This Mediterranean ground beef stir-fry is the perfect quick and healthy meal. Ground beef is sautéed with juicy tomatoes, sweet bell pepper, handfuls of spinach, and simple seasonings that pack it with flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Ground Beef Stir Fry
I thought long and hard on what to call this recipe since ground beef isn’t typically associated with Mediterranean food. But the colorful assortment of Mediterranean vegetables added to the ground beef give it a unique spin that’s healthier, lighter, and more veggie-packed than other ground beef stir fries. So if you’re looking for an easy stir fry that’s entirely different from your classic Asian chicken stir fry, this recipe is for you! Here’s what else you’ll love about it:
- No sauce is needed. The blistered tomatoes, combined with garlic and oregano, infuse the beef with just the right amount of flavor and juiciness. So no added sauce is needed!
- It’s made in just 25 minutes. One of the best things about stir fries is how easy they are to make. This one is no exception and it comes together really quickly.
- It’s perfect for protein-packed meal prep. With 27 grams of protein per serving, this dish is a fantastic way to boost your protein intake. Plus, I’ve included plenty of ideas below on how to meal prep this stir fry and turn it into a complete meal.
Mediterranean Ground Beef Stir Fry Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I’m using 90% lean ground beef, so there’s almost no fat to drain. But you can use 80% ground beef as well, then drain off any excess fat. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey for a lighter option.
- Bell Pepper and Baby Spinach: Red bell peppers add natural sweetness and a vibrant red color to this dish, though you can use any color bell pepper you’d like. And if you don’t have baby spinach, you can use any tender leafy greens you prefer such as kale or Swiss chard.
- Cherry Tomatoes: You can use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. I prefer the latter as cherry tomatoes are much juicier and blister beautifully in a pan.
- Garlic, Green Onion, and Oregano: Aromatics and herbs give this dish a punchy, herby flavor. If you find that it needs more seasoning, feel free to add more garlic and oregano.
- Crumbled Feta: This can be optional if you’re dairy-free. Otherwise, the crumbled feta really adds a delicious Mediterranean flair.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make This Ground Beef Stir Fry
Sauté the tomatoes and bell pepper. Heat the oil in a large pan, then sauté the tomatoes and bell pepper for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are beautifully blistered. Add the garlic and stir for another minute.
Add the spinach and green onion. Make sure to only add the white parts of the green onion! Stir everything for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Then, remove the veggies to a plate to cook the beef.
Cook the ground beef. Add the beef, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the pan, and use a spatula to break up the meat. When it’s browned, drain off any excess liquid.
Combine everything! Transfer the veggies back to the pan, add the green parts of the green onion, and stir everything together. Garnish with crumbled feta before serving for the final touch!
Ways To Serve
- Make a hearty grain bowl. This is great served over rice, lentils, or quinoa for a satiating meal. You could even dollop hummus or tzatziki on the side or drizzle tahini sauce on top for the ultimate Mediterranean flair.
- Ground beef lettuce wraps. Use this as a filling for a butter leaf lettuce wrap — a great low-carb option and one of my favorite ways to enjoy it, similar to chicken lettuce wraps!
- Turn this into a protein-packed breakfast. If you’ve been looking for creative ways to incorporate more veggies and protein at breakfast, this is the way to go. Top it with a fried egg or poached egg — the oozing yolk on this is delicious.
Storage Tips
- To store for the week: This will stay good in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container, which is perfect for enjoying servings throughout the week. Just make sure to let it cool before closing the lid.
- Freeze this for later: If you’d like to make a second batch to keep stored in the freezer, don’t add the crumbled cheese on top. Freeze the rest of the ground beef stir fry in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and warm it back up on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
- Stuffed Peppers: Another delicious way to enjoy ground beef with bell peppers.
- Best Ever Chili: The best family-friendly one-pot meal.
- Meatloaf: The glaze on this will have you coming back for more.
- Taco Soup: This will give your classic taco night a fun twist.
- Zucchini Lasagna: One of my favorite comforting meals that’s loaded with veggies.
If you make this Mediterranean ground beef stir fry recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.
Description
Equipment
- All-Clad Saute Pan My favorite stainless steel fry pan!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 8 ounces baby spinach (small tub)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 green onion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta, (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the tomatoes and bell pepper. Heat the oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and cherry tomatoes and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered and saucy. Add the garlic and stir another minute.
- Add the spinach. Add the spinach and white parts of the green onion. Note that the spinach will take up most of the pan, but it will wilt down. Stir for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Remove these veggies to a plate.
- Cook the beef. Add the ground beef, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the pan, and use a spatula to break up the meat. Cook the ground beef until it's browned, then drain off any excess grease.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer the veggies back to the pan, add the green parts of the green onion, and stir until warmed through. Garnish with crumbled feta before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- Add more flavor by mixing in red pepper flakes (or other seasonings), kalamata olives or sun-dried tomatoes. Pair it with hummus or tzatziki sauce for a Mediterranean flair.
