Ground Beef Freezer Meals
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Pulling from over a decade of food blogging and two cookbooks‘ worth of recipe development, we’re sharing the BEST simple and healthy ground beef freezer meals around. Be sure to save this list for meal prep next time ground beef goes on sale.
Our personal top picks are Stovetop Chili, Baked Italian Meatballs, and Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce.
Top 10+ Ground Beef Freezer Meal Recipes
Are you stocked up on ground beef? Then, give a few of these favorite freezer meals a try next time you want to knock out some meal prep. Every recipe includes directions for how to prep and freeze ahead.
Beefy Baked Ravioli
This fake-out lasagna is a dinner-time favorite in my home. Very easy to make, super filling, and is freezer friendly. My kids love this meal!
Crowd Pleaser Mexican Soup
This Mexican soup recipe never fails to please a crowd. It is one of my favorite recipes! Or try our very similar Crock Pot Taco Soup or Instant Pot Taco Soup.
Ground Beef Quesadillas
Easy, cheesy, and delicious! These beef quesadillas are a crowd-pleaser and come together fast! We give you step-by-step instructions plus instructions on how to prep them as a freezer meal.
Totally Tasty Taco Bar
This is a great idea for ground beef meal prep–use our Homemade Taco Seasoning and our delicious Taco Meat recipe to take your tacos to the next level.
To make this a freezer meal, simply cook the taco meat all the way through and freeze it. Now you have taco meat ready to eat anytime!
Cheesy Chive Burgers
There’s nothing quite like a big juicy homemade burger, eh? The fresh herbs, seasoning, and shredded cheese inside these Cheesy Chive Burgers take them over the top in taste and texture. With only 5 main ingredients, they come together fast for a weeknight meal.
Hearty Baked Penne Pasta
Delicious dinner recipe? Check. Makes a lot of leftovers? Check. Approved by all ages in the family? Check. Feeds a large group of people? Check. Easy to make? Check! I oftentimes just divide this recipe into two different 8×8 dishes. I make one that night and freeze the other before baking.
Super Sloppy Joes
A much healthier and tastier version of the canned stuff! To make it a freezer meal, fully cook and cool the Sloppy Joes. Freeze meat in an airtight container. To reheat, use one of our safe thawing methods.
Meatloaf Muffins
Here’s a twist on your average meatloaf recipe: Meatloaf Muffins! This easy dinner idea is freezer friendly and will find itself in your dinner rotation over and over again. It makes a great weeknight dinner or freezer meal for any family. Assemble abut do not bake. Then, wrap the muffin tin well with plastic wrap and a layer of foil and freeze.
The BEST Stovetop Chili
Need a down-the-pipe, great chili recipe? One that is made with pantry ingredients, is flavorful enough for adults, but not too spicy for kids? Our easy Stovetop Chili checks all the boxes and more.
Or try our Instant Pot Chili instead. It’s so good!
Smash Burgers with Secret Sauce
One of my favorite ways to make a burger. Can do it on the skillet or on the grill. Don’t leave off the secret sauce!
Crock Pot Taco Soup
Crock Pot Taco Soup is a hearty, comforting, and healthy soup is about to become your best friend! Make it for a weeknight family meal or when hosting a crowd. Or try our Instant Pot Taco Soup.
Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce
With a few simple ingredients, this hearty Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce couldn’t be easier or tastier! Serve over pasta, zoodles, or spaghetti squash for a delicious and healthy dinner. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and freezer-friendly. Here are 70+ Freezer Meals if you want more ideas.
Italian Burgers
Moist and packed with Italian flavor, these Mini Italian Burgers will impress anyone from guests to the youngest eaters in your house. Just patty them up and freeze them before grilling to make them a great freezer meal!
Baked Italian Meatballs
These meatballs are full of flavor. Our entire family loves them! Just double the recipe and freeze half of them for future lunches or dinners. They make such a great ground beef freezer meal! Not to mention how good they are on Meatball Subs.
