I'm a big fan of using ground beef for easy, filling, quick weeknight meals. A lot of the time, people just think of burgers, but it's way more versatile than that. Using the ground beef and a handful of store cupboard essentials, you can have something really tasty on the table in no time.

This roundup gives you lots of different options, from casseroles to skillet meals. It'd be amazing what you can do with that pound of ground beef. Give these a try.

1) Cheesy Ground Beef Taco Skillet

This cheesy ground beef taco skillet is straightforward to make. All you need to do is brown the beef to get as much color and flavor as you can, then add the onions, tomatoes, and taco seasoning. To keep this low-carb, use cauliflower rice instead of standard white rice.

It all cooks together in one pan, which means less cleanup.

That's always good in my book. I like to add shredded cheddar cheese on top, and then it melts. I like to make sure it's bubbling before I serve it up with my favorite taco sides, such as sour cream or guacamole.

2) Low-Carb Cheeseburger Casserole

This cheeseburger casserole gives you all the flavors you're looking for from a cheeseburger, minus the bun.

1. Always start off by browning your beef. You want to get it nice and browned for plenty of flavor.

2. Softening your onions and garlic, mix everything together with some cream cheese, mustard, and concentrated tomato paste.

3. All you need to do now is put it all together in a baking dish and top it off with some grated cheddar cheese.

4. Bake it at high heat until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

5. Serve this up with all the classics from your favorite burger, such as pickles or lettuce, and some sliced tomatoes.

A good thing about this one as well is that anything left over can be reheated for dinner the next day.

3) One-Pan Beef and Cauliflower Rice

Making this beef recipe using ground beef and cauliflower rice instead of standard rice.

Brown your beef well and add your cauliflower rice, peppers, garlic, and your favorite taco seasoning. This is all done in one pan, so everything mixes together. Perfect for weeknight cooking.

I like to finish this off with shredded cheddar cheese. You can play around with different cheeses, and some sliced green onions on top work well. If you don't have these, lots of chives are good too.

You can eat this as is, or you can add your favorite sides, such as salsa or even some good sour cream.

4) Stuffed Pepper Beef Skillet

This stuffed pepper beef skillet is like stuffed peppers minus all the hassle of stuffing. You brown the beef, then add your peppers and onion, along with some garlic. Throw in some crushed tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, and Italian seasoning.

Don't forget a good dose of shredded cheese. That all goes together in one pan.

You get all the flavors of stuffed peppers, and you don't have to have all the hassle of stuffing them. You end up with something a lot more rustic. I like to use red peppers when I make stuffed peppers, but you can use your favorite, such as green or yellow.

To keep this low-carb, serve it up on its own or with a side of cauliflower rice.

5) Zucchini Lasagna with Ground Beef

I'm a big fan of zucchini, and I like incorporating it into this lasagna with ground beef. Instead of using standard noodles or standard pasta, thin slices of zucchini are used to keep this low-carb.

The usual suspects are ground beef, some good tomato sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. The most important step is to salt your zucchini before assembling. This will help to remove all the excess water and stop your lasagna from turning soggy.

Assemble this in a baking dish and bake it for something that is tasty, low-carb dish that still gives you all the classic flavors of lasagna.

6) Keto Beef Enchilada Casserole

I love enchiladas, but one of the biggest problems is the wrap. If you are trying to follow a low-carb diet, try making this keto version with ground beef and your favorite taco seasoning, with some tomato sauce and green chilies. To keep everything low-carb, you can use sliced zucchini or, if you can find a low-carb tortilla, try using that.

Everything gets layered up and is then covered with shredded cheddar cheese and mozzarella. Assemble it all in the baking dish and give it a good 20 minutes in the oven until it's bubbling and golden brown. I want to finish this off with some chopped chives, and sometimes I use sour cream.

Sometimes even cottage cheese works.

7) Ground Beef and Green Bean Stir-Fry

I love a good stir-fry when I'm trying to eat low-carb, and using ground beef is one of my favorite proteins for this.

Brown your beef in a large pan, and then you can add frozen green beans along with some nice aromatics like garlic and ginger and a little soy. I like to make sure I add some toasted sesame oil too for an extra flavor boost.

Once your beef is browned, adding the frozen beans towards the end means that they can stay crisp and just need to be warmed through. I like to finish this off with sesame seeds.

8) Bunless Cheeseburger Lettuce Wraps

You will love these bunless cheeseburger lettuce wraps. It's a fun take on a cheeseburger, keeping it low-carb by using the lettuce as the bun.

Start by browning the beef and then adding your onions and spices. You can melt some cheddar cheese into this and add the mixture into the lettuce leaves. I want to top this off with some sliced pickles and tomato, with a little ketchup, to make it as much like a cheeseburger as possible.

My tip with these ones is to keep napkins nearby, as it can get messy.

9) Creamy Beef and Mushroom Skillet

Beef and mushrooms are a great combination, and I love this one-pan meal. Once the beef and mushrooms have browned, garlic and onion are added. Along with some good-quality beef broth and a little cream cheese, you quickly end up with a flavorful and saucy dinner.

