High protein seems to be the new diet nowadays. Especially as we get older and start paying more attention to what we eat. Mince is one of those ingredients that makes sense to keep in the freezer because it's affordable, really versatile, and can turn into so many completely different meals.

A cottage pie one night, lasagna another, burgers or a chili. You're not eating the same thing over and over. You're just starting with the same ingredient.

Roger and Ben eat beef, so I cook mince for them quite a lot. Although I don't eat any red meat myself, I'll usually make my portion with some soya mince or lentils, depending on the dish. That's one of the advantages of these recipes.

Many of them are easy to adapt without having to cook two entirely separate meals. And because mince cooks relatively quickly, it's a useful option when the day has got away from you, and everyone is hungry and demanding dinner right away.

1) Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Skillet

I think a one-pan meal is always worth considering when you're cooking for a family. Especially when you don't want a mountain of washing up afterward. Rice also makes a little mince go so much further, which helps when you're feeding growing children and adults with different appetites.

I'd use leftover cooked rice here, if I had some in the fridge, adding it towards the end rather than cooking everything from scratch. Sometimes I even have rice frozen. It saves time and makes good use of something that might otherwise be forgotten.

For my portion, soy mince works well, and I'll add a handful of chopped spinach or grated zucchini to bulk up with veggies. The cheese is what makes this appealing to Ben, but you don't need to cover the entire pan. A little extra cheese goes a long way, especially if you let it melt properly before serving.

2) Classic Beef Taco Skillet

Taco flavors are so useful because you can change your meal without changing the basic filling. Roger and Ben can have theirs with tortillas, while I can use lettuce cups or serve mine over a bed of shredded cabbage. That means everyone gets something that suits them without me preparing three different meals.

I'd toast the cumin, paprika, and other spices in a pan and then I'd add the liquid. It's a small chef's trick that makes the flavor more rounded rather than tasting as though you've simply just stirred in a packet of seasoning.

I also keep lime wedges and chopped tomato on the table. A squeeze of lime at the end lifts the whole dish. If there's melted cheese involved, too.

If you have leftover filling, don't reheat it for tacos the next day. It makes a good topping for baked potatoes or a quick quesadilla.

3) High-Protein Beef and Bean Chili

Beans are doing a lot of useful work in chili. They add fiber and protein, make it stretch further, and give the sauce a better texture, I think. I prefer chili that has had enough time for the flavors to develop, even if the actual cooking time isn't that long.

If I'm using tin tomatoes, I let the sauce reduce rather than adding too much extra liquid. Watery chili is gross, particularly when you want to spoon it over rice or into a baked potato. Roger can have the beef version while I can make a pot of lentils and beans using the same spices.

Chili is also one of the better meals to freeze because it doesn't rely on pasta or potatoes to hold its texture. Freeze it in individual portions, label the containers, and you've got such a useful lunch or dinner waiting for you. And then I like to add fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime after reheating rather than freezing those flavors into the sauce.

4) Stuffed Pepper Ground Beef Casserole

Traditional stuffed peppers can be a bit fiddly when you're trying to get dinner ready, so turning the idea into a casserole, I think, is brilliant. You still get the peppers, mince, rice, and tomato flavors, but without having to stand each pepper upright and hope the filling stays where it belongs. I'd cut the peppers into reasonably sized pieces rather than chopping them too finely.

They should still have some texture after you've baked them. If you have peppers in different colors, even better, use them. But I wouldn't make a special shopping trip just to get all three.

Red peppers are normally sweeter, and the green ones have a more savory flavor.

For a lower-carb version, cauliflower rice can be used, which I normally do over regular rice. I'd keep an eye on the moisture because cauliflower does release a lot of water when it cooks. The casserole also reheats really well, so it makes it a sensible option for a night when everyone eats at a different time.

Especially those soccer evenings.

