Beef Meal Prep Ideas

Meal prepping is one of the best ways to save time and money during the week. It not only allows you to stop and think about what you’re consuming on a daily basis, but it’s one less thing to worry about during your busy schedule.

By planning and preparing meals in advance, it ensures you stick to your health and weight loss goals. One of the key principles of the Eat Clean™ diet is focusing on lean proteins like beef. Choosing quality lean beef is a great source of nutrition, especially when paired with healthy fats and whole, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.

Need some recipes that focus on lean beef? I’ve put together a few quick and easy meal prep ideas for you to add to your meal plans this week. These recipes are super flavorful and require low prep time. Plus, many can be reheated for an easy lunch.

Free Style Meatloaf

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

Meatloaf is a simple comfort food. This recipe is just like mom used to make but with an Eat Clean™ twist!

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 1 celery stalk
• ½ cup cooked tomatoes
• 1 medium carrot
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup gluten-free oats, coarsely ground (use oat bran as an alternative)
• 16 ounces ground chicken or turkey
• 16 ounces ground beef
• 1 large organic egg
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• Unrefined sea salt, coarse
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp each dried oregano and basil

What You’ll Need

• Mixing bowl
• Oven
• Baking sheet or loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Food processor
• Spoon
• Knife
• Food storage container

Why It’s Great

• Packed with a variety of different proteins
• Little prep time needed
• Easy to reheat for a quick lunch

How To Prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare a baking sheet or loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, place the garlic, onion, celery, tomatoes, carrot and parsley. Pulse until coarse paste results.
3. Turn processed vegetables into a large mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Using clean bare hands coated in oil, mix until well combined. Do not overmix or the meatloaf will be rubbery.
4. Place mixture on baking sheet and shape with hands into a freestyle loaf or to fit your loaf pan.
5. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and serve hot with your favorite sides like baked sweet potatoes, sauteed vegetables or a salad.

Note: For meal-prepping purposes, let the meatloaf cool and then refrigerate until ready to eat. You can also put pre-portioned slices of meatloaf into a food storage container or bento box with sides to take as an easy to-go lunch.

Garlic Roast Beef & Spicy Parsley Tomato Sauce

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

This is a great go-to recipe if you’re having family or friends over. It’s savory and has an enticing aroma from the roasted meat, tomatoes and herbs that will fill your entire home.

Ingredients

For the roast

• 2 ½ lbs cut of beef or venison
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 large plum tomatoes, halved
• 2 firm apples, peeled, quartered and cored
• 1 tsp each dried oregano, basil and rosemary
• 1 tsp each unrefined sea salt and black pepper
• 1 fresh lemon, juiced
• 10 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

For the parsley sauce

• 2 hands full, fresh flat leaf parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp each unrefined sea salt and black pepper
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup avocado oil

What You’ll Need

• Mixing bowl
• Oven
• Peeler
• Slotted spoon
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Dutch oven
• Roasting pan
• Food processor
• Foil
• Serving platter
• Food storage containers

Why It’s Great

• High protein content
• Easy one-pan cooking method
• Versatile––customize with your favorite spices, herbs and side vegetables

How To Prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Take the roast out of the fridge and bring to room temperature.
3. Season with salt and pepper, rosemary, oregano and basil.
4. Using a large Dutch oven, heat the coconut oil to high heat and place roast in the pan. Brown nicely on all sides. Remove from heat.
5. Combine tomatoes and apple and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
6. Add garlic cloves to a roasting pan. Make 10 small slits in the roast and insert garlic into these slits.
7. Place tomatoes and apples around the roast and put the roast in the oven to cook, uncovered for about 40 minutes.
8. Remove the roast from the oven and using a slotted spoon, remove apple, tomato and garlic cloves and reserve. Keep roast warm by covering loosely with foil.
9. While the roast is resting, gather your ingredients for the parsley sauce.
10. In the bowl of the food processor, put parsley, salt and pepper. Pulse until uniform and fine.
11. Add red pepper flakes, salt, apple cider vinegar, apples and tomatoes from the roasting pan.
12. Squeeze roasted garlic from the pan out of the skin and add to the food processor. Process until smooth.
13. Add the avocado oil slowly into the food processor running until uniform sauce results.
14. Place the meat on a cutting board and slice thin. Transfer meat to a warmed serving platter and drizzle with the parsley sauce. Serve with preferred side dishes like potatoes and vegetables.

Note: For meal-prepping purposes, divide the roast and sides into equal portions and place in food containers to eat throughout the week.

