Ground beef tastes good as a meatball, tasty chilies, burger, pizza topping or pasta casserole, and whatever else. Ground beef can be served in so many different ways, dishes are usually easy to prepare and taste great.
Every foodie’s heart will beat faster when the smell and aroma of a simple but super tasty ground beef dish fill the air.
So, here is a list of ten Italian ground beef recipes to kickstart your Italian nights!
The 10 Best Italian Dishes with Seasoned Ground Meat
Using ground beef seems like a good call if you want to impress everyone with a nutritious and well-balanced dinner in a pinch.
Italian Pasta Dishes with Ground Beef
A breezy recipe to slow cook Italian-style ground beef with pasta is bound to make a great meal any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (90% lean or more)
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- ¾ cup chopped onion
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried and crushed oregano
- 2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (salt-free and undrained)
- 1 canned tomato paste (6 oz.)
- 3 anchovy fillets, chopped
- 2 and ½ cups (8 oz.) dried multigrain penne pasta
- ¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup snipped fresh parsley
- 1 Snipped fresh parsley
Directions
Step 1: Take a large nonstick skillet to cook the ground beef. Add garlic and onion, and toss over medium heat until meat changes its color to brown. Make sure the onion is also tender by this time. Drain and discard the fat once the meat is cooked.
Step 2: Transfer the ground beef mixture to a 3 ½ – or 4-quart slow cooker. Add in remaining ingredients – tomatoes, tomato paste, anchovies, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Cook it for four to six hours on low heat. You can also cook on high heat, which will take two to three hours to cook. Keep the pot covered with a lid.
Step 3: While your Italian ground beef is being cooked, prepare your pasta.
Step 4: Garnish with olives, and parsley, and serve hot!
Italian Ground Beef Hamburger
This simple Italian seasoned hamburger meal is a quick dinner fix for kids and adults. A must-try recipe for burger lovers.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- lettuce, tomato, onion rings
- 4 slices of mozzarella cheese
- 4 Italian sandwich rolls
Directions
Step 1: Mix the ground beef with seasoning – garlic, onion, salt, and Italian seasoning. Make 4 patties with the mixture, each 1/2” thick.
Step 2: Into the preheated skillet or onto the grill with the patties, then sear or grill until they are no longer pink and have the desired tasty crust. Flip the pieces once and put the mozzarella slices on top so that they soften and melt.
Step 3: In the meantime, you can prepare the Italian rolls, with a lettuce leaf, onion, and tomato, then comes the pattie with the melted mozzarella cheese. Eat this before the mozzarella sets.
Italian Ground Meat Homemade Pizza
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good pizza? Everyone! And now you can easily make amazing homemade pizza using Italian ground beef or other meat.
Ingredients to make 4 pizzas
- ½ pound ground beef
- 1 red sweet pepper thinly sliced
- ¼ cup sliced onions
- a couple of fresh tomatoes sliced thinly
- a couple of thinly sliced mushrooms
- olives
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup ragu pizza quick sauce
- prebaked pizza crusts
- fresh Italian herbs
Directions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 450° F. In the meantime, take a 12” nonstick skillet and sear the ground beef for a flavorful crust on medium heat. Add seasonings, salt, pepper, or any additional spices if desired.
Step 2: Spread the sauce on the pizza crust evenly. Pour in a layer of ground beef on top of the sauce. Then keep adding, red pepper, onion, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, and cheese. Sprinkle fresh (or dried) Italian herbs on it.
Step 3: Place it in the oven and bake for 12 minutes until the cheese is completed melted.
Italian Ground Beef Casserole
A “CASSEROLE” dish is healthy and delicious. Even the kids will love it! What a hearty way to enjoy Italian meals with ground beef, don’t you think?
Ingredients
- 1 pound chopped cauliflower
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 4 oz. diced white onion
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 15 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 and ½ cups shredded cheddar
Directions
Step 1: Use a non-stick spray on an 8″ X 8″ baking dish. Pour 1 and ½” to 2” of water at the bottom of the steamer. Then, bring it to simmer.
Step 2: Steam the cauliflower by placing it on the upper part of the steamer. Keep it covered. This should take 10-12 minutes.
Step 3: Take a large skillet, and put it on medium heat. Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper, and give it a toss until beef is brown. Drain out the excess water after the meat is cooked properly.
Step 4: Add onions and garlic, and cook for one minute, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Pour in the tomato sauce, along with the dried spices – red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, and additional salt, and pepper if required. Bring it to simmer while stirring it.
