38 Ground Beef Recipes to Make in Your Slow Cooker
38 Ground Beef Recipes to Make in Your Slow Cooker
Read Time: 18 mins
38 Ground Beef Recipes to Make in Your Slow Cooker
sour cream and jalapenos for a full-flavored meal
sour cream and jalapenos for a full-flavored meal. If you’re going beyond ground beef, we have more slow-cooker beef recipes for soul-warming meals. 3/38 Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joes 20 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 4 hours 15 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Slow cook your way to a crowd-pleasing entree! Ground beef is transformed into classic slow-cooker sloppy joes with just a few pantry staples. —Joeanne Steras, Garrett, Pennsylvania A classic sloppy joes recipe made with ground beef, onions and green pepper is the epitome of Crockpot cooking. If you want to make it
a little lighter, use ground turkey
a little lighter, use ground turkey. In addition to soft rolls, have extras like sweet pickles, onions and more for toppings. 4/38 Slow-Cooker Quinoa Chili 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Slow-Cooker Quinoa Chili Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 4 hours 25 min Servings 10 servings (3-3/4 quarts) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This recipe turned my husband into a quinoa lover. I made it the day he got good news on a new job, and we’ll always remember how excited we were as we ate this beautiful meal. —Claire Gallam, Alexandria, Virginia Quinoa adds extra
protein and nutrients to this ground beef and bean chili
protein and nutrients to this ground beef and bean chili. Want to make it vegetarian? Omit the beef! Amp up the spice if you like things even hotter, and keep cooling sour cream along with other toppings close by. 5/38 Cabbage Rolls 34 Reviews Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rolls Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 55 min Servings 6 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: It was an abundance of dill in my garden that led me to try this. My family liked the taste so much that, from then on,
I made my old-fashioned cabbage rolls recipe with dill
I made my old-fashioned cabbage rolls recipe with dill. This is how to make easy cabbage rolls. – Florence Krantz, Bismarck, North Dakota 6/38 Hamburger Stew 104 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Favorite Hamburger Stew Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 20 min Servings 16 servings (4 quarts) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I got this hamburger stew recipe from a woman at our church, Lois Henry, when I needed a way to use up our bounty of home-canned tomatoes. My husband loves it, and I like that it’s easy to warm up for a
carefree dinner in the winter months
carefree dinner in the winter months. —Marcia Clay, Truman, Minnesota 7/38 Slow-Cooker Enchiladas 89 Reviews Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Slow-Cooker Enchiladas Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 5 hours 30 min Servings 4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: As a busy wife and mother of two young sons, I rely on this handy recipe for slow-cooker enchiladas. I layer enchilada ingredients in the slow cooker, turn it on and forget about it. With a bit of spice, these hearty enchiladas are especially nice during the colder months. —Mary Luebbert, Benton, Kansas You can use
either flour or corn tortillas in this layered slow-cooker enchilada recipe
either flour or corn tortillas in this layered slow-cooker enchilada recipe. To make it even easier, mix in enchilada sauce instead of the tomatoes, chiles and spices with the ground beef. Once you’ve mastered this, you can make other slow-cooker Mexican foods, like tostadas, chicken mole and more. 8/38 Slow-Cooker Spaghetti & Meatballs 34 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Slow-Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 5 hours 50 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and this dish is still one that guests request frequently.
