What can I make with ground beef and onion?
Ground Beef and Onion is the ingredient most weeknight dinners get built around, and it rewards a little technique more than a long ingredient list. Below are recipes from our library that use ground beef and onion, followed by the browning, temperature, and storage notes that make the difference between a good result and a grey one.
12 recipes with ground beef and onion
Smash Burger
Thin, ultra-crispy burger smashed on a hot griddle.
American10m4Smashed Cheeseburger
Thin, crispy-edged beef patties with American cheese on a toasted bun.
American20m4Sloppy Joes
Sweet-tangy saucy ground beef piled on soft buns.
American25m6
Patty Melt
Griddled rye sandwich with beef patty, caramelized onions, and Swiss.
American35m4Stuffed Bell Peppers
Bell peppers baked with a beef, rice, and tomato filling.
American45m6
Japchae
Chewy sweet potato noodles tossed with beef and vegetables.
Korean50m6Empanadas
Flaky pastries stuffed with spiced beef.
Argentine50m6
Classic Beef Chili
Hearty American chili with beans and warm spices.
American60m6Swedish Meatballs
Tender meatballs in a rich creamy sauce, served with lingonberry jam and pickled cucumbers.
Scandinavian60m4Classic Cottage Pie
A traditional British dish made with ground beef and vegetables, topped with a layer of mashed potatoes.
British70m6
Massaman Curry
Rich, mildly spiced curry with beef, potatoes, and peanuts.
Thai105m6Beef Pho
Vietnamese noodle soup with star anise broth and rare beef.
Vietnamese180m6
How to cook ground beef and onion so it stays tender
- 1Pat the ground beef and onion dry and salt it 15-40 minutes ahead. Dry surface means browning instead of steaming.
- 2Preheat the pan until a drop of water skitters, then add a thin film of oil. Crowding the pan is the number one reason ground beef and onion turns grey.
- 3Brown in a single layer without moving it for 2-3 minutes per side, then build the sauce in the same pan so the browned bits dissolve into it.
- 4Cook to temperature, not time: 160F for ground meat, 130-135F for a medium-rare cut, then rest 5 minutes before slicing.
What goes well with ground beef and onion
Ground Beef and Onion is at its best with onion, garlic, tomato, potato, paprika and red wine. Any two or three of those, plus ground beef and onion, is already a dinner rather than an ingredient list.
Storing ground beef and onion
Keep raw ground beef and onion on the bottom shelf of the fridge and use it within 1-2 days, or freeze it flat in a bag for up to three months. Cooked leftovers keep 3-4 days and reheat best with a splash of stock in a covered pan rather than in the microwave.
Substituting ground beef and onion
If you are out of ground beef and onion, look for something that behaves the same way in the pan rather than something that tastes the same. Match the moisture level, the cooking time, and the richness, and adjust the liquid slightly if your substitute releases more water. When in doubt, describe what you actually have in the chat and Mr. Chef will rewrite the recipe around it.
Ground Beef and Onion recipes: common questions
- What can I make with ground beef and onion and not much else?
- Plenty. With ground beef and onion plus an onion, garlic, oil, and salt you already have the base of a skillet dinner, a soup, or a simple sauce. Add a starch - rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes - and it becomes a full meal. The recipes above are ordered so the ones needing the fewest extra items come first.
- What is the quickest ground beef and onion recipe?
- Look for the entries above marked 20 minutes or less. As a rule, anything cut small and cooked in a hot pan beats anything roasted whole, and one-pan recipes save more time in cleanup than in cooking.
- Can I substitute ground beef and onion?
- In most recipes yes, as long as the replacement plays a similar role - similar moisture, similar cooking time, similar richness. Swapping across roles (a watery vegetable for a starchy one, for instance) usually needs a change in liquid or cooking time too.
- How do I use up leftover ground beef and onion?
- Fried rice, a frittata, a grain bowl, a soup, or a quesadilla will absorb almost any leftover ground beef and onion without a recipe. If you want something specific, tell Mr. Chef exactly what is in the fridge and it will build a recipe around it.
- What temperature should ground beef and onion be cooked to?
- Use an instant-read thermometer rather than timing: 165F for poultry, 160F for ground meat, 145F for whole cuts and fish, all measured at the thickest point away from bone. Rest larger cuts for five minutes before cutting.