Healthy Beef Recipes That Don’t Skimp on Flavor

These healthy beef recipes include a variety of ground beef options as well as ones like beef and broccoli or beef stroganoff.

Many people feel that red meat is bad for you, but if it’s prepared correctly and eaten in moderation, it makes a nutritious meal. Beef is high in protein, iron, zinc, niacin, selenium, and vitamins E and B — all of which help support the brain and nervous system function. The amino acids in beef also help build muscle, speed up metabolism and satisfy hunger.

To keep your beef dishes healthy, get meat sourced from grass-fed cows (which is lower in fat and calories), and if it’s ground beef, go for 90 to 96 percent lean. But the best thing about any cut of beef is its versatility. Red meat is always hearty and satisfying, whether it’s a juicy roast, tender steak cooked in stews or just a burger on the grill.

Here are 30 healthy beef recipes that are delicious and easy to prepare.

Beef and Bean Sloppy Joe

Eating Well

This Sloppy Joe makeover substitutes beans for some of the beef to give you extra fiber. The recipe also uses smaller amounts of ketchup and sauces to save you 12 grams of unnecessary sugar. To make it even healthier, swap out the buns for cauliflower rounds.

Try the Beef and Bean Sloppy Joes here.

Skinny Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Skinny Ms.

Craving Italian food but without the carb-laden pasta? Check out this slow cooker dish — the meat is super tender and can be used for hot sandwiches or served over plain rice (use cauliflower rice for a healthier version). It also makes great leftovers!

Try Skinny Slow Cooker Italian Beef here.

Easy Beef Chili

Slender Kitchen

Chili is one of the easiest dishes to prepare since you’re adding everything into one pot. Plus, it can feed a large group if you decide to double the recipe. As with any chili, this hearty dish tastes even better the next day when the flavors have more time to blend together, creating a savory meal.

Try Easy Beef Chili here.

Zucchini Lasagna With Bolognese Sauce

The Kitchen

Lasagna is one of those comfort foods that we just can’t get enough of. This recipe has all the Italian flavors we love without any guilt since the noodles are replaced with zucchini. The beefy Bolognese sauce is so delicious and filling that you won’t miss the fattening pasta in most classic lasagna recipes.

Try Zucchini Lasagna With Bolognese Sauce here.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

All The Healty Things

Forget ordering takeout tonight! This quick, 10-minute meal is a healthier version of the popular Asian-inspired dish. Tender slices of beef and fresh, crunchy broccoli stir-fried together are an unbeatable combination. Serve it over cauliflower rice, and you’ll have a perfectly healthy meal your family will enjoy.

Try Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry here.

Beef and Cabbage Soup

Cooking LSL

This recipe is for you if you’re looking for a keto-friendly, hearty soup. A nutritious meal of cabbage, lean beef and tomatoes all cooked in one pot, it’s perfect for cold weather days and is sure to be a family favorite.

Try Beef and Cabbage Soup here.

Taco Stuffed Peppers

Love and Good Stuff

Craving tacos? Try these stuffed peppers loaded with beef, beans and gooey cheese — all in a vegetable. Skip the fattening taco shells for this healthier version of a popular Mexican dish. It’s quick and easy to prepare, and it’s full of fiber and freezer-friendly. It’s really a win-win for dinner!

Try Taco Stuffed Peppers here.

Bloody Mary Skirt Steak

Eat This, Not That

Tomato juice makes an excellent marinade for beef since it’s a tangy mix of sweet and salty flavors. The horseradish and Tabasco sauce in the recipe gives it a nice punch, and the meat is juicy and tender when it comes off the grill.

Try Bloody Mary Skirt Steak here.

Chickpea and Beef Burgers With Whipped Feta

Eating Well

The chickpeas blended into the beef make this recipe high in fiber and proteins but lower in calories than a regular beef patty. However, the show’s real star is the creamy feta sauce that’s spread over the burgers. A unique and delicious combo, you won’t even miss the mayo, mustard or ketchup!

Try Chickpea and Beef Burgers here.

