Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes – Easy Weeknight Dinner

Some nights the clock wins. You get home, your child is hungry, and the last thing you want is a sink full of pans. That is exactly why I keep a pound of ground beef in the fridge and a slow cooker on the counter.

These Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes are my answer to the 5 p.m. panic. You brown the beef once, add a handful of pantry staples, and walk away. Three hours later you have something rich enough to spoon over rice, tuck into tortillas, or pile onto buns.

If you are new to slow cooking beef, do not worry. I will walk you through the temperatures, the timing, and the little cues that tell you it is done. You're doing better than you think.

About the Ingredients

1 lb (450g) lean ground beef (85/15)

85/15 gives you enough fat for flavor without a greasy pot. If you only have 90/10, add one tablespoon of olive oil when browning so the beef does not dry out.

1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup / 160g)

Yellow onion brings a sweeter, deeper base than red. In a hurry, use 1 cup of frozen diced onion straight from the freezer, no thawing needed.

3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

Fresh garlic tastes brightest here. Jarred minced garlic works in a pinch, but use 1 1/2 teaspoons since it is milder.

1 can (15 oz / 425g) tomato sauce

Tomato sauce keeps the mixture spoonable rather than thick. Crushed tomatoes are a fine swap if you like a chunkier texture.

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Tomato paste is the secret to that long-simmered depth in a short time. If you have none, reduce the sauce to 1 cup and add 1 teaspoon of sugar.

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

This adds savory backbone. Soy sauce or coconut aminos both work as a substitute, one tablespoon either way.

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Dried oregano holds up over hours of heat better than fresh. If using fresh, add 1 tablespoon in the last 20 minutes instead.

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Kosher salt seasons evenly and is easy to adjust at the end. If you only have table salt, start with 3/4 teaspoon.

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Freshly ground pepper blooms more aroma. Pre-ground is completely fine, just use a slightly rounded half teaspoon.

2 cups (480ml) low-sodium beef broth

Low-sodium broth lets you control the final salt level. Chicken broth or a broth cube dissolved in hot water both work.

1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked with 2 tablespoons cold water

This slurry thickens the sauce at the end. Arrowroot starch works the same way, but add it off the heat so it does not turn stringy.

Tips & Tricks

• Do not skip browning the beef. Raw ground beef dumped straight into the slow cooker releases a dull, gray liquid and tastes flat. Five minutes in a hot skillet builds the flavor the whole pot depends on.
• Keep the lid on. Every peek lets heat escape and adds roughly 20 minutes to your cook time. If you must stir, do it in the last 30 minutes only.
• Season at the end, not just the start. Slow cooking mutes salt, so taste after the cornstarch goes in and adjust. A final pinch of salt or splash of Worcestershire wakes everything up.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Brown the beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 400F (204C), and add the ground beef. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is no longer pink and the edges are golden brown. Drain off the excess fat.

2. Soften the onion

Add the diced onion to the same skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes at medium heat, about 350F (177C), until it turns translucent and smells sweet. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.

3. Bloom the paste

Push the beef and onion to one side, add the tomato paste to the empty spot, and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly and coats the pan. This step removes the raw, tinny taste.

4. Load the slow cooker

Scrape everything into the slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt, pepper, and beef broth, then stir until evenly combined.

5. Cook low and slow

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/2 hours. You will know it is ready when the sauce bubbles gently at the edges and the beef is tender when pressed with a spoon.

6. Thicken the sauce

Whisk the cornstarch with the cold water, stir it into the pot, and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and no longer look watery.

7. Taste and serve

Taste and add salt or pepper as needed. Spoon over rice, pasta, or into warm tortillas, and serve hot.

Delicious Variations

Taco Night Version

Stir in 1 packet of taco seasoning with the broth and serve in tortillas with shredded cheese and lettuce.

Creamy Stroganoff Style

After cooking, stir in 4 oz (115g) of cream cheese and 1/2 cup (120g) of sour cream until silky.

Sloppy Joe Twist

Add 1/2 cup (120ml) of ketchup and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar with the sauce, then pile onto toasted buns.

How to Store Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Pick one version, brown that beef, and let the slow cooker carry dinner tonight. If you make it, leave a comment and tell me how your family liked it, and share it with a friend who needs an easier weeknight.

Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes

Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes deliver juicy, saucy beef with almost no hands-on time, so dinner is ready even on your busiest nights.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time6Servings285 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) lean ground beef (85/15)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup / 160g)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 can (15 oz / 425g) tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked with 2 tablespoons cold water

📋 Instructions

1. 1Brown the beef — Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 400F (204C), and add the ground beef. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is no longer pink and the edges are golden brown. Drain off the excess fat.
2. 2Soften the onion — Add the diced onion to the same skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes at medium heat, about 350F (177C), until it turns translucent and smells sweet. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.
3. 3Bloom the paste — Push the beef and onion to one side, add the tomato paste to the empty spot, and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly and coats the pan. This step removes the raw, tinny taste.
4. 4Load the slow cooker — Scrape everything into the slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt, pepper, and beef broth, then stir until evenly combined.
5. 5Cook low and slow — Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/2 hours. You will know it is ready when the sauce bubbles gently at the edges and the beef is tender when pressed with a spoon.
6. 6Thicken the sauce — Whisk the cornstarch with the cold water, stir it into the pot, and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and no longer look watery.
7. 7Taste and serve — Taste and add salt or pepper as needed. Spoon over rice, pasta, or into warm tortillas, and serve hot.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: Taste before you thicken, not after, so you can still adjust the salt and heat. A squeeze of fresh lime or a pinch of red pepper flakes at the table makes leftovers taste brand new.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 285 kcal · 24g protein · 11g carbs · 17g fat