25+ Ground Beef Crockpot Recipes That You Should Try In 2023

Are you looking for a scrumptious list of ground beef crockpot recipes? You’re so tired of the same porridge, and you need to spice things up. This list is here to guarantee the satisfaction that you would receive from making these crockpot masterpieces.

From Italian Lasagna to Russian Stroganoff, the delicacy of ground beef delivers elegantly with the crockpot culinary magic. These recipes enhance your meal’s nutrition and boost your mental and physical energy after hard workdays.

Therefore, are you ready to dive into this list of ground beef specialties?

Let’s Enhance Your Ground Beef Dinner With This Crockpot

Before getting down with the first recipe, I have to say that these recipes are super convenient. They are the solution for those stuck on whether they should cook with frozen ground beef.

Also, despite several differences between minced and ground meat, these two are still quite similar. So I’ll use them interchangeably. These delicacies below are very tempting. Try to stay calm and read the post to the end so you know which dishes you want to make and try.

1. Crockpot Italian Meatballs

Total time: 4 hours 15 minutes (including 4 hours of slow cooking)

I feel it’s not right if I don’t add the original version of Italian meatballs to this list. Therefore, allow me to introduce you to the classic Italian meatballs. The recipe has marinara sauce (Italian tomato-based sauce) as its base flavor source.

The meatball is simple to make with ground beef and pork, bread crumbs, Parmesan, egg, and other condiments. You’ll love its tenderness. And with bread crumbs, the meatball can have a moister texture.

The sauce delivers the strong taste of tomato and Worcester sauce. You can also sense the fragrance of onion and garlic. And there will be a sweet hint from milk and sugar.

These meatballs are perfect for a spaghetti plate and a drizzle of olive oil. Or make a satisfying sandwich by combining them with bread, cheese, and fresh vegetables.

2. Crockpot Taco Soup

You’ll be surprised at how delicious this soup is! It feels like you’re eating a taco but much richer and more satisfying. That’s because this soup utilizes different beans besides minced beef. You can even use avocado, grated cheese, or sour cream to increase its richness.

Aside from that, you’ll also feel a nice spiciness from chili pepper and paprika. So if you want to serve it to your children, leave these ingredients out. On the other hand, add some jalapenos to increase the heat in your soup.

Taco soup is suitable for both refrigerating and freezing. Just remember to keep it in an airtight container. And when you want to eat it, warm it up in your microwave or on a stovetop.

3. Ground Beef Stuffed Shells (Conchiglioni)

Total time: 5 hours and 20 minutes (including 5 hours of slow-cooking).

Conchiglioni is the seashell pasta that you need to fill with a creamy and savory filling. In this recipe, the filling consists of cheese and ground beef. Combining with Marinara sauce, the filling is comfortably salty and sour that you can have for your dinner on weekends.

The Marinara sauce is a tomato-based sauce that you can constantly catch in numerous Italian recipes. You can buy processed Marinara sauce in the supermarket to save some time.

The dish only takes you 20 minutes to prepare all the ingredients. And after pushing some buttons on the crockpot, you wait for about 5-6 hours. During this time, you can finish bunches of housework and serve the meal right after being cooked.

4. Tamale Pie

Total time: 4 hours and 15 minutes (including 4 hours of slow-cooking).

Some people say Tamale is a part of Mexican-American cuisine, but its origin is still a mystery to many culinary experts. With the contribution of sweet cornmeal crust and savory filling, this comfort food of the Americans tastes more intensive after hours in your crockpot.

The excellent cornmeal crust of Tamale pie is called Masa Harina. However, since this slow-cooked version can destroy the crispy crust with high humidity, omitting the flour element to reduce the calorie intake is a good idea.

It’s not exactly correct to call slow-cooked Tamale a pie since, after 4 hours of slow-cooking, the “pie” is fragrant. But I can promise you that the taste is more luscious than the regular baked Tamale that you often have.

This classic American Tamale pie can be a good option for your next meal.