5) One-Pan Beef Enchilada Pasta

Pasta with enchilada flavors is such a good example of how you can borrow the best bits of one dish and then use them in another. You get that smoky tomato sauce and spices that come with the enchiladas, but pasta makes it feel familiar and easy to serve. I wouldn't go overboard with chili powder if Ben is eating it too.

You can always put hot sauce on the table for the adults.

One thing worth watching with any pasta is the amount of liquid. Different pasta shapes absorb different amounts, so follow the recipe as a guide and keep a little extra stock nearby rather than pouring in too much at the beginning. If the sauce looks more than you intended, a splash of hot stock will loosen it without making it taste diluted.

I'd keep the soy mints for my portion and keep the seasoning the same. It's a straightforward way to make one meal work for everyone.

6) Creamy Ground Beef Stroganoff

Stroganoff is one of those dinners I make when I want something that feels a little more special than ordinary meals without actually making a complicated dinner. Roger is a big fan of anything with creamy sauce, so this is definitely one that goes down well in our house.

I'm quite particular about the mushrooms, though. I want them properly cooked and full of flavor. They can't be pale little mushrooms floating about in the sauce.

If I have time, I'll brown them separately because I think it just makes such a huge difference.

For my portion, I normally use soy mince, and the mushrooms are so good in this that you don't miss having the beef in the sauce at all. I like stroganoff with pasta, but mashed potato is probably the best way to serve it because you get all that lovely sauce soaking in that mash. And don't boil the sour cream or cream too hard at the end.

I've done that before and ended up with sauce that looked rather sad and split. Keep the heat gentle, and it stays lovely and creamy.

7) Beef Burrito Bowls

Beef burrito bowls are easy to make, full of flavor, and endlessly customizable. This version skips the dairy but keeps everything you love: seasoned beef, tender rice, fresh toppings, and a creamy sauce that brings it all together.

Recipe by Lindsey Jenkins, A Nourishing Plate

Get the full recipe at A Nourishing Plate.

8) Shepherd’s Pie with Lean Ground Beef

First, because I went to chef school, I have to point out that if you're making it with beef, technically it's cottage pie. Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with lamb. I know most people use the names interchangeably, but it's one of those little things that sticks in your head when you've trained as a chef, and you've been drilled to remember.

I'm also a big fan of using leftover mashed potato for this. If I've made too much nut before, I'd much rather turn it into a cottage pie than have it sitting in the fridge until nobody wants it anymore. The filling needs to be rich and savory, but not swimming in gravy, otherwise you end up with a very sloppy pie.

For my portion, I make a base with lentils and soy mince, and then I cook it with carrots, onion, and gravy. And I promise you it tastes just like you're eating meat.

I also like making a big dish rather than a tiny one because it reheats really well. And then what I do is I just put them into little containers and freeze them. Also, I give the mashed potato on top rough ridges with a fork before baking, because you get those little crispy bits of potato, which are the best part.

9) Loaded Beef Nacho Casserole

Ben gets excited about this one because it feels like he's having nachos for dinner, even though I've made a proper meal out of it. I keep the beef mixture fairly thick because soggy nachos are one of my pet hates. I also resist putting everything on before it goes into the oven, like the avocado, fresh tomato, cilantro, and spring onion.

I'm much better at it afterward.

You get the hot, cheesy mints with the fresh, crunchy toppings rather than one big soft pile. For the boys, I'd make the beef version, and then I use soy mince for mine. Black beans are another good addition because they bulk it up and add protein without needing loads more meat.

And if Ben is eating it, I keep the actual mixture quite mild and let Rog and me add the hot stuff later, like the jalapeños or the hot sauce.

10) Greek Ground Beef Pita Bowls

I enjoy making these bowls. I just find them very comforting, light, and healthy. I like to make mints for my son and my husband; I'll make mine with some lentils or just some roasted chickpeas.

And then I like to make my tzatziki also. I use thick local Greek yogurt.

