These ground beef Dutch oven recipes are just what you need to get dinner on the table fast. Many of the recipes can be made in just 30 minutes, making them ideal for busy weeknights.
The Dutch oven is one of the most underrated kitchen tools, but it’s a great one to have on hand. Use it on the stovetop for soups, stews, or pasta. Put it in the oven for a casserole. It’s so versatile and the best part is that it cuts down on the number of pots and pans you need to make dinner.
Combine the convenience of a Dutch oven with the affordability and ease of cooking ground beef, and you’ve got a winning dinner combination. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite Dutch oven ground beef recipes to add to your rotation.
These ground beef Dutch oven recipes are just what you need to get dinner on the table fast. Many of the recipes can be made in just 30 minutes, making them ideal for busy weeknights.
The Dutch oven is one of the most underrated kitchen tools, but it’s a great one to have on hand. Use it on the stovetop for soups, stews, or pasta. Put it in the oven for a casserole. It’s so versatile and the best part is that it cuts down on the number of pots and pans you need to make dinner.
Combine the convenience of a Dutch oven with the affordability and ease of cooking ground beef, and you’ve got a winning dinner combination. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite Dutch oven ground beef recipes to add to your rotation.
WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT COOK IN A CAST IRON DUTCH OVEN?
If you’re using an enameled Dutch oven (which is the type of pot most recipes are referring to), you can cook just about anything in it. However, if you’re using a 100% pure cast iron pot, be careful of the following foods, which can wear away the pot’s finish or stick to its surface if it’s not well seasoned:
- Acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus, and vinegar
- Delicate (flaky) fish
- Sticky sauces and foods like cheese, honey, and molasses
Your enameled Dutch oven can handle just about anything, from soups, stews, and braises to slices of bread. In fact, you might also like our 20 best dutch oven chicken recipes too!
CAN YOU PUT A COLD DUTCH OVEN IN THE OVEN?
If you stored your leftovers in your Dutch oven and put them in the fridge, you need to allow them to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before reheating them in the same dish. Then, place your Dutch oven in the oven while it preheats to bring it up to temperature slowly.
And remember to season your cast iron Dutch oven before use!
DUTCH OVEN GROUND BEEF RECIPES
Ground beef is fairly affordable, and it’s easy to pull a meal together fast with this ingredient. Save yourself some dishwashing later by cooking your ground beef recipes in the Dutch oven—you can go from the stovetop to the oven as needed.
Here are some of the best Dutch oven beef recipes to make for your family
CAMPFIRE DUTCH OVEN NACHOS
These Dutch Oven Nachos by Homemade Heather will be a real treat on your next camping trip. She prepares the meat at home to make campfire cooking easier, but you could cook it on-site if you wanted to.
Lining the large Dutch oven with parchment paper makes clean-up super easy, especially when using cheese, so it doesn’t stick to the pot. Simply pile your ingredients on tortilla chips, cook over the fire for 15-20 minutes, and you have a delicious meal to feed your family after a long day.
ONE POT LASAGNA
When you’re super busy (or just feeling lazy), skip the homemade sauce and go for the jarred stuff. It’ll taste just as good in this easy One Pot Lasagna by Pinch of Yum.
Using no-boil noodles and jarred sauce cut down on cooking time as well as the number of pots used. All you’re left with is a single pot of meaty, cheesy, noodle-y goodness.
DUTCH OVEN SALISBURY STEAK
To save time and effort at your campsite, mix up the patties for this Dutch Oven Salisbury Steak by Let’s Camp S’More at home. The patties, along with baby carrots, new potatoes, and mushrooms, are cooked over a campfire in a delicious mushroom gravy made with cream of mushroom soup, a packet of brown gravy, and a packet of onion soup mix
UNSTUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS
Watching your carbs? Make some keto-friendly Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls by Summer Yule. This recipe is basically deconstructed cabbage rolls, so it cuts out the fuss and leaves all the delicious flavors of a classic comfort food dish.
With loads of shredded cabbage and riced cauliflower, you get a healthy dose of veggies in every bite.
TURKISH MEATBALL SOUP
Juicy meatballs and tender veggies in tomato broth make up this hearty Turkish Meatball Soup by Cooking Gorgeous. Called Sulu Kofte, it’s a Turkish comfort food dish with lots of Mediterranean flavors.
DUTCH OVEN SHEPHERD’S PIE
It’s the ultimate comfort food when you’re craving a hot and hearty meal. This Dutch Oven Shepherd’s Pie by Cast Iron Recipes is made up of layers of seasoned beef mixture, vegetables, and creamy mashed potatoes.
While the lamb is traditionally used in shepherd’s pie, it is more common in North America to use ground beef instead (and is sometimes called Cottage Pie).
Putting it together is easy… brown the meat, layer in your veggies, and top with mashed potatoes. Putting it in the oven gives the mashed potatoes a golden “crust” and brings the flavors of all the ingredients together.
DUTCH OVEN GOULASH
When you’re in need of a frugal meal to feed a crowd fast, try this Southern Goulash by Spicy Southern Kitchen. This dish is a combination of ground beef, tomato sauce, and pasta.
Other than those common ingredients, the way goulash is made seems to vary widely from place to place and from one family to the next. Some add cheese while others don’t. Some add veggies like the corn used in this recipe, while others use different veggies, such as bell peppers.
Try the basic recipe for yourself and adjust to your family’s preferences and whatever veggies you have on hand to add to it.
DUTCH OVEN CHILI RECIPE
Taco Tuesdays are a lot more interesting with this yummy Dutch Oven Taco Chili by Cast Iron Recipes. It’s chock full of tasty black beans, crunchy corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and ground beef. The soup-like sauce is a combination of pasta sauce and enchilada sauce for a rich flavor that can’t be beaten.
Serve with cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and some tortilla chips or cornbread on the side. This recipe is flavorful enough that you can easily sub ground turkey instead of beef if you’d like. It’s perfect for colder months.
EASY HAMBURGER STEW WITH POTATOES
Enjoy a family-friendly Hamburger Stew With Potatoes on even the busiest of weeknights. This recipe by Small Town Woman is super satisfying on cold days, but it’s great year-round, too.
Serve with biscuits, cornbread, or dinner rolls. It’s already full of veggies, but if you’d like to add something extra, a green salad or some green beans would be amazing as side dishes.
HOMEMADE HAMBURGER HELPER
Hamburger Helper is a childhood classic. It made dinnertime so quick and easy, but it’s full of processed ingredients. Did you know you can make your own Homemade Hamburger Helper that tastes way better but is just as fast?
Try this version by Sugar and Soul. The cheesy, creamy meat-filled pasta is ready in half an hour and is sure to be a hit with your picky eaters.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of easy Dutch oven recipes. Pin it to come back to later when you’re ready to get cooking!