5. Slow Cooker Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole

Total time: 4 hours and 15 minutes (including 4 hours of slow-cooking).

Enchilada is another Mexican delight that you can toss inside your slow cooker. With meaty filling from ground beef and the cheesy sauce, this recipe can satisfy your taste buds mentally and physically.

The meat filling consists of ground beef and refried beans flavored with salt, cumin, and grated cheddar. You also have to stir-fry the ground beef before mixing it with other ingredients.

Next, prepare the red sauce of the dish before cooking. This sauce is a simple combination of Enchiladas sauce and tomato sauce. You can make these two at home if you want to, but buying them in the store can save you some time.

Now, it’s time to layer the ingredients in the pot. The first layer is half of your red sauce. On top of it is a layer of tortillas. It is better to use corn tortillas instead of regular flour tortillas if you want your flatbread to soak the sauce since flour ones are more waterproof.

Over that tortilla layer is a layer of meat mixture, sour cream, and cheese. And you keep repeating this order of tortilla – meat – sour cream – cheese until your pot is full. After 2-4 hours in the slow cooker, your Enchiladas casserole should be ready.

6. Ground Beef Stroganoff

Total time: 8 hours and 15 minutes (including 8 hours of slow-cooking).

Let’s travel to the heaven of soup lovers and vodka drinkers. Russian cuisine experiences heavy influences from the national freezing climate. Therefore, their culinary culture is full of dishes with thick soups or sauces like this ground beef Stroganoff.

Beef Stroganoff has been part of Russian cuisine since the mid-19th century. Traditionally, the three main ingredients of this dish are beef, mushroom, and Smetana (European sour cream). In this recipe, you’ll use golden mushroom soup to add the mushroom flavor to the broth.

Using your crockpot in this recipe really gives the sauce a dense consistency. The liquid is even beefier with the substituted ground beef for regular beef like the traditional recipe.

You can have this dish with boiled pasta like Macaroni. And a bit of parsley to sprinkle on the plate is a nice final touch for your plate of ground beef Stroganoff.

7. Crockpot Lasagna

Total time: 3 hours and 50 minutes (including 3.5 hours of slow-cooking).

Lasagna might take the crown of Spaghetti and tomato sauce and become the greatest pasta dish of the Italians. This dish is basically layers of egg pasta with the enhancement of red and white sauce in between.

The red sauce is the famous Ragu sauce with the contribution of ground beef. The white sauce is purely melted cheese that is Mozzarella, Ricotta, and Parmesan.

To make Lasagna in a crockpot, arrange layers of pasta and sauce in a specific order: red sauce – pasta – white sauce. You keep layering all the ingredients in that order until your pot is almost filled. The top layer is grated Parmesan and Mozzarella.

After 3.5 hours of low heat in the slow cooker, the Lasagna turns out fragrant with a beefy aroma and vivid with a red-and-white appearance. It’s also an exceptional recipe to make with a mini crockpot.

When you serve the pasta, you can garnish the plate with parsley and more grated cheese if desired.

One of the tastiest recipes that you have to try out with your crockpot is Lasagna.

8. Crockpot Pasta E Fagioli

Total time: 8 hours and 25 minutes (including 8 hours of slow-cooking).

And the last recipe on this list of slow-cooked delicacies is the Pasta E Fagioli from Italy. The dish name means “pasta and bean” which are the two main ingredients. This delicious crockpot soup dish makes sure the ground beef and the bean are soft and tender.

It is better to boil the pasta separately from the soup since pasta can soak the liquid and becomes extremely unappetizing. Whenever you want to serve the soup, you can add the cooked pasta into that soup bowl instead.

Besides pasta, you can just make the soup and serve it with breadsticks. Or making some side dishes like roasted potatoes which is also a common crockpot side dish. Another accompanying suggestion is salad since you might need freshness to ease the thick soup.

9. Cabbage Rolls

Total time: 4 hours and 15 minutes (including 4 hours of slow cooking).

