Easy Ground Beef with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Ground beef is one of those ingredients I always keep in my freezer. It’s quick to cook, the kids actually eat it, and I can turn it into a dozen different dinners without much planning. But sometimes I get stuck making the same old tacos and spaghetti on repeat.

That’s where sun dried tomatoes come in to save the day. They add this rich, concentrated flavor that makes regular ground beef taste like something special. I usually grab a jar when they’re on sale and keep them in my pantry for nights when I want dinner to feel a little more grown-up.

The best part? This recipe comes together in one pan in about twenty minutes. You probably have most of the ingredients already, and it’s fancy enough for company but easy enough for a Tuesday night. My husband always asks for seconds when I make this one.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content between 80/20 and 85/15 – this gives you enough fat for flavor without making the dish too greasy. Ground chuck is a great choice since it has good marbling and will stay juicy as it cooks with all those other ingredients. If you can only find leaner ground beef like 90/10, that’s fine too, but you might want to add a little extra olive oil to keep things from getting dry. Just make sure to break up the beef well as it cooks so it incorporates nicely with the sun-dried tomatoes and other flavors in the pan.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving and works well with several swaps if you need to make changes:

• Ground beef: Ground turkey, chicken, or even Italian sausage (removed from casings) work great here. If using leaner meats like turkey, you might need an extra tablespoon of olive oil.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: These add a concentrated flavor that’s hard to replace, but you can use chopped fresh tomatoes with a pinch of tomato paste if needed. Cherry tomatoes work too – just halve them and cook a bit longer.
• Cremini mushrooms: Button mushrooms, shiitake, or baby bella mushrooms all work perfectly. Even canned mushrooms will do in a pinch, just drain them well first.
• White wine: No wine? Replace it with additional beef stock plus 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar or lemon juice for that bright acidity.
• Broccoli: Feel free to swap with cauliflower, green beans, or zucchini. Just adjust cooking times – softer veggies like zucchini should go in during the last few minutes.
• Brown rice or egg noodles: This dish works over pasta, quinoa, mashed potatoes, or even crusty bread. Pick whatever you have on hand or prefer.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when cooking ground beef is overcrowding the pan, which causes the meat to steam instead of browning properly – cook the beef in batches if needed and let it develop a nice crust before breaking it up.

Another common error is adding the garlic too early with the onions, since garlic burns quickly and turns bitter, so add it during the last minute of cooking the aromatics.

Don’t dump all the wine in at once or it will cool down the pan too much – pour it in gradually while the pan is hot to let the alcohol cook off properly and concentrate the flavors.

Finally, add the broccoli toward the end of cooking since it only needs a few minutes to become tender, and if you overcook it, you’ll end up with mushy, gray vegetables instead of bright green ones.

What to Serve With Ground Beef with Sun Dried Tomatoes?

This hearty ground beef dish is perfect over a bed of fluffy brown rice or egg noodles, which soak up all those amazing flavors from the wine and beef stock. I love serving it with some crusty bread on the side for dipping into the sauce, or you could go with garlic bread if you want something a little more special. A simple side salad with mixed greens and a light vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the dish. You could also steam some extra vegetables like green beans or asparagus to round out the meal and add more color to your plate.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This ground beef dish keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get better after a day or two, so it’s perfect for meal prep. I like to portion it out with some brown rice or egg noodles for easy grab-and-go lunches.

Freeze: You can freeze this for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or bags. Just let it cool completely first, and consider freezing it without the rice or noodles since those don’t freeze as well. The sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms hold up great in the freezer.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You might need to add a splash of beef stock or water if it seems dry. In the microwave, heat in 30-second intervals and stir between each one to heat evenly.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1800
• Protein: 90-120 g
• Fat: 90-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 45-65 g

Ingredients

For the skillet:

• 1 to 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 to 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 cup dry white wine (such as pinot grigio)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 head broccoli, separated into florets
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
• 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 to 3 tbsp unsalted butter, optional
• 1/2 lemon, for juicing
• Flat-leaf parsley, to preference
• Salt and black pepper, as desired
• Red pepper flakes (peperoncino fiocchi), optional

For serving:

• Brown rice
• Egg noodles

Step 1: Sauté Aromatics

• 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• red pepper flakes (Peperoncino Fiocchi), optional

Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant and softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 2: Brown the Beef

• 1 to 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• salt and black pepper, as desired

Add the ground beef to the pan with the softened aromatics.

Break up the meat using a wooden spoon or spatula and cook until the beef is nicely browned.

Season with salt and black pepper to your taste.

Step 3: Deglaze and Add Herbs

• 1 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
• 1 to 2 sprigs rosemary

Pour in the dry white wine and add the rosemary sprigs.

Bring everything to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Let the mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to reduce and the flavors to meld.

Step 4: Sauté the Mushrooms

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced

Stir in the sliced cremini mushrooms.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released some of their juices, around 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 5: Simmer with Beef Broth

• 1 cup beef broth

Pour in the beef broth and let the mixture cook for several more minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the sauce to thicken slightly.

This is a great time to taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Step 6: Add Herbs, Lemon, and Broccoli

• flat-leaf parsley, to preference
• 1/2 lemon, for juicing
• 1 head broccoli, separated into florets

Stir in chopped flat-leaf parsley and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

Add the broccoli florets on top of the mixture, cover the pan, and cook for a few minutes until the broccoli just begins to soften.

Step 7: Incorporate Sun-dried Tomatoes

• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned

Add the julienned sun-dried tomatoes to the pan.

Cover and cook for an additional minute or two, just until the sun-dried tomatoes have softened and the broccoli is cooked to your liking.

I like to keep the broccoli a bit crisp for added texture, but you can cook it softer if that’s your preference.

Step 8: Finish with Butter (Optional)

• 2 to 3 tbsp unsalted butter, optional

If you’d like extra richness, stir 2 to 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter into the hot beef and vegetable mixture just before serving.

Step 9: Serve

• brown rice
• egg noodles

Serve the flavorful ground beef and vegetable mixture generously over a bed of cooked brown rice or egg noodles.

Garnish with additional chopped parsley if you wish.

Easy Ground Beef with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Delicious Easy Ground Beef with Sun Dried Tomatoes recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 14 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 1600

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the skillet:

• 1 to 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 to 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 head broccoli, separated into florets
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
• 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 to 3 tbsp unsalted butter, optional
• 1/2 lemon, for juicing
• flat-leaf parsley, to preference
• salt and black pepper, as desired
• red pepper flakes (Peperoncino Fiocchi), optional

For serving:

• brown rice
• egg noodles

Method

 

1. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant and softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef to the pan with the softened aromatics. Break up the meat using a wooden spoon or spatula and cook until the beef is nicely browned. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste.
3. Pour in the dry white wine and add the rosemary sprigs. Bring everything to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to reduce and the flavors to meld.
4. Stir in the sliced cremini mushrooms. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released some of their juices, around 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Pour in the beef broth and let the mixture cook for several more minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the sauce to thicken slightly. This is a great time to taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
6. Stir in chopped flat-leaf parsley and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Add the broccoli florets on top of the mixture, cover the pan, and cook for a few minutes until the broccoli just begins to soften.
7. Add the julienned sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Cover and cook for an additional minute or two, just until the sun-dried tomatoes have softened and the broccoli is cooked to your liking. I like to keep the broccoli a bit crisp for added texture, but you can cook it softer if that's your preference.
8. If you'd like extra richness, stir 2 to 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter into the hot beef and vegetable mixture just before serving.
9. Serve the flavorful ground beef and vegetable mixture generously over a bed of cooked brown rice or egg noodles. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if you wish.