Ground Beef Meal Prep: 10 Freezable Recipes
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When it comes to ground beef meal prep, we’re here to share the BEST freezer meals because you need them pronto for your busy, hungry, growing family.
Pulling from 11 years of food blogging and two cookbooks’ worth of recipe development, we’ve rounded up what we think are the top 10 ground beef meal prep recipes you should try. Let’s do this!
Where to Get Ground Beef You Can Trust
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.
Ground Beef Meal Prep: Top 10 Freezer Meals
Are you stocked up on ground beef? Then, give a few of these favorite freezer meals a try. Every recipe includes directions for how to prep and freeze ahead.
1. 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.
2. Cheesy Chive Burgers
These burgers are the bomb. They are an incredibly easy grilling recipe, a great recipe for a crowd, AND a fabulous freezer meal. Just patty them up and freeze them before cooking.
3. Tasty Taco Bar
Use our Homemade Taco Seasoning to take your tacos to the next level. To make them a freezer meal, simply cook the taco meat all the way through and freeze it! Now you have taco meat ready to eat anytime!
4. 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.
5. Mini Meatloaf Muffins
Here’s a twist on your average meatloaf recipe: Meatloaf Muffins! This easy dinner idea is not only freezer friendly but one that will find itself in your dinner rotation over and over again. This makes a great weeknight dinner or freezer meal for any family. Assemble but do not bake. Then, wrap the muffin tin well with plastic wrap and a layer of foil and freeze.
6. Smash Burgers with a Secret Sauce
One of my favorite ways to make a burger. Can do it on the skillet or on the grill!
7. 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.
8. 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! To make it a freezer meal, assemble the casserole, but do not bake. Wrap the unbaked casserole tightly before putting in the freezer. When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge (may take up to 48 hours) or thaw in the microwave on defrost setting. Bake according to instructions.
9. 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.
10. Crowd Pleaser Mexican Soup
This Mexican soup recipe never fails to please a crowd. It is one of my favorite recipes!
11. Mini 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!
12. 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!
13. Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteaks
These grilled sandwiches are super easy to make and my whole family loves them.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
How to Freeze Ground Beef Meals
A simple description of how to freeze most ground beef recipes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- Additional ingredients the recipe may call for
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Instructions
How to Freeze Cooked Ground Beef Recipes
Simply add the ground beef recipe to the saute pan and cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula along the way, until there is no longer any pink showing. Drain any excess grease. Place the cooled meat in a freezer bag or container and seal.
How to Freeze Uncooked Ground Beef Recipes
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Then, complete Steps 2 and 3. Flash freeze uncooked meatballs by placing on the sheet pan (or in a baking dish) in the freezer for about an hour or so. Once frozen, dump meatballs in a gallon-sized freezer bag, seal, and place in freezer.
Want More Easy Freezer Meals?
Try our SUPER POPULAR 1 Hour Freezer Prep sessions. We give you everything you need to throw together 6 delicious, family-sized freezer meals in just 1 hour! Anyone can do it with our simple instructions, organized shopping list, and pre-filled out freezer labels.
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?