Are you busy during the week and want to try meal prepping to have leftovers for dinner? These cook once, eat twice beef recipes are great to prep on the weekend, then have for lunch or dinner during the week. Best of all, they are budget-friendly and can help manage blood sugar levels.

Cook Once, Eat Twice Beef
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Cook Once, Eat Twice Beef

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef

  • 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 2 medium green bell peppers, chopped

  • 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions

  •  In a large skillet, brown the ground beef on medium heat.
  • After the ground beef is fully cooked, drain and rinse it to remove the fat.
  • While the meat is draining, sauté onions, green bell peppers and garlic.
  • Once the vegetables are tender, add the cooked ground beef back to the pan, and stir together.
  • Divide the skillet of meat into two, equal portions. One portion will go into a large stock pot for the spaghetti with meat sauce, and the second portion will stay in the skillet for the Mexican casserole
  • Day 1: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

    1 pound prepared ground beef (that we cooked with the garlic, bell peppers and onions)
    1 medium carrot, diced
    1 medium zucchini, diced
    1 teaspoon of salt
    ½ teaspoon of black pepper
    1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    2 teaspoons dried oregano
    2 teaspoons dried basil
    1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
    1 6-ounce can tomato paste
    1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
  • Add diced carrot and zucchini to the cooked ground beef. Cook until vegetables are tender.
  • Add in salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano and basil.
  • Add canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce. Stir thoroughly.
  • Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  • Day 2: Mexican Casserole

    1 pound prepared ground beef (that we cooked with the garlic, bell peppers and onions)
    2 cups salsa
    1 can refried beans
    2 cups reduced-fat sour cream
    1 2-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
    ½ to 1 chopped tomato
    ½ cup green onions, chopped
    2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
    2 tablespoons jalapenos, chopped (optional)
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add salsa to the portion of ground beef. Simmer for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
  • Stir in refried beans and heat thoroughly.
  • Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon in the beef mixture.
  • Cover and refrigerate for the next day.
  • When you are ready to serve the Mexican casserole, add the following toppings sour cream, black olives, tomato, green onions, cheddar cheese, and jalapenos.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • This recipe is made possible through the American Heart Association. To learn more about the American Heart Association, and see more of their recipes, please visit https://www.heart.org/