Oven-Roasted Beef and Vegetables

Whole Kitchen Sink

This yummy chuck roast will remind you of your mother’s recipe, but this one is healthier and gluten-free. It’s an easy, one-pot meal loaded with carrots, mushrooms and caramelized onions that makes a perfectly satisfying dish any night of the week. You can also switch it up by using different veggies or a pork roast.

Try Oven-Roasted Beef and Vegetables here.

Easy Layered Enchilada Casserole

What a Girl Eats

There is nothing better than a homemade casserole to satisfy your comfort food cravings. The combination of cheddar cheese, ground beef and warm tortillas covered in enchilada sauce is melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Use 96 percent lean ground beef and reduced-fat cheddar cheese to cut a few extra calories and you’ll have a healthier version of the recipe.

Try Easy Layered Enchilada casserole here.

Grilled Flank Steak With Tomato Salad

Eating Well

This thinly sliced, grilled flank steak hits the spot if you love juicy beef. The tangy addition of jalapeno, cilantro and garlic in the dressing is enhanced with the steak drippings when served over the tomato salad. It makes a great, last-minute meal for those busy weekday nights.

Try Grilled Flank Steak With Tomato Salad here.

Healthy Crockpot Pot Roast

Skinny Fitalicious

Too busy to cook? This recipe only takes about 10 minutes to prep! You can set it up in the crockpot and leave it for six to eight hours to do its own thing. This traditional, hearty family recipe has been trimmed down to save on calories. As with many crockpot meals, the roast comes out super tender, along with the vegetables and broth that it is cooked in.

Try Healthy Crockpot Pot Roast here.

Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole

jar of lemons

Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, this savory casserole is a taste of healthy comfort food. The lean ground beef mixed with squash, beans, spicey seasonings and shredded cheese gives the dish the Southwest flavors you crave from Mexican cuisine. Bell pepper and kale are also incorporated into the recipe for extra protein and vitamins with a crunchy texture that makes the casserole taste simply divine.

Try Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole here.

Steak Lettuce Wraps

BBC Good Food

These easy steak canapes are perfect for a party appetizer or a family meal. Served with homemade chimichurri plus a drizzle of chili and lime sauce, this healthy steak and lettuce dish is absolutely delicious. Bet you can’t eat just one!

Try Steak Lettuce Wraps here.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza With Ground Beef and Green Olives

The Health Foodie

The best thing about this recipe is that the cauliflower crust holds the pizza toppings well and doesn’t need to be eaten with a fork. Of course, it doesn’t have the crispiness or crunch that regular bread crusts have, but this healthy alternative is quite tasty and will save you hundreds of calories. Since the cauliflower crust is also loaded with extra flavor, you won’t miss the high-carb bread.

Try Cauliflower Crust Pizza With Ground Beef and Green Olives here.

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Eating Well

By replacing pasta with soft strands of squash, this casserole recipe is healthier and more flavorful than traditional spaghetti noodles. It’s a great, low-carb alternative with Italian-seasoned ground beef and a gooey, fontina cheese topping that will make your tastebuds sing.

Try Spaghetti Squash Casserole here.

Low-Calorie Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

Eat This, Not That

A healthy spin on a classic favorite, this sandwich recipe calls for lean flank steak, a whole wheat roll and yogurt-based blue cheese sauce (instead of the usual Cheez Whiz topping). Although this take on the Philly Cheesesteak is lower in fat and calories, it has all the flavor you’d expect from a fresh sandwich at a deli.

Try the Low-Calorie Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich here.

Healthy Burgers

Kim’s Cravings

There is nothing better for a backyard cookout than a juicy burger from the grill. But depending on the type of beef you use, that burger could be loaded with calories. Use this classic recipe that calls for 90 to 96 percent lean beef to cut out unwanted fat while still retaining all the yumminess of a juicy burger.

Try Healthy Burgers here.

Taco Lettuce Wraps

Eating Well

Try this healthy version of an old favorite for your next Taco Tuesday night. It’s low-carb and gluten-free but also super satisfying and filling. Top each crunchy lettuce wrap with a slice of fresh avocado, and you’ll never miss the fattening tortilla shell.