When you're making tzatziki, make sure that you squeeze the cucumber dry. Then you assemble it all together: lots of fresh mint, lemon, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and whipped feta if you want. You could swap the beef mince or lamb mince here; that would also go really nicely, and also add some olives and serve it with some pickled chilies on the side.

11) Beefy Cottage Cheese Lasagna

Lasagna is definitely a labor of love, but my husband really does enjoy this, so I do make it for him every now and again. And it is just your mince, which you just brown with some basil and oregano. I like to add nutmeg, fennel seeds, get it nice and brown, and then I also like to add a good passata here.

Then I also add some tomato paste.

Then it's just lasagna sheets and blended cottage cheese for that extra protein, and mozzarella and parmesan. I also sometimes like to add water spinach; it's also delicious with some roasted egg. And if you really want to add more protein, you can add an egg beaten into the cheese layer.

This is really good with some fresh rocket and shaved parmesan and even a nice garlic butter. And you could even make this the day before and then just leave it in the fridge, or you can make it in the morning and then cook it off. I would also blend the cottage cheese until smooth; one tip I can add here: definitely use no-boil sheets.

12) Skillet Beef Tamale Pie

When you make this skillet beef tamale pie, make sure you've got a really good oven-proof skillet. I've made this once, and it was an absolute disaster because I put my skillet in, and the handle melted. Anyway, everything comes together in that skillet, and then you bake until the topping is golden at the edges.

It's just really a base of mints and then black beans, charred tomatoes, and then you make that cornbread topping and then some kind of cheese that melts nicely. I like to flavor my mints with cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika, make that all nice and brown, and then I just top it with that cornbread batter and bake.

It's nice if you want to add; you can swap it out with polenta, and if you want that extra protein boost, you could serve it with some egg and yogurt with those in the toppings, and some extra beans. It's really good with some fresh avocado; you can make a lime yogurt and pickled jalapeños.

13) Ground Beef and Lentil Sloppy Joes

I think everyone enjoys a good ground beef sloppy joe. And this is quite nice also because of the added lentils. Lentils, I feel, just really stretch the mince, and they also add protein.

But when you're making this, make sure that you simmer all that liquid off because you don't want it to be soupy, because once it's in that bun, it can go really soggy.

And anyway, when I make this, I make my mince, and I cook that with some smoked paprika. I like to add mustard powder, garlic, cayenne, and then I add tomato paste, and I just let that go, and then I add my cooked brown lentils. This is also really delicious with some caramelized onion.

I think the best type of bun is a brioche bun; just make sure that you butter the bun and the inside and toast it.

14) Cheeseburger Protein Pasta

I make this for my husband and my son. I actually use macaroni, and then I make a cheese sauce, and I add extra cottage cheese or some kind of yogurt for extra protein. And then it's just the toppings that make it like a cheeseburger, I suppose, which are caramelized onions; you can add chopped gherkins and crispy bacon, and then you could also serve it with a salad on the side, a burger sauce, and some kind of pickles.

You could even toast some sesame seeds and sprinkle them over the top like a burger bun. Makes really good leftovers; just reheat with a splash of milk.

15) Beef and Sweet Potato Chili

Really easy to make and full of protein. This is beef and sweet potato chili. I fry off my mince with some cumin, cinnamon, smoked paprika, cocoa, and chipotle, and then I like to add my roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and a tin of chopped tomatoes, and then I just let that simmer for about an hour or so.

The kidney beans give it so much more protein, and then you can serve it with yogurt and pumpkin seeds on top. I like to sometimes add some baby spinach and some jalapeños. If you don't have sweet potato, you could use butternut; that also works quite well, and then you could serve it with rice.

Some fresh avo leftovers are delicious on some kind of mash or potato, like a roast potato, or you could be clever and you could turn this into soup by adding some stock.