Or try our Air Fryer Meatballs or Baked Meatballs with Sneaky Veggies instead.
Beef Burrito
This Beef Burrito recipe comes together fast and is a crowd-pleaser. Even better, these burritos can be prepped ahead for the freezer! They are the ultimate weeknight meal that you’ll make on repeat.
Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches
Craving a delicious and easy-to-make meal that the whole family will love? Look no further than these Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches. Made with a savory ground beef filling and melted cheese that is nestled between two slices of perfectly toasted sourdough bread, these sandwiches are a delightful twist on the classic Philly cheesesteak.
Cheeseburger Soup
This comforting, hearty, veggie-forward Cheeseburger Soup makes even the coldest winter nights warm and cozy. Serve for an easy weeknight meal or at your next group gathering.
Meatballs with Sneaky Veggies
These healthy baked meatballs are full of flavor, moist, and packed with nutrition thanks to the sneaky carrot, zucchini, parsley, and chives. Even the pickiest of eaters will love them! Serve with our Pesto Sauce or Marinara Sauce alongside your favorite pasta.
Taco Pie
Taco Pie (formally known as Burrito Pie) has layers of refried beans, taco meat and sauce, veggies, and cheese layered between whole wheat tortillas. Look no further for a hearty and tasty meal for the entire family.
Where to Get Grass-Fed Ground Beef
A recipe is only as good as the ingredients in it. This is why we continually nudge people to use high-quality, organic produce and meat if possible.
One EASY way to have humanely raised 100% grass-fed beef delivered to your door is through ButcherBox.
What is ButcherBox?
ButcherBox has high-quality meat delivered to your door… easy and convenient. They carry humanely raised 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, heritage breed pork, and wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon all free of antibiotics and added hormones.
FAQs About Ground Beef Meal Prep
The best way to store and save a freezer meal really depends on the recipe. The key, though, lies in preventing air from getting to the food. If you want more detail on how to properly freeze food, we have written a whole post about the 5 Best Ways to Package and Store Freezer Meals. All of the recipes below also give detailed freezing instructions.
Great question! There are 3 Safe Ways to Thaw Frozen Food that we recommend. Hint: One of them doesn’t involve the counter!
As tongue and cheek, “freezer cooking evangelists”, we are constantly sharing about the amazing benefits of freezer cooking to anyone who will listen.
Here are some of the top benefits of meal prep:
1. Freezer cooking saves money by buying in bulk and avoiding eating out.
Having a freezer meal cuts down on time in the kitchen by prepping meals with the same ingredients at one time. Browning ground beef? Chopping veggies? Making soup? Why not double or triple it and then utilize the freezer? You save time on prep and clean up.
2. Freezer cooking helps you eat wholesome, delicious meals at home regularly.
3. Having a stash of freezer meals reduces dinnertime stress while bringing your family together around the table. This is what freezer cooking is really all about!
Make 6 Dump-and-Go Freezer Meals in 1 Hour!
- Shopping & equipment lists
- Step-by-Step instructions & video tutorial
- Serving suggestions & dietary substitutions & more
When ground beef goes on sale, be sure to stock up and meal prep some of these freezer-friendly recipes in bulk. Your future self will thank you!
Thanks for putting all this information together in one place.
Here’s a question I’ve had for a long time about freezer cooking in general, and especially ground beef – is it ok to thaw frozen meat, make an uncooked meal (say, the burgers), and then refreeze? I always thought you had to cook meat to refreeze it. I typically buy meat frozen, from butcher box or similar because I agree it’s best to go grass fed if possible. I just always thought that way limited what I could do with cooking ahead/freezer meals. What are you thoughts or experience with this? Thanks!
This is an GREAT question. In our research for writing two freezer meal cookbooks, we learned from the USDA that it is safe to thaw and refreeze uncooked ground beef (any meat actually) as long as you pay attention to how long it is thawed. Once it’s thawed (before and after freezing), treat it like fresh meat in the fridge. You don’t want it to sit in the fridge for more than about 3-4 days total before cooking. Does that make sense?