Ground beef is one of the most flavorful, versatile, and inexpensive proteins you can use.
It’s also a great meal prep ingredient because it keeps well in the fridge (and lots of ground beef recipes can be freezer-friendly, too).
That’s why in this post, I’m sharing a roundup of ground beef meal prep recipes and that you can add to your menus for nutritious and delicious meals. Most of these meal prep ideas are quick and easy recipes.
10 Ground Beef Meal Prep Ideas
Basic B Chili with Spicy Cauliflower Rice
366 calories
Ingredients
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
1 cup Canned, diced tomatoes – 50 calories
1 Carrots, whole, medium – 25 calories
¼ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half – 4 calories
¼ Onion, yellow – 13.75 calories
2 Tbsp Cheese, Parmesan, grated (Tbsp) – 50 calories
1 cup Cauliflower rice, raw (already riced) – 38 calories
1 Cumin, dash – 0 calories
1 Chili seasoning, dash – 0 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: This recipe works best when making 2-3 servings at once.
Step 2: Dice carrot, onion, and celery.
Step 3: Spray a pan with an oil spray. Stir fry beef on medium heat 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.
Step 4: While beef is cooking, spray a pot with an oil spray. Cook carrots, onion, and celery for ~6-7 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Add in tomatoes and beef to the pot with the veggies. Add in cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, red pepper flakes.
Step 6: Cook pot’s contents on low heat for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 7: While chili is cooking, clean the ground beef pan and spray it again with an oil spray. Stir-fry cauliflower rice for 7-8 minutes on medium heat, or until you see some browning.
Step 8: Add in Parmesan cheese, cumin, and chili powder.
Step 9: Top cauli rice with chili and serve.
Step 10: If you want to add a little cilantro and/or sliced jalapeno please do!
Note: No cheese? Use a dairy-free cheese, top chili with a little avocado, or use oil instead of an oil spray.
Veggie & Ground Beef Pesto Hash
463 calories
Ingredients
1 cup Corn, canned – 125 calories
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
1 Zucchini, medium – 33 calories
2 Tbsp Pesto (Tbsp) – 120 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Dice zucchini.
Step 2: Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Step 3: Add zucchini, drained corn, and ground beef to the pan.
Step 4: Stir fry for ~10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the ground beef has cooked through.
Step 5: Add in the pesto and seasoning and let simmer another 1-2 minutes.
Note: No dairy? Use dairy-free pesto, available at most stores, or oil.
Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers with Brown Rice
444 calories
This is one of my favorite healthy ground beef meal prep recipes.
Ingredients
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
1 cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 7 calories
½ cup Rice, brown, cooked – 120 calories
½ cup Tomatoes, canned, crushed – 25 calories
1 Bell pepper, green – 27 calories
⅔ Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 79.73 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Step 2: Add oil to pan (0.67 Tbsp = 2 tsp). Stir fry meat until no longer pink, on medium heat ~8 minutes.
Step 3: Cook rice as instructed on package.
Step 4: Mix turkey, spinach, rice, tomatoes, and seasonings in a bowl.
Step 5: Cut off top of pepper.
Step 6: Add turkey, spinach, rice, and crushed tomatoes to bell pepper.
Step 7: Bake in a small oven-safe dish, like a ramekin, for 25 minutes.
(Ground) Beef & Broccoli
323 calories
Ingredients
2 cups Broccoli, frozen – 62 calories
3 oz Ground beef, 85% lean, raw – 213 calories
1 Tbsp Sesame seeds (Tbsp) – 18 calories
2 Tbsp Soy Ginger sauce – 30 calories
1 tsp Garlic, minced (tsp) – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Spray a pan with an oil spray. Add in garlic. Stir fry beef and broccoli for 5-6 minutes.
Step 2: Remove broccoli & cut into small pieces. Add back into pan. Stir fry for another 3-4 minutes.
Step 3: Add in sauce.
Step 4: Top with sesame
seeds when ready to eat.
Notes: No soy ginger sauce? Use soy sauce. Fresh or frozen broccoli can be used here – whatever you have! Also, if you have another % lean meat, that is also fine, use what you have.
Tri-Veggie Power Bowl
466 calories
If you’re making this recipe for easy ground beef meal prep, add the dressing before you start eating the dish, don’t add it when meal prepping.
Ingredients
½ cup Cabbage, shredded – 11 calories
1 cup Carrots, shredded or julienned – 45 calories
½ Bell pepper, red – 18.5 calories
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
¼ Avocado, small – 58.25 calories
2 Tbsp Creamy dressing (e.g. ranch), regular (more than 50 calories per 2 tbsp) – 148 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
1 Taco seasoning, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Slice pepper into small strips, dice avocado.
Step 2: Spray a pan with an oil spray, and stir fry ground beef on medium heat until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Mix in taco seasoning (add as much as you like!).
