26 Ground Beef Recipes to Make in Your Slow Cooker

This is not your TV-dinner Salisbury steak. Be sure to serve with mashed potatoes and spoon the excess gravy overtop. 

The tangy, sweet-heat meatballs are a classic special occasion appetizer. They can be served straight from the slow cooker to keep them warm throughout the duration of the evening. 

Cabbage leaves are stuffed with ground beef, onion, and rice, and simmered low and slow in a tomato-based sauce. It's a satisfying, budget-friendly dinner that requires minimal prep work. 

Cooking lasagna in a slow cooker means no pre-cooking the noodles. Simply start by simmering the ground beef and tomato mixture, layer with lasagna noodles and a creamy cheese blend, and let the slow cooker do the rest!

This hearty chili is a great way to sneak in vegetables; it's packed with beans, veggies, beef, and spices. Serve with a side of cornbread, of course! 

The slow cooker is the secret to super-moist meatloaf. A ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce adds a tangy-sweet flavor. 

Forget filling and rolling tortillas, this slow cooker recipe layers seasoned beef with quartered tortillas and a mixture of salsa, cream soup, and Mexican cheese. "Anytime we have a potluck, I am asked to bring these," says recipe creator AIMS312. 

Ground beef, cabbage, tomato sauce, kidney beans, and onions make up the bulk of this wholesome soup that's best enjoyed on a cool autumn day. 

If you prefer a rich, chunky meat sauce, look no further than this top-rated spaghetti sauce. The combination of Italian sausage, ground beef, tomatoes, and spices is enough to make anyone leave the jarred sauce behind. 

"My Grandfather owned a drive-in restaurant back in the 1950's. This is his exact recipe for Coney Dogs from back in the day," says recipe creator Sean S. "I make this on special occasions and it is always a hit with friends and family."

Here's an unusual take on lasagna (and not just because it's cooked in the slow cooker): Layers of meat sauce, ravioli, and cheese make for a delicious, fuss-free take on lasagna.

What's even easier than ordering pizza? This slow cooker "pizza." Alternate layers of browned ground beef, rigatoni pasta, mozzarella cheese, tomato soup, pizza sauce, and pepperoni make up this super simple six-ingredient recipe. 

This traditional Italian meat sauce is made simple in the slow cooker. Reviewer DEE C. says, "This is a very good authentic recipe that's hard to mess up."

Here's a nourishing, slow-cooked soup loaded with beef, potatoes, celery, onion, peas, and carrots. Chop the veggies ahead of time to save time on busy weeknights. 

This autumn-inspired chili has two secret ingredients: pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. You might only associate pumpkin with dessert, but it also adds a slightly sweet, earthy flavor to savory dishes as well. 

Green chiles and hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco™) add Texas-flair to these slow cooker baked beans. Pair it with Sweet Jalapeno Cornbread and you can't go wrong. 

"My grandma called this soup Hobo Soup. She said it was something they made way back when, out of whatever they had available in their garden and shelves," says recipe creator Amanda Combs. "It is a large dish (they were a family of 10), so have a big pot or slow cooker!"

Recipe creator Luv2BakeGirl describes this as, "The ultimate comfort food with veggies included!" Serve over warm biscuits straight from the oven. 

In this chili-like dish, ground beef, bacon, and beans are cooked in a sweet, thickened sauce. Some reviewers suggest playing with the amount of brown sugar to reach your desired level of sweetness. 

Cooking these meatballs in the slow cooker allows the sweet and sour sauce to permeate the meat. Serve over steamed white rice. 

Using frozen cooked meatballs means there's very little prep involved in making these Swedish meatballs. Serve over egg noodles to soak up the creamy gravy. 

It's hard to beat a good taco soup, especially one that allows you to dump all the ingredients in a slow cooker and forget about it! Top with tortilla chips, avocado, shredded cheese, or anything you'd like. 

Pasta e fagioli literally translates to "pasta and beans." Here it's served up in soup form for a comforting cold weather dish: "Got this going early in the day and enjoyed a hearty, robust soup for dinner with a side salad and a hot baguette," says Allrecipes Allstar lutzflcat. 

Here's the perfect tailgate dip that can be served straight from the slow cooker on the "Keep Warm" function. Green chiles and jalapeño peppers add a bit of a kick. 

This recipe makes a whopping 24 servings, so you'll want to have it on hand for potlucks and events (although it can easily be scaled down). 

"Homemade Parmesan-flavored meatballs and tomato sauce are cooked in the slow cooker and served over hot spaghetti for an easy and delicious dinner," says recipe creator ADoyonb86.