

To make:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is soft. Drain excess fat.
2. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper.
3. Simmer 15 minutes to meld flavors.
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
5. Toss hot cooked pasta with Bolognese sauce to coat.

Serve with: Grated Parmesan cheese, basil leaves

Cheesy Ground Beef and Tomato Casserole

For this hearty bake, ground beef mingles with diced tomatoes, pasta and cheese to create a crowd-pleasing casserole.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 8 oz pasta like penne or rotini
• 2 cups shredded cheddar or Italian cheese blend

To make:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Brown ground beef with onion and garlic in a skillet. Drain excess grease.
3. Add diced tomatoes, pasta, 1 cup cheese and transfer to a greased 9×13 baking dish.
4. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
5. Bake 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with: Sour cream, green onion

Quick Taco Skillet

For taco night with half the effort, browned ground beef mixes with diced tomatoes, spices, beans and corn to create a fast taco filling for this skillet supper.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 8 small flour or corn tortillas
• Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.

To make:

1. Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Stir in taco seasoning and cook 1 minute.
2. Add black beans, corn and diced tomatoes. Simmer until heated through.
3. Warm tortillas according to package directions.
4. Serve taco skillet mixture in tortillas with desired toppings.

Serve with: Shredded lettuce, avocado, salsa

Italian Meatball Skillet

Instead of shaping into balls, turn ground beef into quick meat “sauce” by cooking with tomatoes, herbs and pasta.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 8 oz pasta like rotini
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

To make:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef with garlic and Italian seasoning, breaking up meat as it cooks.
2. Stir in diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
4. Add hot pasta to skillet and toss to coat in meat sauce.
5. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover until melted.

Serve with: Grated Parmesan, garlicky breadsticks

Beef and Tomato Stew

Transform ground beef and diced tomatoes into a cozy, hearty stew with veggies like carrots, potatoes and green beans simmered in a savory broth.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 potatoes, cubed
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 4 cups beef broth

To make:

1. In a large pot, cook ground beef with onion and garlic until beef is browned.
2. Add carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans and beef broth.
3. Simmer 20-30 minutes until veggies are tender.
4. Season stew with salt, pepper and other spices as desired.

Serve with: Crusty bread, cheddar biscuits

Sloppy Joe Skillet with Tomatoes

Ground beef, diced tomatoes and your favorite sloppy joe seasoning makes an easy, saucy skillet meal the whole family will love.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tbsp sloppy joe seasoning
• 1⁄4 cup ketchup
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 hamburger buns

To make:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef with onion.
2. Stir in sloppy joe seasoning, ketchup, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
3. Simmer 15 minutes til thickened.
4. Serve sloppy joe mixture piled high on buns.

Serve with: Potato wedges, coleslaw

Cheesy Ground Beef Tomato Soup

Quick cheesy tomato soup gets heartiness from ground beef and diced tomatoes simmered into the broth.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1⁄2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup small pasta like ditalini
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

To make:

1. In a large pot, cook ground beef with onion and garlic until beef is browned.
2. Stir in diced tomatoes, beef broth and Italian seasoning. Simmer 10 minutes to meld flavors.
3. Add pasta and cook 7-10 minutes until al dente.
4. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese just until melted.

Serve with: Cheesy garlic bread, Caesar salad

Easy Beef and Tomato Flatbread Pizzas

Pizza night made easy! Diced tomatoes, ground beef, cheese and seasonings top flatbread for quick personal pizzas.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1⁄4 onion, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 4 naan or flatbreads
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

To make:

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400°F.
2. In a skillet over medium-high, cook ground beef and onion til beef is browned. Drain excess grease.
3. Stir in diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Cook 2 minutes til heated through.
4. Top each flatbread with sauce mixture, cheese and other desired toppings.
5. Bake 5 minutes til cheese is melty.

Serve with: Ranch dressing, buffalo wings

Ground Beef Tomato Chili

Bursting with chili flavor, this hearty skillet chili uses ground beef, diced tomatoes and beans simmered with Mexican spices.

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• Chicken broth as needed

To make:

1. In a large skillet, cook ground beef with onion and garlic.
2. Stir in chili powder and cumin, cooking 1 minute.
3. Mix in beans, diced tomatoes and enough broth to reach desired consistency.
4. Simmer 15-20 minutes for flavors to develop. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with: Tortilla chips, shredded cheese, lime wedges

So next time you have ground beef and canned diced tomatoes on hand, look beyond the basic pasta sauce. Try one of these delicious recipes that transform humble ingredients into satisfying dinners.