16) Korean-Style Ground Beef Rice Bowls

I like to go super low-carb when I make these, so I use cauliflower rice instead of normal rice. And then it's mince, and then I cook it with some fresh ginger, fresh garlic, some toasted sesame seeds, some chili flakes, soy, brown sugar, gochujang, and then I like to finish it with lots of spring onion. Sometimes I'll add some sesame oil and some wilted spinach just for some color.

And if you want extra protein, you could add a fried egg, or you could serve it with some edamame beans. But this is delicious, of course, with pickled cucumber. If you can find some kimchi.

And lots of coriander.

17) Ground Beef Taco Stuffed Potatoes

A clever way to get extra protein into this is to mash some cottage cheese into those potatoes and then also add extra beans to your mince when you're making it. I like to make this nice and spicy. And I add black beans and cumin, smoked paprika, ancho chili, and then finish it off with some kind of smoked cheddar, and then some Greek yogurt on the side.

If you don't have normal potatoes, you can use sweet potatoes, and you can also serve this with some corn salsa and some guacamole. Finish in the oven, and then mash some of the flesh into the filling.

18) Beef and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I've learned the trick with making these beef and quinoa peppers is that you've got to pre-bake those pepper halves for about 10 minutes first. And the easiest way to assemble them is to actually stand them in a muffin tin.

Also, top tip here is you've got to rinse that quinoa well. But then I make my mince; I fry it off with some cumin, oregano, and I like to use sumac also and parsley. And it's also nice to use the tricolor quinoa.

Sometimes I'll add some sun-dried tomatoes and feta, baby spinach, and then I like to have some toasted pine nuts on top.

If you're looking for even more protein, you can add extra feta or white beans. If you don't have quinoa, no worries; you can use brown rice, and then serve this with something like a lemony chickpea salad or your homemade tzatziki. And if you can find some pomegranate seeds, they also go really nicely here.

19) One-Pot Beef Parmesan Pasta

Always a winner is this one-pot beef parmesan. Who doesn't love a one-pot wonder? Everything gets chucked into one big pot, and it's just so much less washing up.

I like to do this on a busy Tuesday when the boys have soccer, and it's just something I can make and forget about.

So you cook the pasta with the sauce and the beef. Just keep an eye on that pasta. You don't want it to go mushy.

And then, for extra protein, I add some ricotta and extra cheese. You can even use maybe some cottage cheese here. It's nice with some bread crumbs fried and garlic butter sprinkled over, but you don't have to go all out there.

Sometimes I'll also add some spinach just for some good color. And then you can serve this with some fresh ciabatta, garlic ciabatta, or rocket and lemon salad, but with a good dollop of olive oil.

20) High-Protein Beef Hamburger Soup

I make sure I brown my mince really nicely here, and I like to add a spoon of tomato paste just for depth. And then just cook your mince with some thyme, base, and smoked paprika. I like to add a little bit of mustard powder.

You can add extra red lentils with the broth just for extra protein, and then I cut baby potatoes and carrots to the same size, add them in, and then I let that cook down.

Then I add some white beans, and this is all in a homemade stock. You could add green beans if you like. If you don't have some beans, you can add barley or lentils and then serve these with some toasted cheese salamis and some dill pickles, and this is really delicious for leftovers the next day.

Just thin it out with a little bit of stock, and I also like to add some Worcestershire sauce at the end.

21) Ground Beef and Egg Breakfast Skillet

This is a brilliant breakfast to make when you've got leftover mince, and you need to find something to do with it. That's what I'll actually do: I'll intentionally make a big pot of mince the day before, and then I'll keep some aside, knowing that we're gonna make this for breakfast on Saturday. It's one of my husband's favorites.

Cook your mince with some smoked paprika, garlic powder, chives, and cumin, and then serve it with some crispy baby potatoes and roasted peppers, and then crack your eggs in there and cook it. I like to make little wells in that mixture so that the eggs can sit in there nicely. Sometimes I'll add some caramelized onion or something green, like wilted spinach.

And then you can have this with some cottage cheese on the side.

