You love the slow cooker for its magical ability to create crowd-pleasing meals with minimal effort on your part. After all, most recipes don’t call for much more than dumping in the ingredients and letting the appliance do its thing. Here, you’ll find 30 ground beef Crockpot recipes that deliver protein, flavor and low-lift deliciousness that’s sure to satisfy. Mouthwatering options include beef chili, hamburger soup and meatballs with grape jelly sauce.
30 Ground Beef Crockpot Recipes for Lazy Cooks
Tacos, sandwiches and soups galore
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Published Apr 30, 2024
Katherine Gillen/Culinary Hill
- Time Commitment: 6 hours and 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
This meaty pasta requires minimal hands-on work to come to fruition (because you don’t have all day to babysit a pot of sauce). Finish the set-it-and-forget-it pasta with freshly grated Parm and wash it down with a nice chianti.
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, high protein
Inflation is real, so you can never have too many budget-friendly recipes in your back pocket. Even better, this crowd-pleaser is only eight simple ingredients away.
- Time Commitment: 3 hours
- Why I Love It: high protein, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Sure, you could prepare the filling for these simple handhelds in a skillet. Or you can make it as hands-off as possible and leave it to the slow cooker. Just brown the beef first, then add it to the Crockpot and let it cook for two to three hours on low.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
This ground beef Crockpot recipe is designed for your next game day watch party (or any old taco Tuesday). Leave it to Rotel, cream cheese and shredded Colby Jack to check all your dairy-loving boxes.
6. Picadillo
- Time Commitment: 6 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
Whether you serve this punchy, zesty Latin main on buns, atop white rice or with boiled yuca, it’s guaranteed to satiate. To make it in the slow cooker, brown the veggies and beef, then add them to the slow cooker with the rest of the components and wait.
- Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
This soul-soother is endlessly riffable. Beef it up with potatoes, cabbage or even pasta, if you feel so inclined. Just don’t skip the sharp cheddar cheese on top.
8. Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Kheema with Peas
- Time Commitment: 4 hours and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: high protein, slow cooker recipe, special occasion-worthy
Swap ground beef in for ground chicken—this warm-spiced delight will turn out just as delicious (or better yet, richer and savorier). The recipe calls for coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and cinnamon.
9. Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Time Commitment: 9 hours and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
When in doubt, lean on this dinnertime classic that never gets old. The meatballs are made from a combination of lean ground beef and Italian sausage for good measure.
10. Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Chili
- Time Commitment: 6 hours and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead
Come fall, you’ll want to whip up this ground beef Crockpot recipe on repeat. Up the ante by finishing your bowl with a dollop of guacamole or sour cream, trust.
11. Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly Sauce
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Don’t knock this retro appetizer ’til you try it. The glaze is nothing but chili sauce and store-bought grape jelly. If you want to make it as low-lift as possible, use frozen meatballs instead of making your own.
12. Slow Cooker Crockpot Chili Mac and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, high protein
This ground beef Crockpot recipe is peak comfort food. Not only is it packed with meat and dairy, but black beans and chili beans also load it up with a ton of protein and fiber.
- Time Commitment: 4 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Think of these sandwiches as a sauceless spin on sloppy joes. There’s sharp cheddar cheese on top of each burger and mixed into the meat for maximum decadence.
- Time Commitment: 4 hours and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, high protein
Bacon and beef unite to create one of the smokiest, most savory side dishes of all time. (Although the beans are high enough in protein and fiber that you can nosh on them solo.) Crumble some corn chips on top if you’re feeling indulgent.
15. African Cabbage Stew with Ground Beef
- Time Commitment: 3 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, beginner-friendly
This crowd-pleaser can be prepared on the stove, in the Instant Pot or in the slow cooker. The ground beef Crockpot recipe calls for a modest number of ingredients, most of which are probably already in your kitchen.
16. 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Guava BBQ Meatballs
- Time Commitment: 8 hours and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein, <10 ingredients
Guava jelly, bottled barbecue sauce and a few pantry staples make this party-starter possible. You can substitute mango, apricot or orange jelly for guava if you’d prefer a tarter flavor profile.
17. Beef Barley Soup
- Time Commitment: 5 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, make ahead
After a quick sear in a hot skillet, the beef is ready to be transferred to the Crockpot and combined with the rest of the soup’s components. The recipe calls for stew meat, but ground beef will work just fine (even leftovers).
18. Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 6 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, gluten free
Chuck roast, ground beef and leftover shredded beef are all fair game for these loaded spuds. Pile them high with sour cream, avocado, pickled onions and cotija.
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
These tomato-y sammies are deliciously nostalgic. Finish them with cheese, yellow mustard or chopped raw onions, if you’re in the mood for toppings.
- Time Commitment: 4 hours and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
The key to this soup’s zesty flavor is homemade taco seasoning, starring staples like chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder and paprika. But we won’t tell if you substitute a packet of the store-bought stuff instead.
21. Baked Beans with Ground Beef
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Molasses infuses this ground beef Crockpot recipe with sweet, brown sugary notes, while Worcestershire and barbecue sauces up the acidic umami factor just right. Serve the beans as a side or as a main over rice.
22. Crockpot Tacos with Slow Cooker Ground Beef
- Time Commitment: 4 hours and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Taco Tuesday has never been easier to prepare for. The recipe calls for store-bought taco seasoning, but you could easily supplement pickled jalapeños or chipotles for more heat, plus whatever less-than-flawless veggies you have in the fridge.
23. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Curry Beef Stew
- Time Commitment: 8 hours and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Once you taste this autumn gem, you’ll want to cook it for every fall dinner party you ever host. The sweet-and-savory stew is crowned with plain yogurt, toasted cashews and chives.
24. Easy Crockpot Hamburger Helper
- Time Commitment: 6 hours and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, kid-friendly
No need to wait for water to boil here—the dry macaroni cooks directly in the sauce and beef broth instead. Bacon and beef will mask the fact that you used store-bought spaghetti sauce, promise.
25. Lasagna Soup
- Time Commitment: 5 hours
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
You could make this family-friendly soup on the stove…but why watch a pot while you can let the slow cooker do the work for you? Add everything to the Crockpot besides the noodles, cook it on high for 5 hours (or low for 8) and add fresh pasta once it’s cooked.
26. Taco Chili
- Time Commitment: 4 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, high protein
Ranch seasoning imparts herbaceous, creamy, zesty flavor to this taco-inspired main. While it cooks, stir in extra water or chicken stock if the stew begins to dry out.
27. Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs
- Time Commitment: 4 hours and 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Set and forget this O.G. weeknight dinner until the meatballs turn crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The recipe uses a mixture of pork and beef, along with fresh parsley and finely grated Parm.
28. Slow Cooker Vodka Bolognese Pasta
- Time Commitment: 6 hours and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Ground beef and spicy Italian sausage unite in a bubbling pool of vodka sauce simmered with a Parmesan rind, just as Nonna intended. Take your pick of long or short pasta—the sauce is the real star.
29. Asian Meatballs with Sweet Chili Glaze
- Time Commitment: 8 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
The O.G. calls for ground turkey and cooking the meatballs on the stove, but you can easily turn it into a ground beef Crockpot recipe. The sticky glaze is a duo of pre-made sauces and sesame oil.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
Whether you use it to bulk up burritos, quesadillas, rice bowls, tacos or salads, this three-ingredient ground beef Crockpot recipe won’t disappoint. (And it’s virtually impossible to mess up.)