- Swap the veggies for what you have on hand. Many people have swapped spinach for zucchini or kale!
- To store for the week: This will stay good in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container, which is perfect for enjoying servings throughout the week. Just make sure to let it cool before closing the lid.
- Freeze this for later: If you’d like to make a second batch to keep stored in the freezer, don’t add the crumbled cheese on top. Freeze the rest of the ground beef stir fry in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and warm it back up on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted August 2021, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
Delicious!! Loved everything about this recipe. Easy, pretty to look at and very flavorful. I didn’t have spinach so I used Swiss chard adding a few chopped stems, as well. Very very good.
This is so good. I made it with bison instead of ground beef and my fiancé loved it!
Most excellent! My husband and I enjoyed this so much. I had to stop myself from having seconds. Noce and light and so full of flavor. Yum!
Would this recipe work with a can of diced tomatoes?
You can use that as well, although, I would say fresh tomatoes are best for this :)
Has anyone tried freezing leftovers or better yet put all in the ziplock bag and freeze, to make it instant pot dinner from frozen later? I am making some freezer food for my daughter who is due any day now, trying to choose some recipes.
You can freeze this recipe! Just omit the feta cheese and add when you’re ready to eat.
I made this today with a couple of alterations because I can’t have tomatoes – added a second bell pepper and added some cherry balsamic sauce (a TBSP or two) to add some liquid since I didn’t have liquid from the tomatoes. It turned out really well. I saw the suggestions to serve this over rice and to add olives and lemon, which sounds fantastic so I will be trying that next!
Glad your tweaks ended up turning out great Holly! And yes, serving this over rice with additional Mediterranean ingredients is so delicious :)
Absolutely delicious!!! don’t forget the feta which makes it incredible! I tried it as a variant to the bolognese with spaghetti we eat a lot of here in the cold winters of Stockholm, Sweden:) Will try your scallops recepie for Valentine’s next as I totally love them, I didn’t even cook before Covid so thank you so much for yourdelicious recepies and videos:)
Kind regards,
Ulrika
The feta definitely does make a difference in this recipe! Glad you’re enjoying so many recipes as well and that they’ve brought back some confidence in the kitchen again :)
It was spectacular!!! Served over Jasmine rice. Just delicious. And quick. And easy. I do suggest using a very good quality meat. I used a grass fed ground beef that had a unique very light and almost sweet flavor. Also, looked exactly like the photo.
Glad you enjoyed this stir fry recipe Lynne! And I agree that using quality meat is key to making this taste even better.
Delicious, I substituted the beef for lean ground Turkey. A winner.
Really good! I made a few alterations, which I highly recommend. As another reviewer highlighted, this recipe does need a flavor boost.
– added sliced olives
– added squeeze of fresh lemon
– served with pita bread and tzatsiki sauce
I really enjoyed it! Definitely would make again. However, without the alterations, I might have found it a little bland…
Absolutely, this stir fry is a great base recipe for you to add all sorts of extra Mediterranean flavors!
This was great. I added roasted red peppers and baby Kale. A little garlic marinara sauce. I served it over quinoa and also made low carb wraps.
Love the way you amped up this recipe with red peppers and kale!
This was so delicious and definitely a keeper!! It’s healthy, loaded with fresh veggies, and so easy to make. We loved it.
I almost fainted. Made and served this over cauliflower rice. My vegetable hating sons ate seconds! This was so easy and so flavorful. Too bad I can’t add photo of proof. It even looks gorgeous.
Big hit with husband, subbed frozen spinach so should have been 2 pkgs. Used Vidalia sweet instead of scallion.
I made this for a picky eater who doesn’t like spinach and VIOLA, he ate it complete with yummy sounds! Thanks again, you’re the best!!
Happy to hear this even satisfied the pickiest eaters Danielle :)
A fave I come back to again and again… We love to add cauliflower rice. Thanks, Lisa!!
Was looking for a healthy recipe that my boyfriend would actually eat… we both loved it! Added pasta shells ☺️
Made this tonight as part of my bariatric diet, so no rice etc. Delicious and filling! Thanks!
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this stir fry :)
Made this recipe as written. Very delicious. Does not leave you feeling “gross” like greasy, heavy meals. My husband, who is a steak/potato kinda guy, really liked it.
Glad both you and your husband enjoyed this stir fry recipe Saundra!
Made this tonite for my family and served it over rice … HUGE hit!! Everyone loved it 👍 So full of flavour and what a great way to have spinach!! 10/10!!!
Glad this was a hit for dinner Patty!
Hi Lisa, my sister (who is now also a downshifter!) loved this recipe. I want to make it but I don’t eat red meat. Any suggested substitutes? I eat meat just not red meat. Thanks!
You can use ground chicken or pork if you’d like :)
I made this today with just round ground. And it turned out really good.
