13 Amazing Things to Make With 2 Pounds of Ground Beef

Ground beef is a dinnertime staple in many households. It’s budget-friendly, versatile, and satisfies meat cravings in endless recipes. But 2 pounds of ground beef is a lot for the average family meal. You may buy it on sale or receive it in bulk, then wonder — what can I make with 2 pounds of ground beef?

Luckily, this hearty meat lends itself to all kinds of easy, delicious dishes that stretch 2 pounds into multiple meals. Here are 13 amazing things to cook when you have 2 pounds of ground beef handy.

1. Meaty Chili

A big pot of chili is a perfect way to use up 2 pounds of ground beef. Brown the meat along with aromatics like onion and garlic. Add beans, tomatoes, spices, and broth or beer. Simmer until thick and rich. Top with cheese, sour cream, and scallions. Chili freezes beautifully, so enjoy some now and stash batches for later.

2. Hearty Lasagna

Lasagna happily absorbs massive amounts of meat and cheese between tender sheets of pasta. Brown the beef with garlic, herbs, tomato paste, and red wine for a Bolognese-style sauce. Layer the meaty ragù with noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. One pan of lasagna can easily use all 2 pounds of ground beef.

3. Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s pie is comfort food at its finest. Sauté the ground beef with carrots, peas, onions, herbs, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the filling into a baking dish, top with creamy mashed potatoes, and bake until bubbly. This protein-packed dish makes a wonderful family meal with a salad on the side.

4. Stuffed Peppers

Fill bell peppers with a savory stuffing of cooked ground beef, rice, onions, tomatoes, herbs, and cheese. Arrange the filled peppers in a baking dish and bake until hot and melty. The meat stretches to fill 4 large or 6 medium peppers. Enjoy some now and refrigerate or freeze the rest.

5. Bolognese Sauce

A slow-simmered Bolognese sauce has incredible depth of flavor. Cook the beef slowly with aromatics, white wine, tomatoes, cream, and warm spices like nutmeg and allspice. Toss the meaty sauce with pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan for a hearty meal. Freeze any extra sauce in batches.

6. Meatloaf

What better way to use 2 pounds of beef than an old-fashioned meatloaf? Mix the ground beef with bread crumbs, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and any veggies you like. Shape into a loaf, glaze with ketchup, and bake. Slices of hot meatloaf served with mashed potatoes make a classic blue plate special.

7. Beef and Broccoli

This takeout favorite is easy to make at home. Stir-fry marinated strips of flank steak with chunks of broccoli, onions, and garlic in a wok or skillet. Serve over rice with extra sauce on the side. Swap ground beef if you don’t have steak. Still delicious!

8. Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is shepherd’s pie’s heartier cousin, traditionally made with beef. Cook ground beef with onion, carrots, peas, and thyme until thick and saucy. Top with fluffy mashed potatoes and bake. Serve with Worcestershire or hot sauce for even more flavor.

9. Pasta Bolognese

A rich, long-simmered Bolognese sauce deserves to be served over fresh pasta. Use any shape pasta you like – tagliatelle, rigatoni, pappardelle. Toss the cooked pasta with your meaty sauce, adding a splash of pasta water. Top with shaved Parmesan or Pecorino cheese. Bellissimo!

10. Beef Empanadas

Empanadas make an amazing hot appetizer or snack. Fill dough rounds with cooked ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, spices, and hard-boiled egg. Fold the dough over and seal the edges with a fork before frying or baking. Serve warm with chimichurri sauce for dipping.

11. Cheeseburger Soup

Recreate the cheeseburger experience in soup form! Cook the beef with onions and garlic, then add to a seasoned broth with potatoes. Finish with milk, shredded cheddar, and your favorite burger toppings like pickles, tomatoes, and ketchup. Kids and adults alike will love this fun soup.

12. Beef Tacos

Ground beef is perfect taco filling. Brown the meat with taco seasoning mix or chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Serve in warm tortillas or taco shells topped with all the fixings – lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream. Easy to customize for kids’ or adults’ preferences.

13. Beef Stroganoff

Tender strips of beef simmered in a rich mushroom gravy – beef stroganoff is the ultimate comfort food. Use ground beef instead of stew meat. Serve over buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes to delight family or guests. A little goes a long way with this decadent dish.

With an arsenal of recipes like these at your disposal, you can transform 2 pounds of ground beef into an array of delicious dinners, lunches, or party foods. Get creative with spices, toppings, and sides to give each recipe your own unique twist.

Ground Beef Cooking Tips

Follow these tips for cooking ground beef to perfection every time:

• Remove beef from packaging and place in a colander to drain excess blood and juices before cooking. This prevents splattering.

• Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat thoroughly with a spoon or spatula as it browns. Cook until no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.

• Drain in a colander and blot with paper towels to remove excess grease if needed.

• Season cooked crumbled beef with generous pinches of salt and pepper. Garlic, onion, herbs and spices also boost flavor.

• For casseroles or pasta sauce, cook onions, carrots, and garlic first. Then add ground beef and cook together until beef loses pink color.

• When doubling recipes, use a very large skillet or cook beef in smaller batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

• Refrigerate cooked beef within 2 hours. Store beef dishes up to 3 days. Reheat fully when ready to eat.

With these handy tips and recipe ideas, you can put that 2 pound haul of ground beef to delicious use.