Step 3: Add veggies, avocado, and ground beef to a bowl.
Step 4: Top with creamy dressing (I used ranch) and salt & pepper.
Note: No dairy? Use oil & vinegar, or dairy-free creamy dressing.
Stuffed Pepper Skillet
507 calories
Ingredients
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
½ Bell pepper, orange – 12 calories
½ Bell pepper, yellow – 25 calories
½ cup Canned, diced tomatoes – 25 calories
½ Onion, yellow – 27.5 calories
½ cup Cauliflower rice, raw (already riced) – 19 calories
¼ cup Cheese, Mexican, shredded – 114 calories
1 tsp Avocado oil (tsp) – 41 calories
¼ Avocado, small – 58.25 calories
1 Cumin, dash – 0 calories
1 Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Tbsp Parsley, fresh – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Dice onion, peppers, and avocado.
Step 2: Add oil to a pan, then add in your meat and onions.
Step 3: Stir fry on medium heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Step 4: Add in your peppers, cauliflower rice, tomatoes, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, and cumin.
Step 5: Stir fry another ~10 minutes on low-medium heat.
Step 6: Top with cheese and cover your pan so the cheese melts.
Step 7: Top with fresh parsley and avocado, and enjoy!
Note: No dairy? Top with more avocado.
Low Carb Lasagna
456 calories
Ingredients
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
4 oz Hearts of palm noodles, lasagna shape – 20 calories
½ cup Tomatoes, canned, crushed – 25 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, Parmesan, shredded (cups) – 111 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, Parmesan, grated (cups) – 115 calories
½ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories
1 Basil, dash – 0 calories
1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Note: this recipe works best when making 3+ servings at once
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Step 2: Spray a pan with an oil spray
Step 4: Stir fry ground beef until cooked through, about 6 minutes
Step 5: Mix in garlic salt, basil, oregano, and tomatoes
Step 6: Rinse and drain hearts of palm lasagna noodles
Step 7: Spray a casserole dish with an oil spray
Step 8: Layer in lasagna noodles, meat sauce, cheeses, and then that sequence again until you have no more ingredients
Step 9: Bake for 20 minutes, serve hot
Note: No hearts of palm lasagna noodles? Use hearts of palm “spaghetti” or cauliflower rice instead
Easy Italian Wedding Soup
510 calories
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 119 calories
2 cups Broth, chicken or beef (cups) – 70 calories
½ Carrots, whole, medium – 12.5 calories
½ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half – 8 calories
1 cup Leafy greens, kale, raw – 15 calories
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
1 Basil, dash – 0 calories
1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories
½ cup Pasta, cooked – 100 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Cook pasta as instructed on package.
Step 2: Dice carrots and celery.
Step
3: Add oil to pot. Stir fry beef, carrots, and celery, until beef is no longer pink, ~8 minutes, on medium heat.
Step 4: Add in broth, kale, pasta, and seasonings. Set heat to low. Simmer at least 5 minutes.
“Dirty” Cauli Rice
407 calories
Ingredients
2 cups Cauliflower rice, raw (already riced) – 76 calories
¼ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half – 4 calories
¼ Bell pepper, red – 9.25 calories
¼ Onion, yellow – 13.75 calories
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 119 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Paprika, dash – 0 calories
1 Cumin, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Dice celery, peppers, and onion.
Step 2: Add oil to pan.
Step 3: Stir fry veggies on medium heat, ~4 minutes.
Step 4: Add in beef for another 4-5 minutes, stirring until no longer pink.
Step 5: Add cauli rice for another 5 minutes, stirring the beef and rice and veggies, until you see some browning.
Step 6: Top with seasonings.
Enchilada Casserole
343 calories
Ingredients
1 cup Frozen spinach – 38 calories
4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 112 calories
1 tsp Hot sauce (tsp) – 0 calories
⅛ cup Salsa verde – 8 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2: This recipe works best when making 2-3 servings, so double or triple the ingredients if you’re making multiple servings at once. Grocery lists are always correct with total ingredient amounts.
Step 3: Spray a pan with an oil spray. Stir fry beef and spinach until beef is no longer pink and spinach has heated through. Drain away any excess liquid.
Step 4: Spray casserole dish with an oil spray.
Step 5: Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add to the casserole dish.
Step 6: Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese has melted.
Note: No dairy? Use a dairy-free version. Other notes: If you have enchilada sauce, use that instead of regular hot sauce. If you don’t have salsa verde, use regular salsa.
You can use all of those recipes for meal prep with ground beef (or you can make them the day you’ll be eating them). If you prefer ground turkey, here are some ground turkey meal prep ideas. And if you’re trying to up your protein intake, here are some high-protein meal prep ideas.