Classic Burger Recipe

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned hamburger. This recipe is simple and will please the whole family. Plus, you can add your favorite toppings like tomato, lettuce, and even low-fat cheese while still adhering to your Eat Clean™ diet.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 whole egg* (flax egg if dairy-free)
• 2 tbsp water
• ½ small onion, grated
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp hot pepper sauce or tamari sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp each unrefined sea salt, black pepper and oregano
• 4 sourdough or whole grain hamburger buns (gluten-free if needed), toasted

What You’ll Need

• Grill
• Spatula
• Knife
• Food storage containers
• Freezer-friendly storage bag
• Fork
• Spoon
• Mixing bowls

Why It’s Great

• Recipe can be made gluten or dairy free
• Freezer-friendly option to thaw and eat when ready
• Versatile––customize with your favorite toppings and sides

How To Prepare

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg (or flax egg) and water.
2. Add onion, mustard, hot pepper sauce or tamari, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. Mix well. Add beef.
3. Using clean, bare hands, combine ingredients but do not overwork the meat mixture.
4. Divide meat into 4 equal-sized portions and shape into patties.
5. Heat grill to medium-high heat.
6. Place burgers on the grill. Close the lid and let burgers cook for 4 minutes on one side. Then flip and cook the other side.
7. Remove from heat and serve with usual toppings (tomatoes, lettuce, pickle) on a sourdough or whole grain bun.

Note: For meal-prepping purposes, place patties into one large food container to reheat as needed. Just dress the burger and add the bun after reheating the patty. You can also freeze the patties in a freezer-safe storage container or bag, placing layers of waxed paper in between each patty.

Soba Noodle & Beef Salad

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

This non-traditional steak salad recipe works nicely with the nutty and gluten-free soba noodles. The best part is that it doesn’t require a lot of prep work and is a good option for a packed lunch.

Ingredients

• 8 oz soba noodles
• 8 oz steak — blade steak is nice when marinated (see below)
• 1 fist-sized red onion, sliced into rings 
• 1 fat carrot, chopped into matchsticks
• 1 bunch broccolini or broccoli rabe, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 cups packed baby kale leaves
• ½ cup fresh italian parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp each unrefined sea salt and black pepper

For the steak marinade

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• ½ cup low sodium tamari
• 2 limes, juiced

What You’ll Need

• Glass jar
• Glass dish
• Medium skillet
• Refrigerator
• Mixing bowl
• Stovetop
• Pot
• Knife
• Foil
• Food storage containers

Why It’s Great

• Great combination of protein and veggies
• Recipe is gluten-free friendly
• Doesn’t require long cooking methods

How To Prepare

1. Combine all ingredients for the steak marinade in a small glass bowl or jar. Mix or shake well. Place the steak in a shallow glass dish and pour the marinade over. Allow the steak to stand in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour. Marinating it longer (even overnight) helps to tenderize the meat and allow the flavors to really penetrate.
2. After the steak is done marinating, place the coconut oil in a medium skillet. Heat over medium high heat. Place the steak in the skillet and let it cook on both sides until well done — about 4 minutes per side. For a well done steak, cook a little longer. Remove from heat and transfer to a platter. Wrap it with foil and let it rest while you prepare the rest of the salad.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
4. Steam veggies until crisp and tender.
5. When the steak is cooked enough, slice it into bite-sized ribbons.
6. In a medium mixing bowl, place the drained soba noodles, veggies, kale, parsley, salt, pepper and the steak. Toss gently to combine the ingredients. Divide the salad into plates. Drizzle with lime juice if desired.

Note: For meal-prepping purposes, divide salad into equal portions and place in food containers to eat throughout the week. This recipe is about 2 servings worth, so double or even triple the amount to produce multiple meals.

Arriba! Arriba! Tacos

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

Who doesn’t love taco night! This simple family-friendly recipe requires minimal cooking and is easy to assemble. Your kids will be begging for this dish every week.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped fine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup tomato paste
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 tsp chili powder
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 Tbsp unrefined sea salt
• 8 taco shells, toasted
• 1 cup lettuce, chopped (romaine, spinach greens, arugula or other)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• ½ cup lime wedges for serving

What You’ll Need

• Spoon
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Stovetop
• Oven
• Baking sheet
• Medium skillet
• Bento box containers

Why It’s Great

• A great blend of proteins, vegetables and spices
• Minimal cooking required
• Makes for an easy, packable lunch

How To Prepare

1. Heat olive or coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and salt.
2. Heat until garlic becomes fragrant. Reduce heat to low.
3. Add tomato paste, cayenne pepper, sea salt and chili. Stir well and allow all ingredients to heat until fragrant and simmering.
4. Now add meat and salt and let brown. Drain off excess fat and set aside.
5. Place taco shells on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 4-6 minutes.
6. Once ready, place crisped tacos on a serving platter and scoop the meat mixture into the tacos. Top with lettuce, onion, tomatoes and cheese. Serve with lime wedges.

Note: For meal-prepping purposes, place the meat mixture and toppings into a bento box or food storage container with separators for an easy lunch. Don’t forget the taco shells or corn tortillas on the side!

I hope you find a recipe or two that you like (or all of them!) and you’re encouraged to explore even more recipes featuring lean beef. The great part is that you can tailor these recipes to your palette by swapping out spices and herbs or using a different vegetable. If you’re not a big beef eater, you can also choose a different lean protein like turkey or chicken in many of these recipes.

The key is to find recipes that align with the Eat Clean™ diet principles like complex carbs and healthy fats without any extra additives or sugar. Plus, if you plan a few meals ahead of time you’re more likely to stick to your health goals and save time and money in the process.

Want even more Eat Clean™ recipes? Check out my selection of clean eating cookbooks. To fully experience the benefits of mindful and delicious meal prepping, start your Eat Clean™ journey today!

With great love and wishes for wellness,

Tosca