As a kid, I remember eating things like Hamburger Helper (or Tuna Helper, cringe) on the regular. This MSG, hydrolyzed corn, protein-infused one-pan meal was a staple of the 80s. My friends and I would bemoan its existence over equally processed school lunches. Obviously, I hadn’t been taught my own food rules to cure picky eating at that point!

As the saying goes, “When you know better, you do better.” I can honestly say I’ve never bought a Hamburger Helper from the grocery store. That said, I can understand the appeal!

A meal that comes together in 20 minutes and only needs one pound of meat? Yes, please!

A Ground Beef Stir Fry That’s Better Than Takeout

Hamburger Helper certainly did have one thing right… the convenience! I’m sure its low price and simple preparation were some of the major reasons it gained so much popularity (the taste… not so much!). An easy beef stir fry makes the perfect weeknight dinner that even picky eaters can like.

With a few simple and equally inexpensive real food ingredients, you can replace the pre-packaged one-pan meals with more nutritious options. You could use gluten-free noodles or shirataki noodles, in place of the regular ones, but this recipe is a perfect way to get more veggies into your diet. I always like creating new recipes and this one is now a favorite with the kids!

Turn Vegetables Into Noodles

I often use our spiralizer to slice zucchini into thin noodles for this recipe. If you don’t have a spiralizer- get one! They do magic tricks to get kids to love making and eating vegetables.

Another benefit to this recipe is how easy and fast it is to prepare. My kids love that they can help prepare this recipe. And the older kids can now prepare this all on their own without my help.

This simple stir-fry is a regular in our meal planning rotation. It’s also one of my go-to dishes for busy nights when I don’t have anything else ready to cook. I’ll usually use beef for the ground meat, but you could also use ground turkey or ground chicken if that’s what you have on hand.

Ground Beef Stir Fry Variations

Zucchini is our favorite vegetable in this recipe but you can use any vegetable you have on hand. Some that readers have used and loved are carrots, yellow squash, kohlrabi, or sweet potatoes.

You can also mix it up with a variety of spices for completely different flavors. Some of our favorites are:

• 2 teaspoons cumin and 1 teaspoon of chili powder. Top with salsa, sour cream, and cheese for a Tex-Mex flavor.
• Add some Italian Seasoning and a can of diced tomatoes. If you like it spicy, try some red pepper flakes with it. Top with Parmesan for an Italian flair.
• Use curry powder in place of the spices listed and add a little coconut milk for a deep and earthy flavor.
• Try toasted sesame oil in place of the butter, add some extra garlic, and top with coconut aminos (similar to soy sauce) for an egg-roll like flavor.
• For an Asian version, add red bell peppers and broccoli florets. Top with some sesame seeds and a little rice vinegar.

More Topping Ideas

• Green onions
• Grated fresh ginger
• Snap peas
• Sriracha or stir-fry sauce

Now that our family does eat some grains, we’ll often have stir fry over white rice. My favorite is jasmine rice but sometimes I’ll do cauliflower rice (which is still a veggie). I actually prefer it to brown rice (here’s why).

So let me introduce our favorite beef and zucchini stir-fry recipe…

Zucchini and Ground Beef Stir-Fry Recipe

An easy ground beef stir-fry with a texture similar to pasta that kids love! Use a spiralizer to make vegetables into fun noodles in this recipe.

• 2 yellow onions (thinly sliced)
• 4 medium zucchini (spiralized)
• 3 TBSP butter (or olive oil)
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp adobo seasoning
• 1 tsp basil
• toppings such as pasta sauce, Parmesan cheese, and grated cheese, optional

• Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

• Melt butter in the skillet.

• Add the sliced onion and zucchini to the skillet and saute until they start to soften.

• Remove vegetables from the skillet and place in a baking dish.

• Turn the oven on to broil and place the baking dish under the broiler for about 7-10 minutes until vegetables are crispy.

• While the veggies are in the oven, brown the ground beef in the skillet and add the spices.

• Add the onions and zucchini back to the skillet, mix, and serve.

• Garnish with any desired toppings and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Zucchini and Ground Beef Stir-Fry Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 294
Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 93mg31%

Sodium 162mg7%

Potassium 1015mg29%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 657IU13%

Vitamin C 40mg48%

Calcium 68mg7%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I also like to reheat any leftovers with some egg the next morning for a breakfast scramble!

Try these Asian lettuce wraps or these Korean beef and rice bowls for more easy weeknight meals.

What’s your favorite stir-fry recipe? Share below!