If you don't have normal baby potatoes, you can use sweet potatoes, and this is delicious with some sourdough toast and a really nice hot sauce on the side. Avocado, if you've got that, is also cool. You can add this; you can have some feta with this, or some chili oil.

22) Beef and Bean Enchiladas

An easy Friday night dinner to make is these beef and bean enchiladas. I will have mine just with the bean version, but I'll make the boys with the mince. And the flavors here are cumin, oregano, a little bit of cinnamon, and ancho chili.

Then we have some black beans in there, some red enchilada sauce, and then these really go really well with a smoked cheddar.

When you are making them, make sure you warm the tortillas so they don't crack. I've done this so many times when they've cracked; it's very annoying. And then also roll them seam side down.

Serve them with some lime yogurt, a hot sauce, or just Mexican rice, avocado, and pickled onions. And if you don't have flour tortillas, you can always use corn tortillas. And if you want extra protein, you can add cottage cheese to the filling, or even refried beans.

23) Cheesy Beef Cauliflower Bake

Another meal I like making when I've got leftovers is when I just chuck it all together, and it's become this cheesy beef cauliflower bake if I've got mince and then roasted cauliflower. I mix it all together with some cream cheese, some tomatoes, and then some mature cheddar on top. Sometimes I'll also add some spinach and some crispy bacon.

If you don't have cauliflower, you can also always use broccoli.

You must use roasted cauliflower, not steamed, because it'll make this all watery, and make sure you pat the florets; they're dry. And serve it with a rocket salad, some kind of bread, or you can even have it with some rice or salad. You could add eggs and cottage cheese to the sauce, and parmesan on top for extra protein.

24) Ground Beef Pizza Casserole

When I make this ground beef pizza casserole, I always undercook the pasta just slightly because when it goes back in the oven, it is gonna carry on cooking. And my husband has told me once before that he doesn't like overdone pasta. And then also pile the pepperoni on top for crispy edges.

We're gonna try and do Italian flavors here: basil, garlic, chili flakes. It's nice with some mushrooms; you can add some roasted peppers. If you wanted extra protein, you could use protein pasta, and then you can also have ricotta in the middle, laid in the middle.

This is delicious with some fresh rocket and some grated parmesan. And once it's out of the oven, let it sit for about 10 minutes.

25) Beef Kofta Meatballs with Tzatziki

We ate a lot of kofta in Turkey, and when I came back, I've been trying to perfect them. And a few things to note: roll them the day before. Also, make sure that you wet your hands to roll.

Squeeze the onion dry also, and don't overmix. It's just mince, and then it's with some cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika; I like to add sumac, and then grated onion, which of course must be dry, fresh parsley, breadcrumbs, and then egg.

And then you mix it all together, shape, bake, or you can pan-fry. It's totally up to you. And these are delicious; you can swap them with lamb mince, or you can even make them with chicken mince.

The textures are a little bit different because, of course, chicken mince doesn't have a lot of fat in it, but then serve it with some warm flatbread.

I like to make a tomato and cucumber salsa with some red onion, and then I add some vinegar, salt and pepper, a little bit of oil, and garlic. And it's also really nice. If you want your protein here, you can serve it with some yogurt, like making a yogurt tzatziki, or you can have it with a chickpea salad.

For leftovers, you can put it all into a pizza, and it's also really good with some fresh mint and pomegranate seeds.

26) Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry

A good way to use up some cabbage is to make this ground beef and cabbage stir-fry, and the two of them actually really go surprisingly well. Mince it, and then you cook it with some ginger, garlic, toasted sesame, white pepper, spring onions, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Then you add in your charred cabbage and carrots, and you just basically stir-fry fast.

If you've got a wok, that's even better.

And then serve it with some fresh chili and crushed peanuts. If you're looking for extra protein here, you can add a fried egg, or you can have it with some indamani or peanuts. If you don't have cabbage, you can always use coleslaw mix, which is basically cabbage, and then serve it with some jasmine rice, a crispy egg, and some chili oil on the side.