There are plentiful versions of cabbage rolls all over the world, such as Polish Golabki, Chinese Bai Cai Juan, Croatian Sarma, and more. However, this recipe for cabbage rolls with ground beef filling is a candidate from American cuisine.

The filling contains many flavors with the contribution of paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and other condiments. With savoriness and spiciness lingering on your tongue, it will be hard to resist finishing a whole pot of cabbage rolls.

The cabbage rolls after hours in the slow cooker taste more intense and flavorful. Opening that cabbage coating and then breathing in the emitted steam of the ground beef filling is such a pleasing way to enjoy this dish with all of your senses.

10. Salisbury Steak

Total time: 6 hours and 15 minutes (including 6 hours of slow-cooking).

Salisbury steak is an American recipe that received advocacy from the physician James Salisbury. The dish was named after him for his enthusiasm for the meat-centered diet. And Salisbury steak was one of the representatives of that diet.

Having this mouthwatering crockpot beef delicacy for dinner with mashed potato and boiled broccoli is healthy. The tender ground beef soaked with mushroom gravy delivers such a luscious flavor that you can’t stop finishing a whole pot.

11. Slow Cooker Meatloaf

Total time: 6 hours and 10 minutes (including 6 hours of slow-cooking).

Just like cabbage rolls in the previous recipe, it is so hard for you to find the origin of this dish in global cuisine. However, no matter how ubiquitous meatloaf is, the slow-cooked version of meatloaf is still very delicate, and you should try it at least once in your life.

You can make meatloaf from many kinds of ground meat or blended chickpeas for the vegan version. But in this recipe, you will use ground beef combined with breadcrumbs, eggs, onions, and other ingredients to make the loaf.

People often add breadcrumbs to the meatloaf to keep the moisture since the loaf can be dehydrated very quickly. The slow cooker is also a way for you to keep the water inside of your loaf. The loaf takes 3 hours in the slow cooker for high heat and 6 hours for low heat.

12. Cottage Pie

Total time: 3 hours and 30 minutes (including 3 hours of slow-cooking).

The dish contains two highlights: the minced meat and the mashed potato. In some versions, you can see the appearance of green peas on the plate. This dish originated in France and its French name is Hachis Parmentier.

The dish is not that hard to cook with your trusty crockpot. The first step is to brown the ground beef with onions and garlic and layer that meat mixture at the bottom of the pot.

Next, you cook the diced mushrooms and carrots in the same pan until the mushroom turns golden. You then toss the cooked mushroom-carrot mix on top of the meat and fill the pot with a combination of tomato puree, flour, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and beef stock.

That pot needs to stay cooking for at least 3 hours at high heat or 6 to 8 hours on low. While waiting, it is a recommendation to make mashed potatoes.

Once the meat is ready, you spoon the filling into a pie dish and top it with mashed potato. Bake that pie dish for about 10 minutes to form a crispy brown potato coat.

13. Crockpot Sloppy Joe

Total time: 6 hours and 30 minutes (including 6 hours in the slow cooker).

A Sloppy Joe is a sandwich with hamburger buns. The filling is ground beef flavored with Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and other spices. Traditionally, the meat is made by stir-frying, but this crockpot version promises you a more mouth-watering Sloppy Joe.

The complex flavors of the meat filling trigger your sense of smell with onion fragrance and cooked seasoned ground beef. The flavor is also very intricate, with the perfect combination of savoriness and sweetness. And the taste is enhanced by the contribution of the buns.

This Sloppy Joe meal from the crockpot can be what you want to make for a neighborhood gathering party. After all, who can’t resist a meaty sauce filling between two pieces of sweet buns.

Let’s learn how to make this Sloppy Joe sandwich with this instruction.

14. Crockpot Ground Beef Ragu

Total time: 8 hours and 20 minutes (including 8 hours in the crockpot).

It’s time to fly back to Italian cuisine with the Ragu sauce. You have already learned about the Ragu sauce as the red sauce of Lasagna from the 5th recipe. But in this recipe, I will show you the versatility of this Ragu sauce with the application of your crockpot.