Step 6: When the mixture is cooked, add cauliflower and only ½ cup of cheese. Taste to adjust the seasoning of your mixture.
Step 7: Take the baking dish (8 x 8) to transfer the mixture. Sprinkle the remaining chees on top of the mixture.
Step 8: You must ensure that your rack is about 8 inches below the heat in your oven for your casserole to turn out perfect.
Step 9: Set oven to 425º Fahrenheit or pre-heat for best results.
Step 10: Carefully place the casserole inside the oven, and wait for the cheese on the top to melt evenly.
Step 11: It should be ready to be served.
Italian Seasoned Ground Beef Lasagna
When you look up Italian ground beef recipes, you’re bound to come across this classic ground beef lasagna recipe. Once you make it, your family will demand it to be a regular dinner meal for sure.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon crushed and dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped carrot
- 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce (salt-free)
- 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste (salt-free)
- 9 lasagna noodles
- ½ cup water
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 (15 oz.) container of light ricotta or cottage cheese drained
- 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup (1 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
Directions
Step 1: Firstly, preheat your oven to 375 degrees while you cook the sauce. For the sauce, take a large saucepan and add ground beef, carrots, onion, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the ground beef is brown. Make sure that the vegetables are also tender. Drain the excess fat.
Step 2: Time to stir in the tomato sauce and paste, along with water. Add Italian seasoning and pepper. Bring it to a boil while stirring it. Reduce heat and keep the pan covered for 10 minutes.
Step 3: In the meantime, cook the lasagna noodles. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Step 4: Take a 2-quart rectangle baking dish, and lightly spray some cooking oil.
Step 5: To make the cheese filling, add the egg to the cheese in a small bowl.
Step 6: Spread the cooked lasagna noodles on the baking dish, three pieces layered on top of each other. Add one-third of the sauce to the bottom layer. Top it with one-third of the shredded mozzarella. Follow the same steps for the remaining two layers of lasagna noodles. Finish by sprinkling parmesan on the third and last layer.
Step 7: Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Take out the foil, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Step 8: Take it out and wait for 10 minutes before serving it.
Pasta Shells Stuffed with Italian Seasoned Ground Beef
Italian pasta shells filled with rich ground beef fillings are the ultimate family-style meal. It’s definitely worth a try if you haven’t already!
Ingredients
- 1 and a ½ cups of uncooked medium-sized pasta shells
- 1 pound ground beef (90% lean)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 small chopped onion, chopped
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- 1 jar (24 ounces) of marinara sauce
- 1 small sliced yellow summer squash
- 1 small sliced zucchini
- ¼ cup dry red wine or reduced-sodium beef broth
Directions
Step 1: Cook the pasta according to packaging instructions.
Step 2: Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a Dutch oven. Add onions and garlic to the pot, and cook on medium heat until the beef is brown. Drain the additional liquid.
Step 3: Add the marinara sauce, zucchini, squash, wine, or beef broth to the mixture. You can also add all the dry ingredients. Cook until it starts to boil.
Step 4: Reduce the heat, and cover it. Once cooked, you can add in the cooked pasta and stir it in.
Zucchini Parmesan with Italian Ground Meat
Eggplant parmesan-inspired dish gets a makeover, and it’s called zucchini parmesan with ground beef. What a wonderful pair!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (90% lean)
- 6 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 3 teaspoons of olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon of honey
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ⅛ teaspoon of ground pepper
- ¾ cup of Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 6 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Directions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to around 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread a baking sheet (ideally, large-rimmed) with foil or parchment paper. Place it on your baking dish. Then you should coat it with cooking spray.
Step 2: In a large saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add in the onion, and stir until it softens, for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring it gently. Add other ingredients such as tomato, salt, pepper, and honey to the saucepan. Keep stirring, and bring it to a simmer.
Step 4: Reduce heat, and cook for about 20 minutes, making sure that the pan remains uncovered.
Step 5: Prepare the zucchini in the meantime, score the cut sides following the crisscross technique. Put the cur-side down halves on the baking sheet. Now, bake for around 20 minutes. Then set it aside to cold down.
Step 6: Use the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to heat in medium heat in a medium-sized skillet. Time to add the ground beef to the skillet. Spring in the Italian seasoning too. Cooking until the meat is no longer pink. Transfer the ground meat to the sauce, and mix.
Step 7: Take the zucchini and scoop the center out with a spoon. You should be careful when doing this, as it can be tricky. Make sure you are leaving ½ inch flesh in the zucchini.