I sometimes add a little smoked paprika to give just a hint of heat. To keep it low-carb, serve this over cauliflower rice or with your favorite green veg. You can add even more cheese on top at the end when it comes to serving.

This will help make it extra filling.

If you're going to use this as leftovers. Beware: this one tends to thicken as it cools down.

10) Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

Spaghetti squash bolognese has a flavorful, meaty bolognese sauce served over roasted spaghetti squash noodles. This delicious dinner recipe is gluten free and dairy free.

Recipe by Lindsey Jenkins, A Nourishing Plate

I love a good bowl of these, and this version keeps it low-carb so you don't miss out. Instead of using standard pasta, spaghetti squash noodles are used to keep this low-carb. It's also a great gluten- and dairy-free recipe.

If you don't want to use ground beef, you could also make this with ground turkey or even ground chicken.

11) Low-Carb Beef Taco Salad

This beef taco salad is not only low-carb but packed with flavor. Brown the beef along with some good-quality taco seasoning and serve it up with sliced lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado. Don't forget plenty of shredded cheddar cheese, a good dose of jalapeños, and sour cream.

The great thing about this is that even though we skip the tortilla chips to keep it low-carb, you still get all the satisfying flavors. Use your favorite salsa and fresh lemon or lime juice.

12) Ground Beef Egg Roll in a Bowl

Try this ground beef egg roll in a bowl. It's low-carb, and if you want to make this into a more filling meal, you can even add some cauliflower rice. Use garlic with fresh ginger and some soy sauce with the browned beef, and add a good helping of sliced cabbage and carrots.

I like to grate everything so you get a similar consistency. Everything cooks this way quickly, so be careful as the vegetables can turn soft.

I highly recommend finishing this off with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. It really does give a big punch of flavor. If you like extra spice, don't forget a good sprinkling of dried chili flakes.

13) Cheesy Beef and Broccoli Bake

Cheesy casserole-style bakes are a favorite of mine, and it's great to be able to have them in a low-carb version like this.

Combine your browned beef with some steamed broccoli and a straightforward cream sauce. I like to add plenty of garlic for extra flavor and lots of grated cheddar cheese to finish off on top. This all gets baked until the cheese melts and is bubbling and golden.

If you don't have fresh broccoli, you can also use frozen broccoli or even different green veg, whatever you have in the fridge.

14) Italian Beef and Zucchini Skillet

This one-pan skillet-style meal has an Italian feel to it. I like to use plenty of Italian seasoning to go with my browned beef and diced zucchini. The good thing about this is that the zucchini softens without turning to mush.

Simmer this skillet meal until everything thickens slightly, and then cover with a generous coating of mozzarella. I sometimes use mozzarella and Parmesan, and this gives a double-cheesy finish. My favorite way to have this is with some fresh salad on the side, but it works equally well on its own.

15) Keto Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower Mash

Try this keto shepherd's pie using cauliflower mash instead of potatoes.

The beef gets browned, and you add in some onions and garlic. A little concentrated tomato puree gives you your base. All you need to add then is some good-quality beef broth and your favorite dried herbs.

You can use thyme, or I sometimes use rosemary. Don't forget to add some low-carb vegetables. If using mushrooms, brown them first.

You can also use whatever frozen vegetables you have here too.

The star here is the topping: steamed cauliflower, mashed along with cream cheese and plenty of butter. Place that on top of the cooked beef and finish off with some grated cheddar cheese.

16) Beef-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Start off by scraping out the gills of the mushrooms. This way, you have plenty of space to fill them up with the tasty ground beef mixture. The ground beef mixture includes some onion, garlic, and some grated mozzarella.

Fill the mushrooms and bake until they become tender and the filling is bubbling. Don't forget to add the grated cheese on top for a bubbly, cheesy finish. I like to serve this up with my favorite green veg or even just a salad.

17) Ground Beef Fajita Bowls

Beef fajita bowls are great for low-carb diets: all the flavors of classic fajitas, minus the carbs.

Use some browned ground beef, then add some chopped or sliced peppers and onion, then your favorite seasonings, such as chili powder, ground cumin, garlic, and a little fresh lemon or lime juice. The vegetables cook alongside the ground beef in one pan. Perfect for weeknights.

Serve in a bowl as is or alongside cauliflower rice and your favorite fajita accompaniments, such as avocado or guacamole and sour cream.

18) Creamy Taco Soup with Ground Beef

This taco soup is another great choice when following a low-carb diet.

Brown your beef, then add some onions and a good helping of spices, such as your favorite taco seasoning. Add some chopped tomatoes, green or red chilies, and a good amount of beef broth, and let it come to a gentle simmer.

Finish this off with some cream cheese and some grated cheddar, melted directly into it to make a smooth soup. You can keep this mild or you can add extra chilies and taco seasoning to tailor it to your own tastes and spice level.

Keep reading

• 25 Ground Beef Dinners That Stretch One Pound
• Ground Beef and Egg Rice Bowls for an Easy Weeknight Dinner
• Crockpot Beef Recipes for Busy Weeknights