The recipe starts with you dealing with the meat by sauteing the bacon and the ground beef until the beef browns. Then, add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to the skillet and cook until they soften.

Next, pour that sauteed mixture into your crockpot. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and let your beef ragu cook for 6-8 hours at low heat.

You can serve the sauce with pasta like Spaghetti, Fettuccine, or Gnocchi (Italian dumpling) if you want to. The taste is so delicious that I highly recommend you prepare all the materials for making this sauce right now.

15. Crockpot Hamburger Helper

Total time: 6 hours and 10 minutes (including 6 hours of slow-cooking).

American cuisine is famous for many culinary ideas that whenever you think about them, you won’t believe that people can come up with things like that. But sometimes, those ideas work extremely well, and Hamburger Helper is one of them.

A mashed burger patty mixed well with cheesy mac-n-cheese is what you see in this recipe. Hamburger Helper was actually an invention of the same name company in 1947. Other variations of this dish are Tuna Helper and Chicken Helper.

The creaminess from the combination of cheesy Macaroni is what attracts you at first sight. The next highlight is the savory fragrance of ground beef, onion, and garlic. And finally, the taste is enhanced by the contribution of Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste.

Before serving the dish, you can top the outcome with more grated cheese and herbs like parsley or basil. To take your meal to another level, remember to prepare some delicious side dishes for Hamburger Helper.

Having a Hamburger Helper for lunch is ideal since the dish is loaded with energy that can help you to work through the rest of your workday.

16. Crockpot Chili

Total time: 8 hours and 30 minutes (including 8 hours in the crockpot).

There are many chili variations around the world, and the most popular may be the chili recipe from Wendy’s. This one here is “chili con carne” (chili with meat).

The dish includes meat, tomato, beans, and chili pepper. And the standard chili needs to be spicy and served with corn chips.

The recipe tastes more delectable with the contribution of many herbs and condiments. With spiciness and saltiness, Chili is a suitable dipping sauce for your afternoon chips.

Another application of Chili is to eat with cinnamon rolls. This combination might sound a bit strange, but it is actually a specialty of Midwest America. With sweet and cinnamon pastry and salty Chili, the dish has blown many people’s minds.

17. Picadillo

Total time: 7 hours and 20 minutes (including 7 hours of slow-cooking).

Finally, here’s an introduction to a Spanish recipe. The Picadillo recipe has its origin in Latin nations and its name comes from the word“ to mince” in Spanish. There are many variations of this dish like Filipino Picadillo and Cuban Picadillo, which are all from the Latino root.

The first step of making this dish is browning the beef with salt and pepper. Then, add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the same pan and toss the food. Once the food is ready, you move all of them to the crockpot and add cilantro, tomato, and other ingredients.

After pouring the water into the pot and stirring for a while, you close the lid and cook that pot for 6-8 hours at low heat. The result should have cilantro as a garnish. And you can serve this with rice, tortilla, or any staple food you like.

18. Crockpot Cheddar Meatballs

Total time: 4 hours and 10 minutes (including 4 hours of slow-cooking).

Meatball originated from Italy, and it was born in the ancient Rome era (753 B.C. – A.D. 476). Now, the whole world has to admire its delicacy. With the effects from other cultures, this recipe combines English Cheddar cheese with Italian meatball to create a new delight.

This dish proposes the idea of having a snack while watching an intense Super Bowl match. The meatballs are tender and flavorful with savory and sweet BBQ sauce. With the contribution of creamy Cheddar cheese, the dish reaches its balance as a nice snack.

You can serve this dish with mashed potato and corn meals (Polenta). In my opinion, this dish’s saltiness should be mashed with a mildly sweet staple food if you really want to enjoy this recipe’s extremity of flavors.

19. Crockpot Tater Tot

Total time: 4 hours and 20 minutes (including 4 hours in the crockpot).

Tater Tot was invented by the company named Ore-Ida in 1953. This food is basically deep-fried cylindrical pieces of potato. In this recipe, you will learn how to combine these basic potato pieces with creamy cheese and savory ground beef in the crockpot.

