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Ground beef is a versatile protein option that can be used to make quick and easy dinners with minimal ingredients. This is especially helpful during challenging times if you find yourself sheltering in place with millions of others around the World as we try to flatten the curve and come out on the other side of a pandemic.
Many of you may find yourselves cooking far more than you ever have with ingredients that you have on hand. My experience has been that it is much harder to come across chicken at the grocery store during times when shelves are often empty and essential ingredients are picked over. I don’t have any chicken in my freezer, and my last two attempts to get some from the grocery store have not been successful. However, I do have plenty of ground beef so I wanted to put together a list of my top five quick and easy ground beef recipes.
What can I use ground beef for?
Ground beef pairs perfectly with so many other ingredients like ground beef and potatoes, ground beef and rice, or even ground beef and broccoli. Ground beef is often an essential ingredient in casseroles and to make meatballs. It’s also perfect for making meatloaf and a variety of Italian dishes from spaghetti to stuffed shells.
What is the difference between ground beef, ground chuck, ground round and ground sirloin?
When you are shopping at the grocery store, you will see several different cuts of beef.
Ground round is beef that comes from the hind leg while ground chuck is meat cut from the shoulder. Ground round is a leaner while ground chuck has more fat and works well when you want delicious, juicy burgers.
Ground beef, also often referred to as hamburger meat is often the trimmings from the shank or brisket. It generally has about 25-30% fat content.
Ground sirloin is going to be the leanest of all the different types of ground beef and it comes with a higher price tag. Just be aware that because of it’s low fat content, it’s not ideal for making burgers because it tends to be dry and lack that juicy flavor everybody loves.
What should I make for dinner tonight?
Below you will find 9 quick ,easy and delicious recipes that you can make using ground beef. These are recipes that I come back to over and over again. Just last night my little guy and I made the mozzarella stuffed meatballs to go with spaghetti. He loved helping me form the meat mixture into meatballs. If you have kids, get them involved with making dinner! There is so much to learn in the kitchen and kids usually love to help.
Can I use ground chicken or ground turkey?
Wondering if you can sub ground chicken or ground turkey for these recipes? The answer is yes….but…
Yes! Most of the time ground turkey or ground chicken will work well. Just keep in mind that both ground chicken and ground turkey are leaner cuts of meat and because of that, they’re going to taste a bit dry compared to using ground beef. I do not recommend subbing chicken or turkey for my easy meatloaf recipe, or for any of the meatball recipes.