Step 8: Finely chop up the separated zucchini (scooped out), and put it in the sauce mixture. Take the zucchini, and place it on the baking sheet (cut-side facing up.)
Step 9: Lastly, take ⅓ cup of the sauce and start the stuffing process into the zucchini halves. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese, and 1 and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese on the half zucchinis.
Step 10: Put the zucchinis back into the oven for another 20 minutes, until it’s golden brown.
Italian Ground Beef and Pasta Skillet
A well-balanced, super healthy twist for dinnertime made with Italian ground meat. You could even sneak in vegetables if feeding vegetables to your kids is a battle.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (90% lean)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 oz. chopped mushrooms
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce (salt-free)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 8 oz. whole-wheat fusilli
- ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Directions
Step 1: Take a large skillet to heat oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, mushrooms, and onions. Keep stirring, until the beef is brown. The excess water from the mushroom should be evaporated, which should roughly take 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 2: Pour in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and water. Add the dry ingredient to the mixture – Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder.
Step 3: Add the pasta to the mixture, and bring to a boil.
Step 4: Reduce heat, and keep the skillet covered. You can occasionally stir it once or twice until it’s cooked properly. Make sure the pasta is tender. Cooking time should be 16 to 18 minutes for the mixture liquid to be fully absorbed.
Step 5: Top it with cheese for an additional two minutes, and garnish with basil.
Italian Ground Beef Rice Skillet
This scrumptious Italian beef and rice skillet can be cooked in less than 30 minutes. A perfect dish for midweek dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground beef
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 can (15 oz.) of diced tomatoes
- 1 and ½ cups of mixed veggies, peas, and carrots
- ¾ cup white rice
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
Directions
Step 1: Cooking the ground beef until is brown on a large skillet. Drain the excess fat.
Step 2: Use the same skillet to prepare the mixture. Add in tomatoes, mixed veggies, beef broth, and rice. Next, add all the dry ingredients to the mixture – basil, garlic salt, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook in reduced heat, and bring it to boil until rice is tender.
Step 3: You have to ensure that the rice is fluffy, you can use a fork to do this. Sprinkle in the mozzarella cheese on top and cover the lid once again for 3 minutes. Let the cheese melt. Lastly, garnish with parsley.
Baked Potato Stuffed with Italian Ground Meat
Time to try out the ground meat recipe with a twist. This baked potato stuffed with delicious ground beef is everything.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. ground beef (lean)
- 1 6-ounce baked russet potato
- ⅓ cup sliced mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons light pasta sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Step 1: Place the ground beef in a skillet to cook it until brown. Add the mushrooms, and keep stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Drain the excess water. Now, add the pasta sauce. Bring to simmer.
Step 3: Top the potato with the sauce mixture and parmesan cheese. Voila.
Conclusion
Ground beef is packed with protein, making it an ideal option for family meal times. The best thing about this versatile ingredient is that it can be used to make various Italian ground beef dishes.
You could tweak the Italian ground meat recipes to cater to your family’s needs too. Plus, since there’s a world of recipe options to rustle up, you’d probably never have to repeat the same dish, unless your family or friends demand it. Now, put on a chef hat, and cook away!
FAQs About Italian Dishes with Ground Beef
What Is the Best Seasoning for Italian Ground Beef?
A good Italian Seasoned Ground Beef is the perfect fix for easy and quick dinner meals. The best seasoning may vary depending on the taste buds, but this one is definitely a popular way to make a flavorful seasoning for Italian ground beef. It’s better than store-bought ones and can be made within 5 minutes. What’s not to love?
Typical Italian seasonings include basil, oregano, rosemary, and marjoram. But, here’s the secret, add chicken salt, or garlic salt for the burst of flavors. You could even add crushed parsley if desired.
Which Beef Cuts Are Best for Italian Ground Beef?
If someone’s advised you that any beef cut does the job, don’t let them mislead you. It either has to be chuck steak, which is a popular choice for ground beef for its rich flavors. It also has a good balance of meat to fat ratio.
Round steak or sirloin cut is also a great option. Here’s a reference point for you.
- Chuck: 78–84% lean
- Round: 85–89% lean
- Sirloin: 90–95% lean
Are Italian Ground Meat Recipes Healthy?
Yes and no. It totally depends on what ingredients you are using to cook your meal, and how it is being prepared. There’s nothing unhealthy about ground beef if you eat it in moderation. However, pairing it with unhealthy ingredients can decrease its nutritional value.
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