The dish has a very complicated flavor with the participation of so many sauces like Enchilada, Salsa, and taco seasoning mix. This combination penetrates deeply into the potato and gives the dish a lot of the Mesoamerican cuisine vibe.

The grated Cheddar on top of the Tater Tot is like a cherry on top of this dish. All the complex flavors are covered with this creamy dairy product. With an aromatic garnish like cilantro, you’ll feel this masterpiece with all your senses once you take a bite.

20. Crockpot Chili Mac And Cheese

Total time: About 7-8 hours and 35 minutes (including 7-8 hours and 15 minutes in the crockpot).

You have learned about the extraordinary dishes that culinary combinations can offer. This is another instance of this magical fusion that you need to try out. The mix of spicy Chili with cheesy Mac-N-Cheese sounds like a very promising lunch.

The recipe begins with you browning the ground beef and then sauteing that meat with onion. After seasoning that meat mixture with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, toss it in the slow cooker.

Next, add all the tomato elements, beans, and beef broth to the pot. Cover the pot and let it cook for 7-8 hours at low heat. Once the sauce is ready, stir in the pasta, grated cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Also, add more cheese to the top of your Mac-N-Cheese.

The outcome tastes super luscious with a very appetizing look of red Chili blended with yellow Mac-N-Cheese. Garnish your bowl of Chili Mac-N-Cheese with chopped scallions to complete the meal aesthetically and flavorfully.

21. Crockpot Goulash

Total time: 4 hours and 15 minutes (including 4 hours in the crockpot).

Goulash stew is a national specialty in Hungary. Back in the 9th century, Hungarian shepherds often made this dish, and the stew was packed and stored in bags made from sheep’s tummies. This American version of Goulash is more delicate with the intervention of your slow cooker.

A standard Goulash contains vegetables and meat. People adjust the flavors of the stew with spices like garlic, black pepper, and herbs like marjoram and oregano. However, you cannot omit the contribution of paprika if you want an original Hungarian flavor in the stew.

This American-style recipe also recommends the appearance of pasta in the soup. Adding pasta makes this dish from an appetizer to an entree. With melted cheese on top, this recipe can be a new up-and-comer to your family dinner’s recipe list.

Learning how to make this Hungarian delicacy with your crockpot is totally a good idea.

22. Ground Beef Pie

Total time: 8 hours and 40 minutes (including 8 hours in the slow cooker).

Let’s fly to Australia and try out their ground beef pie. The invention of meat pie has been wandering around since 9500 B.C. and there are so many versions of it around the world.

The Australian meat pie contains a filling made of sauteed ground beef with onion and garlic. The flavors are influenced by Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. In a way, you might feel like this recipe of the filling is similar to the American Sloppy Joe.

The slow-cooked version of the pie has the filling cooked separately in the crockpot for 8 hours before being stuffed in the puffy crust. And an Aussie meat pie can’t receive its “Australian citizenship” without a splash of ketchup on top.

23. Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Total time: 6 hours and 15 minutes (including 6 hours in the crockpot).

Ground beef, chopped veggies, and cheese are the classic combination that you can find in many many culinary cultures like Mesoamerican cuisine or Mediterranean cuisine. In this recipe, you will mix that trio with Mexican rice and stuff all of them in the bell peppers.

The first step of this recipe is to make the mix from tomato sauce and diced onion. You will need to heat the onion and tomato sauce mixture in the microwave before adding other ingredients.

Then, you toss ground beef, bell pepper, Colby-Jack cheese, rice, and other spices in a bowl and mix it with the tomato sauce. Once it’s well-mixed, stuff the mixture into the bell peppers which already have the stems and seeds removed.

Cook those stuffed bell peppers in the crockpot at low heat for 6 hours. The water at the bottom has to be separated from the peppers by tin foil or a rack.

The result tastes fantastic with bell pepper’s unique sweetness, cheesy ground beef, and savory sauce. This recipe is such a great treat for your family on weekend dinner.

