How Long to Cook Ground Beef

5 from 1 vote

Never fear bland or grainy ground beef again with my guide for How to Cook Ground Beef on the Stove! It's crispy, tender perfection!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cooking ground beef, how to brown ground beef, how to cook ground beef, how to season ground beef

Servings: servings

Calories: 444kcal

See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!

Leaving the ground beef in a large chunk, season it with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking oil (except for cast iron which does not need to be sprayed!). Add the beef, and sear on one side without breaking it up, 3-5 minutes.
1.5 pounds Ground beef, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon Black pepper
Once the bottom side of the beef has a good crunchy sear, flip the beef over and break it up to your desired size. I like to leave large chunks for soups and stroganoffs, and make the pieces smaller for taco filling.
Stir with a spoon to keep all sides of the beef cooking. If using any add-ins, such as vegetables or taco seasoning, add them now.
1 Onion
Saute until the beef is browned completely and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.

Cast-iron and stainless steel skillets are ideal for cooking ground beef! Non-stick skillets are acceptable but will not produce the same delicious crunchy sear.
Make sure to sear the beef on one side! This is the secret to flavorful, delicious ground beef on the stove.
Don't rinse the beef afterwards - rinsing ground beef is a one-way ticket to bland, watery beef. Just drain it with a strainer or scoop it out of the pan with a slotted spoon.
Cooking more food afterwards? Save the beef fat and use it as the oil for sauteing vegetables, heating up bread, and more! It'll be loaded with flavor perfect for anything else you cook.
If you're making a sauce as well, splash a little liquid in the pan first to de-glaze it and use those scraped up browned bits! That's where all the flavor is.