Yes, you should have a very hot pan here so that the cabbage chars; it just makes it all the better. If you've got chili crisp and crispy shallots, this also really lifts the whole dish.

27) Protein-Packed Beef Mac and Cheese

I've actually made this protein-packed beef mac and cheese this morning, and it's actually sitting currently in a cold oven. My husband's gonna be coming home late tonight, so this will be his dinner. I'll just literally just get that cheese nice and crisp now, and then he'll come back and then put some in a bowl and in the microwave.

How I made this was mince, and then I just cooked it normally, and then I cooked my macaroni, and I blended cottage cheese, so it was nice and smooth. Made my béchamel sauce; it's all cheese sauce, and then I just combined it all together.

I also added some grated cheese, mustard powder, and some smoked paprika, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Sometimes I like to add something green, so I might even do peas or grated zucchini. And if you really were looking for high protein, you can swap your normal pasta with protein pasta, and you can also whisk Greek yogurt into the sauce.

My husband will have this as is, but you could serve it just with a green, tangy green salad or some dill pickles. You can do this also with a breadcrumb crust. And yes, again, undercook that pasta slightly because it is gonna be cooking in there.

28) Beef and Pinto Bean Tortilla Soup

A very comforting bowl is this beef and pinto bean tortilla soup. It's really nice on a cold evening. This is also really nice the next day, so it normally goes with my husband to work.

And then you cook that in with some cumin, oregano, coriander, some chipotle sometimes, and then you add some pinto beans.

I like to add some canned tomato here, some stock; if I've got corn, I'll add it here, and then you just let that go. What's nice to do is blend a cup, and then you stir it back in just to thicken it. I think it's actually essential to do that, and then add lime at the end.

If you've got a little bit of dark chocolate, you can add it here also.

And then serve it with some crushed tortilla chips and avocado salsa; you can add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.

29) Ground Beef Mushroom Gravy over Mashed Potatoes

I normally find myself making this one when I've got mushrooms that need to be used. So I brown the mushrooms in batches because, if you do it all together, of course, you know, they all just steam and lose all their flavor. And then I thicken it with a cornflour slurry.

You can totally make the gravy ahead of time. You can also even freeze this gravy, and sometimes I do. And then, when there's mince in the fridge and I don't know what to do, this is what my husband is having.

So it's mince with some thyme, salt, and pepper. I like to add Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, and then your mixed mushrooms, which is your gravy, and then I also like to add caramelized onion here. Stock, and the protein boost here is that you can make mash and then add it with yogurt, or you could make it with smooth cottage cheese.
You could also add lentils to the gravy. If you are avoiding carbohydrates, you could make a cauliflower mash, and it is delicious with some kind of buttered green beans, or you can make honey-roasted carrots.

I like to also add a splash of brandy to the gravy. If you've got leftovers of this, you could make a nice pie.

30) Beef and Broccoli Noodle Skillet

When you make this beef and broccoli noodle skillet, make sure that you blanch your broccoli, and then you put it in a cold bath so it keeps its color. It must stay green. I like to use tenderstem broccoli here.

I think it just goes nicely.

And then mince, I cook my mince up with some ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and chili flakes. I also like to add five spice here. And then I also sometimes add red peppers or any veg that needs using, really.

And then you have it with some kind of noodles. You can have it with egg noodles; you can have it with rice noodles. You don't even have to have it with noodles; you can have it just as is.

If you're looking for that extra protein, you can add a fried egg, serve it with some crispy shallots or some chili oil or just coriander, and this makes nice leftovers. You can eat it cold the next day. I actually always make a big batch, so then it goes to work with my husband.

Keep reading

• Low Carb Ground Beef Recipes for Easy Weeknight Dinners
• 26 Ground Beef Dinners That Stretch One Pound
• Ground Beef and Egg Rice Bowls for an Easy Weeknight Dinner