3 Summer Dinners with Ground Beef (No Oven Needed!) MM#12

Looking for dinner ideas that use ground beef but don’t feel like the same meal three nights in a row? This 3-night mini meal plan keeps things fresh with totally different flavors and zero oven use (because it’s still summer and we’re not about to heat up the kitchen).

Our total came to just $29.07 at Walmart for 14 items, and many of the basics like rice, taco seasoning, and pasta are things you probably already have at home. While ground beef is one of the most requested proteins in our community, it’s also gotten pretty expensive.

To keep costs down, we used a 3 lb bag of frozen hamburger patties, which saved us over $3 compared to fresh beef. Each patty is 1/4 lb, so just use 4 per recipe, chop them up after cooking, and you’re good to go.

If you catch fresh ground beef on sale, you can prep your own patties for later too! They are perfect for burgers, Salisbury steak, or quick skillet dinners like these!

Grocery List Needed for the Mini Menu

If you want to see the full shopping list on Walmart in your area, all you have to do is click my Walmart Grocery list and change the zip code to your area. *This is an affiliate link, and I do make a small commission on any purchases, but at no additional cost to you!*

My Walmart Grocery List

**** Please note, that every once in a while, an item that I pick turns out to be regional. This means that it may be a much higher price in some areas. Always double check the list and if you see an item that is much higher than normal, just adjust as needed.

Beef & Broccoli Bowls

I really love simple meals that are filling, so this one definitely works! It came out cheaper to use a seasoning pack, but you can easily make your own sauce by combining brown sugar, soy sauce, and your favorite seasonings like garlic and ginger!

Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Skillet

Technically not a one pot since we are cooking the pasta separately but just as easy. You can easily switch up the veggies if you like and definitely use whatever shape of pasta you already have! You know I love bread with pasta, so I had to include it this week!

Air Fryer Beef Taquitos with Southwestern Corn

This is a super fun and quick dinner! You can also add more to the taquitos if you like…. Adding refried beans or black beans will help stretch your ground beef while adding extra protein and fiber (which is always a win). You can also make up a big batch and freeze some for later!

Possible Variations

While we are using ground beef this week, you can easily swap this out for ground turkey, ground pork, ground venison, etc. To up the beefy flavor you can always add beef broth or even beef bouillon seasoning.

If some of the meals are not quite enough, you can also add rice to the taquitos, add a side salad to the Philly pasta, or swap the broccoli for a stir fry veggie blend in the Beef Bowls.

In the summer I try not to eat huge meals so works for our family. I also like to include fresh fruits to my dinners, so adding summer staples like berries or watermelon will really up the filling on these plates!