13 Easy Ground Beef Recipes for Summer

These quick and easy recipes lean on ground beef.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Updated January 13, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
homemade hamburger helper on a plate next to a side salad

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

When it's too hot to cook, let these 13 ground beef recipes be your relief. They're all quick, satisfying, and perfect for summer. Below you’ll find handy tips for making each recipe from myself, our readers, and our Simply Recipes team.

  • 5-Ingredient Ground Beef Stir-Fry

    Ground Beef with Rice

    Simply Recipes / Myo Quinn

    "Whenever making rice from scratch feels like a hassle, I reach for Hetbahn, a microwaveable instant rice and ubiquitous pantry staple for rice-loving Koreans worldwide." —Myo Quinn, Simply Recipes Editor

  • Air Fryer Hamburgers

    Air Fryer Burger on a Plate with Onion Rings

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "Any time you are air-frying meat that has a high fat content like bacon or, in this case, ground beef, it’s essential to add some water to the bottom of your air fryer basket. If you forget this step, you’ll know it because your smoke alarm will almost certainly go off while you make these burgers." —Nick Evans, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, Beef, and Mushrooms

    A large plate of joe's scramble ready to serve.
    Coco Morante

    "A new staple in our household with ingredients that we often have on hand. Instead of mixing Tabasco in the eggs we serve it with Sriracha at the table." —Emily, Simply Recipes Reader

  • Hamburger and Macaroni

    Hamburger and Macaroni

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Make it meat-free by adding vegetarian meat crumbles and using vegan Worcestershire sauce." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

    Continue to 5 of 13 below

  • Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

    Ground beef and broccoli stir fry over rice in a bowl at a table setting with a glass of water, a bowl of sliced scallions, and a bowl of sesame seeds

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "For a more colorful stir fry with extra nutrition, add extra veggies like diced bell peppers or carrots." —Jasmine Smith, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • One-Pot Taco Pasta

    Two Bowls of One-Pot Taco Pasta Topped With Sour Cream, Sliced Scallions and a Lime Wedge, and in the Surroundings, a Bowl With Lime Wedges, a Bowl With Sliced Green Onions, a Bowl With Sour Cream, Glasses With a Drink, and a Mustard Colored Table Napkin With a Pair of Silverware

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "You can use different pasta shapes like shells, rotini, cavatappi, or fusilli when making this pasta. You can also add frozen or drained canned corn, black beans, or fresh baby spinach." —Julie & Amy Luxemberg, Simply Recipes Contributors

  • Burger Salad

    Bowl of Burger Salad Topped With a Hefty Drizzle of Dressing, Sitting on a Table Napkin

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "You can cook the ground beef without shaping hamburgers, seasoning and breaking it up with a spatula in the skillet, and top your salads with cooked ground beef. The presentation isn’t as pretty, but it’s even easier than shaping patties!" —Coco Morante, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps

    Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps
    Lisa Lin

    "This recipe calls for ground chicken, but you can easily make it ground beef, turkey, or pork!" —Devan Grimsrud, Simply Recipes Contributor

    Continue to 9 of 13 below

  • 15-Minute Creamed Tacos

    creamed tacos in bowl with chips, lettuce and tomatoes

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "We always serve creamed tacos super thick, so it really sticks to your ribs. But if yours is thicker than you’d like, add a little water or milk to get a slightly soupier consistency." —Sara Bir, Simply Recipes Editor

  • Homemade Hamburger Helper

    homemade hamburger helper in a skillet at a table setting with two glasses of soda and a side salad

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "To up the nutritional value, add some vegetables like diced bell peppers, tomatoes, fresh spinach or frozen peas." —Jasmine Smith and Laurel Randolph, Simply Recipes Editors

  • Crispy Ground Beef Tacos

    Crispy ground beef tacos on a plate at a table setting with glasses of beer, bowl of diced tomatoes, and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "While this recipe is quick and easy, it can be made lightning fast by swapping the corn tortillas and oil for store-bought crispy tortilla shells. Skip the first two steps and heat the shells in the oven before filling." —Jasmine and Laurel

  • Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

    Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

    Nick Evans / Simply Recipes

    "When simmering the sloppy joe mixture make sure your heat is on low, so it doesn’t burn. It will thicken up as it cooks." —Nick

    Continue to 13 of 13 below

  • 5-Ingredient Taco Bowls

    Plate of 5-ingredient turkey taco bowl at a table setting with a glass of water, bowl of lime wedges, and a fork on a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    "This recipe calls for ground turkey, but you can easily make it ground beef, chicken, or pork!" —Devan

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