It is my No. 1 standby recipe and also makes amazing meatball sandwiches
It is my No. 1 standby recipe and also makes amazing meatball sandwiches. The sauce works for any type of pasta. —Jane Whittaker, Pensacola, Florida The best meatballs are held together by breadcrumbs and a little bit of egg. When you put these beefy meatballs in the slow cooker, they become even more flavorful and tender. Serve with penne or ziti, or any pasta shape. Leftovers? Meatball subs, of course! 9/38 Cincinnati Chili Dogs 7 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 4 hours 20 min Servings 10 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: My in-laws are from Ohio,
so we have Cincinnati chili at many of our family gatherings
so we have Cincinnati chili at many of our family gatherings. I spiced up this family classic with cinnamon and cocoa powder and then ladled it over hot dogs. It’s perfect for game day, tailgates and potlucks. —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan You don’t just cook the chili in the slow cooker, but the hot dogs too! Add them toward the end of cooking so they become infused with the sweet Cincinnati chili flavors. Then ladle a lot more chili over the dogs in buns, top with onion and cheese, and watch them quickly disappear. 10/38 Corny Chili 9 Reviews Test
This is so delicious and simple that I had to share it
Kitchen Approved Total Time 3 hours 20 min Servings 6 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This is so delicious and simple that I had to share it. I’m sure busy moms will be just as happy as I am with the taste and time-saving convenience of this pleasant chili with corn. —Marlene Olson, Hoople, North Dakota Dump everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and come home to a richly flavored beef chili that deserves all the best toppings, like cheese, onion, sour cream and jalapenos. Check out some of our other slow-cooker chili recipes for
more ideas
more ideas. 11/38 Meat Loaf Burgers 11 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 7 hours 15 min Servings 6 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: These hearty meat loaf sandwiches are delightful for potluck dinners. Served on hamburger buns, the beefy patties get extra flavor when topped with the seasoned tomato sauce. —Peggy Burdick, Burlington, Michigan To make these tasty burgers, layer beef patties over onions in the slow cooker and let them cook for hours in a flavorful tomato sauce. All of it—sauce, onions and burger—goes right on the bun. Have another pound of meat waiting in
Use it in one of our other best ground beef recipes
the wings? Use it in one of our other best ground beef recipes. 12/38 Spicy Goulash 11 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Spicy Goulash Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 5 hours 55 min Servings 12 servings (3 quarts) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Ground cumin, chili powder and a can of Mexican diced tomatoes jazz up my goulash recipe. Even the elbow macaroni is prepared in the slow cooker. —Melissa Polk, West Lafayette, Indiana This easy goulash recipe needs nothing more than a few pantry staples and spices, like canned tomatoes, beans, cumin and chili powder.
You don’t even cook the macaroni first—it goes in dry and comes out delicious
You don’t even cook the macaroni first—it goes in dry and comes out delicious. 13/38 Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole 7 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 4 hours 20 min Servings 10 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This simple casserole is an easy dinner for both you and the kids. Serve with carrot and celery sticks for a fuss-free feast. You can also stir in some spicy brown mustard if the adults want a bit more zing. —Laura Wilhelm, West Hollywood, California Kids and adults will love this easy slow-cooker casserole. Want to make it a
more balanced meal?
more balanced meal? Serve with fresh vegetables like carrots and celery sticks or a big leafy salad. 14/38 Peppered Meat Loaf Test Kitchen Approved Peppered Meat Loaf Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 6 hours 30 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I came up with this easy dinner one day while experimenting in the kitchen. Everyone who tries it, loves it! —Laura Burgess, Mount Vernon, South Dakota By putting big potato wedges in the bottom of the slow cooker before this hearty meat loaf, the wedges absorb some of the flavor from
the meat and sauce
the meat and sauce. If you don’t want to add sausage, consider plain ground pork or more beef if it’s what you have. 15/38 Cuban Picadillo 2 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 5 hours Servings 8 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Most of the traditional recipes out there have numerous variations. Picadillo is no exception. This is my take on the Cuban classic. For added convenience, I adapted it for the slow cooker.—Sanford Brown, Big Pine Key, Florida There are many variations of picadillo, a Cuban ground beef dish with tomatoes, spices, capers, olives and raisins.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
Want to make it vegetarian?
Answer coming soon. We are working on detailed responses to this common question.
Have another pound of meat waiting in the wings?
Answer coming soon. We are working on detailed responses to this common question.
Want to make it a more balanced meal?
Answer coming soon. We are working on detailed responses to this common question.
Need more quick and easy dinner ideas?
Answer coming soon. We are working on detailed responses to this common question.
Elaine Priest, Dover, Pennsylvania Leftovers?
Answer coming soon. We are working on detailed responses to this common question.
Want to turn it into soup?
Answer coming soon. We are working on detailed responses to this common question.
⭐ Expert Tips
-
Include seasonal or trendy variations to keep your meals exciting.
-
Highlight prep shortcuts or time-saving techniques for busy cooks.
-
Consider dietary restrictions and include substitution suggestions.
✅ Key Takeaways
-
These dinner ideas are perfect for impressing guests or enjoying special occasions.
-
Choose recipes that match your skill level and available kitchen tools.
-
Presentation and taste both contribute to a memorable dining experience.
📣 Join Our Community
Want more inspiration like this? Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly dinner ideas and cooking tips!