Easy Spring Dinners That Start With Ground Beef

The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and it seems as if the world is waking up all over again. With that, it’s time to wake up your dinners with bright, fresh, but still hearty flavors that will get your family through the spring season. So, we’ve come up with a lineup of our favorite recipes that combine some of the lighter flavors of spring with our go-to protein: ground beef. From our oh-so-comforting Cowboy Casserole that’s a weeknight favorite to our Beef-and-Broccoli Stir Fry that is sure to stir things up. If you are looking for effortless dinner inspiration, then look no further than this list and start defrosting your frozen ground beef.

Sheet Pan Nachos

Sheet pan dinners are always crowd pleasers, but these Sheet Pan Nachos are simply perfection. Dress them up with any and all the toppings you like, and enjoy them as an appetizer or for your main dinner.

Greek Stuffed Peppers

We love a good stuffed pepper in the spring. The pepper adds just enough brightness while the filling gives a little extra heartiness. Add feta for extra flavor.

Sloppy Joe Casserole with Dinner Rolls

Yes, our Southern Living Test Kitchen can even make Sloppy Joes look beautiful. This is the perfect dinner to throw together on a weeknight when you want everyone at your table to be totally satisfied.

Easy Chili

For a cold and rainy spring evening, every Southerner knows you need a big pot of chili to warm you up. We love this Easy Chili with just the Right ratio of bright flavor with a green bell pepper and just the right amount of garlic. Make sure to top it with all the fixings!

Tomato 'n' Beef Casserole With Polenta Crust

Don't let the gooey cheesiness of this casserole fool you. It's full of everyone's favorite spring and summer veggie: zucchini, which balances out all of the cheese in our eyes.

Cowboy Pasta Salad

This bright pasta salad has a zing to it with a lime dressing that is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. Cherry tomatoes, cheese, black bean and ground beef elevate this pasta salad to main dish status.

Creole Burger

Just when the weather starts to warm up, you'll want to fire up your grill and make these burgers. For the perfect burger every time, be sure to grill up your onions to make the best-ever topping.

Taco Dinner Mac and Cheese

We loves tacos just as much as you do, but we aren't opposed to switching things up for our Taco Tuesday. This dinner takes just 25 minutes to put together and you can top it with any and all of the spring veggies you desire.

Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice

These meatballs are the very thing you need for a bright and light supper that still has plenty of protein to keep you full. The Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce really lightens up the dish and makes it different than your standard ground beef dish.

Smothered Enchiladas

This weeknight dish is the perfect thing to make on those spring days when you just want something to celebrate. It's a dinner that will always put a smile on everyone's face.

Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake

This easy bake just takes five ingredients and is ready in under and hour. It doesn't get any easier than that! Everyone in your family will love the pairing of crispy hash browns with chili.

Cowboy Casserole

This casserole is a no-brainer for those nights when you are drawing a blank on what to make. The ground beef is sprinkled with your favorite taco seasoning and then topped with everyone's favorite: tater tots.

Ground Beef Vegetable Soup with Gnocchi

This vegetable soup comes together in just two steps and is perfect for a rainy spring evening in. Fresh spinach gives this soup a refreshing punch.

Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Wake up your weeknight with this stunning stir fry that's full of veggies. Ground beef and rice make this one pan dish a full meal.

Walking Tacos

Prepare for these tacos with ground beef to become a new favorite, refreshing dinner. Add a squeeze of lime and some cilantro for this fun take on supper.

Sloppy Cola Joe Dogs

You might spend your spring days at the baseball stadium but these Sloppy Cola Joe Dogs knock dinner out of the park. A fruity cola soft drink adds an extra punch of flavors to these dogs that make them taste like a home run.

Sheet Pan Meatloaf

No easy ground beef list would be complete without at least one meatloaf, and we love this quicker, crispier ground beef recipe.

Beef Tamale Pie

To make the delicious cornbread crust on this pie, you pour cornbread batter directly on top. A sprinkle of thinly sliced jalapeno makes this dish really stand out.

Cheesy Lasagna Soup

After you make this comforting soup once, you'll be craving it for weeks to come. One reviewer says, "It's easy and delicious." Our favorite combination!

Taco Pie

This Taco Pie is almost too good to be true. It has all of the refreshing flavors of spring mixed in with ground beef that makes it the perfect bite.

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