Ground beef has long been a favorite of frugal cooks. Here are some easy recipes to help stretch your grocery dollars.

Easy Recipes for Ground Beef

From meatballs to hamburgers on the grill, ground beef is a favorite among frugal cooks.  Not only is ground beef less expensive than other cuts of beef, it can easily be stretched by using it in casseroles, or mixing it with less expensive ingredients, to create more meals for less dollars.

>Meatloaf is the frugal ground beef classic. Find a basic meatloaf recipe and more in Simple Meatloaf Recipes: Classic to Exotic. Many ideas are suggested to add variety to the basic meatloaf, but meatloaf does not have to be a loaf either. Mix up some of your favorite ingredients and shape the mixture into balls and bake for meat balls, or shape into patties and grill or fry for hamburgers. No matter how you shape it, the result will be a delicious and frugal meal.

Need more ideas? Here are a few more easy and frugal ground beef recipes:

Cabbage Roll Casserole

This is a perfect recipe for those who like the taste of cabbage rolls, but not the time involved in making them. This recipe also is a good way to sneak cabbage into the family menu.

1 ½ pounds ground beef (or you can use ½ sausage)
½ head of cabbage
1 onion
2-8 ounce cans tomato sauce
½ cup uncooked rice
1 cup broth
salt and pepper

Brown the meat with the onion and drain. Shred the cabbage and mix in a casserole dish with tomato sauce, rice, broth and salt and pepper. Add the meat. Cover and bake at 250°F for one hour remove cover and stir the casserole. Recover and bake for another 20 minutes or until the rice is done.

Crock Pot Mexican Lasagna

A great meal for a busy day. Throw it in and let it cook. Serve with rice, guacamole and tortilla chips. 

8 corn tortillas
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz sour cream
2 C black bean salsa (or drain and mix 1 can black beans with 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies)
1 pound ground beef
½ onion chopped

Brown the ground beef and the onion. Drain the fat. Spray crock pot with non-stick spray. Lay two tortillas in the bottom. Spread ⅓ of sour cream on top of the tortillas. Spoon on ⅓ of the black bean salsa and ¼ of the cheese. Repeat layers. End with tortillas topped with remaining cheese. Cook on low for four hours or more.

Homemade Sloppy Joe

These are so easy to make from scratch. I can’t believe I ever bought the canned sauce! We like our sloppy joes topped with cheese, pickles or coleslaw. 

1/2 C minced onion
1/2 C chopped green pepper
2 TB butter
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 C mushrooms (optional)
2-4 TB catsup
salt and chili powder to taste

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Sauté onion and green pepper until tender. Add the meat and brown. Drain the grease. Add mushrooms, ketchup and seasoning. Cook uncovered, for five minutes. Serve on buns.

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