Try Taco Lettuce Wraps here.

Beef Stew

Low Carb Maven

This keto-friendly beef stew recipe calls for tender beef chuck and healthy root vegetables that are yummy and low in carbs. The veggies are added at the last stage of the cooking process to retain their color and texture (rather than being mushy). Flour and cornstarch are also unnecessary for thickening the stew, which saves on starchy calories.

Try Beef Stew here.

Beef Pad Thai

Eating Well

Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of Pad Thai noodles? This irresistible recipe is made with lean ground beef, snap peas, matchstick carrots and scallions. Make sure to use a Pad Thai sauce lower in sodium and sugar than most regular sauces. You can also replace Thai rice noodles with brown rice noodles to make this dish healthier and oh-so-good.

Try Beef Pad Thai here.

Beef Curry Rice Burger Bowl

jar of lemons

Another Asian-inspired meal, the star of this recipe is the spicy curry seasoning. Grass-fed, lean ground beef is formed into patties and cooked in coconut oil, garlic and red peppers. The meat is then served over rice and veggies flavored with curry powder and a little bit of fresh kale. This dish is a healthy weeknight meal your family will love and ask for more.

Try the Beef Curry Rice Burger Bowl here.

Beef Stroganoff

Kicking Carbs

Most of us grew up with mom’s beef stroganoff that was served over a bed of buttery noodles. This one-pot recipe is keto-friendly but still as rich and creamy as your favorite childhood dinner. Use a lean cut of sirloin, and skip the traditionally used flour as a thickening agent. Serve over cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash or Palmini noodles, and you won’t even miss the starch!

Try Beef Stroganoff here.

Teriyaki Steak With Fennel Slaw

BBC Good Food

This low-fat, Asian-style dish is easy to make and full of flavor. By trimming the fat off the steak, you’re cutting out excess calories. The fennel slaw made with lime juice (rather than a heavy mayonnaise dressing) makes this dish an even healthier meal.

Try Teriyaki Steak With Fennel Slaw here.

Burrito Zucchini Boats

Delish

If you love burritos but worry about the carbs and calories, check out this nutritious, healthy version. It’s made with lean ground beef and black beans loaded with fiber and stuffed into zucchini halves. We’ll promise you’ll enjoy this updated recipe of your favorite Mexican takeout dish!

Try Burrito Zucchini Boats here.

Healthy Lite Steak Salad

Food

This recipe is the perfect lite dinner for those hot summer months. A lean cut of flank or skirt steak is rubbed in a mixture of salt, cumin and cayenne pepper, giving the meat a spicy crust once it has been seared in olive oil. Serve the meat over a simple salad and add the low-fat, ranch-style dressing made with fat-free sour cream and buttermilk for that creamy goodness we crave with our greens.

Try Healthy Lite Steak Salad here.

Easy Steak Fajitas

Healthy Recipes

The sizzle and spicy aroma of fajitas cooking in a hot skillet are enough to make anyone’s mouth water. This recipe has all the bold flavors of Mexican food but can be made with half the calories by skipping the flour tortillas and eating the veggie-meat mixture by itself (or in a lettuce wrap).

Try Easy Steak Fajitas here.

Burger Bowls

Healthy Seasonal Recipes

A great way to enjoy a juicy burger without the fattening bun is to mix the beef with all your favorite toppings. Lettuce, tomato, pickle and onions layered over cauliflower rice with a drizzle of Thousand Island dressing complete this meal. It tastes just as good as your favorite fast-food burger but without the extra calories!

Try Burger Bowls here.

Healthy Mongolian Beef

Slender Kitchen

This dish’s spicy, garlicky sauce brings out all the robust flavors you’d expect in a Mongolian Beef recipe. It’s a classic Asian take-out meal made with a low-fat twist that won’t hurt your waistline. Serve the beef over cauliflower or brown rice and you’ll have a perfectly healthy dinner to serve your family tonight.

Try Healthy Mongolian Beef here.