24. Ground Beef Vegetable Soup

Total time: 6 hours and 15 minutes (including 6 hours in the crockpot).

Since beef intrinsically has high-fat content, it is ideal to combine this element with many types of veggies. This contribution helps balance out the soup. While you taste the beef gravy, you can also feel the fresh vegetables.

The most suitable condiment that you can use to flavor this dish is Italian seasoning. A typical Italian seasoning contains many dried herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. The seasoning gives the soup a herbal taste that you would like to have.

Besides the spices and condiments, the combination of many vegetables with piquant red pepper flakes gives the soup a perfect mix of sweetness and spiciness. And this flavor is what you want to taste in a soup on cozy days.

25. Crockpot Taco Meat

Total time: About 4 hours and 20 minutes.

Taco is the traditional dish of Mexican cuisine. There are two main elements in a standard taco: the flatbread (tortilla) and the filling. And the diversity of tacos depends on the filling. In this recipe, you will learn how to make taco filling from ground beef with your slow cooker.

Firstly, you need to bring ground beef, onion, spices, and water into the pot and let it cook at a high temperature for 2 hours. You might need to stir twice during that waiting time. Another 2 hours should be spent but at low heat this time. Don’t forget to stir the pot!

Add the taco seasoning to the pot and cook for another 20 minutes. All you have to do now is to drain all the liquid in that filling and stuff that meat inside the tortilla.

The dish might taste better if you add some greenery to the tortilla along with the savory meat. Grated cheese, cilantro, and chopped onion, and don’t forget to add a squeeze of lime juice to season the taco before taking a bite.

26. Swedish Meatballs (Kottbullar)

Total time: 8 hours and 30 minutes (including 8 hours on high and 30 minutes on low in the slow cooker).

You cannot make me stop talking about meatballs due to how flexible the concept can take its turn. Just one change and your meatball can alter its flavor. Therefore, every nation has its own unique meatball recipe that represents its culture.

In this recipe, let’s discover the incredible Swedish meatballs – Kottbullar. The meatball recipe is well-known for the creamy sauce that has heavy cream. You can make the vegan version of this meatball by replacing the meat with breadcrumbs and minced vegetables.

The meatball needs to stay in the slow cooker for at least 8 hours at low heat. The combination of ground beef and pork enhances the meatball texture. After hours of tenderizing, the meat almost wants to melt in your mouth once you take a bite.

You should make some side dishes to eat along with this meatball. Boiled potato (or mashed potato) and a spoonful of lingonberry jam are what to serve with Kottbullar in the traditional  Swedish way.

You really need to make and try out this Swedish meatball.

27. Poor Man’s Stew

Total time: 7 hours and 15 minutes (including 7 hours of cooking in the crockpot).

“Poor man” is a term that indicates the cheaper version of something, so the Poor Man’s stew means a money-saving soup. However, I can guarantee the recipe doesn’t adapt to its low-cost price since the flavor is still like a three-star Michelin dish.

The list of ingredients includes potato, carrot, onion, and roasted tomato. After 7 hours of slow-cooking, the essence of these veggies blends in the broth. Combine that vegetable sweetness with a rich beefy flavor, and that stew can’t be more suitable to be part of your next meal.

This dish with a thick broth can go along with toasted bread or pasta. A pinch of garnished oregano, with its more lively green hue, colors the bowl of orange stew. It also gives the dish a better smell once you take a sniff.

Go Turning On Your Crockpot And Start To Cook That Ground Beef

After hours of working, it might take you so much time to prepare a nourishing meal. The problem can be tackled with the crockpot since all you have to do is prepare the ingredients in advance and let the pot do all the hard work.

I hope the trip around the world with your crockpot has triggered your desire to make delectable delights like Stroganoff or Cheeseburger Macaroni. And if you have fun during the journey, feel free to express your thoughts in the comment section.

Also, I find it might be a good idea to cook with your beloved. So why don’t you share the post with them as well? I’m sure you guys will have a great time with each other. Anyway, that’s the end of today’s fun. Until next time, goodbye!