I just made this and it was delicious!! I added some basil and it really gave it some extra oomph. Will definitely make again!
Love the idea of adding basil to this Rae!
Lisa,
Thank you so much for this recipe and others too!! This recipe is so delicious, and my husband loves it too!! You have given me hope (after being diagnosed with several food allergies, multiple autoimmune diseases, and a lot of inflammation) that I can still have delicious food. I am excited to try more of your delicious recipes and tips.
Delicious recipe. Made this and filled lettuce cups. Only made a few changes. I used shallots for the green onions because I didn’t have any. I used Za’atar spice I had in the cupboard along with the oregano. Will be making this again. 👌 I May make some zatziki like the other reviewers mentioned.
I have to substitute turkey for chicken what spices do I use. Thanks
You can use the same spices :)
Delicious, quick and only one pan!!! Family loved it! We actually spooned it into mini pitas with some tzatziki but it great on its own
Love the idea of spooning these onto pita with tzatziki for the perfect Mediterranean flair Adam!
Delicious and pretty! Made exactly as directed and family loved it. Might try with ground turkey next time since I’d like to quit beef (anti-inflammatory diet). Love your recipes and your videos Lisa!
Thrilled to hear the whole family enjoyed this with ground turkey Lisa!
Looks amazing! I can’t wait to give this easy stir fry a try for dinner this week!
Hope you enjoyed this stir fry recipe Angela!
I loved how fast, easy, and colourful this recipe was! Tasted great as well. To suit my family’s preferences I used lean ground beef, doubled the oregano, and added a splash of lemon juice, and we all loved it! Made extra and used it as a filling for a pita wrap (with the addition of tzatziki sauce) the next day. This recipe is a definite winner and will be going into our regular meal rotation. Thank you so much, Lisa!
I’m sure this tasted amazing in a wrap with tzatziki!
A recipe the whole family enjoyed! Thanks for sharing this one!
Happy to hear the whole family enjoyed this recipe!
This is a winner, loved it! Every recipe I try of yours turns out fantastic Lisa.. this is another one that will be a regular in our house. Thanks for all the fabulous meal ideas.
Happy to hear this stir fry was such a hit Tanya!
Great recipe! Added black beans and served over 7 grains. Leftovers were great with avocado too
Great way to beef this stir fry up!
We made this and it was good, but it needed something a little more – so we added some of the Romesco sauce. It did the trick! It turned out well!
Great idea on the Romesco sauce! I’m sure that tasted delicious :)
Loved it! Didn’t have spinach on hand, subbed zucchini noodles and also added chili flakes, it was great. Will make again!
Love the idea of adding zucchini noodles to this!
I made this with ground lamb.. so “delish” as my lovely husband said. Great after work recipe, quick and, yes, delish.
I’m sure this tasted so delicious with ground lamb!
Made this for supper tonight and it was delicious. I used peppers,onions, chives and cherry tomatoes from my garden and beef from my friends farm.I just found you sight yesterday and I feel like I am in heaven. Thanks for everything you do.😊
Happy to hear you enjoyed this stir fry Roxann!
Easy and delicious recipe. I substituted turkey meat because I prefer over ground beef. Both my husband and I loved it. Also like the fact that it was low in sodium. The perfect one pan recipe!
Glad this worked out perfectly with ground turkey Mimi :)
Love the concept. Found the flavours a little lacking so wound up adding extra oregano, some Kalamata olives, and some lemon zest to amp it up. Would make again with the tweaks.
There’s definitely room to add more flavor to this – and you did it perfectly.
Hello. I made this recipe tonight. It was fantastic. I used a bag of frozen spinach (squeezed out all the water) and I added some fresh lemon juice just before serving.
Great idea on the fresh lemon juice before serving Ursula!
Really easy recipe and many flavors. Served with Party favorite!!!
This is what easy dinners are all about! Glad you enjoyed this recipe Angel.
Ok, this one’s a winner! (Well, all Lisa’s recipes are winners, but this one…….EXTRA YUM!) I don’t usually comment, but because when this recipe popped up I was craving something ‘Mediterranean’, I went out and got the ingredients right away. We had it for dinner tonight. So good on so many levels. Super easy to make, only dirtied one pan, and the flavors were bright and clear. I took the liberty of slicing 10 kalamata olives and added them to the part of the recipe where I threw the spinach and white parts of the green onions into the pan. This meal will be on regular rotation at my house. I have a neighbor who doesn’t eat beef, but I forwarded her the recipe and said she needs to try it, perhaps with ground chicken or turkey. I’m sure she’s going to love it as much as we did! Thank you, Lisa. :)
Love the idea of adding kalamata olives to this for a more Mediterranean flair! Glad you enjoyed this one Gina :)
We loved this! So fast, easy, and delicious. I threw in the remainder of a small jar of artichokes (an excellent pre-biotic and probiotic!) and it was so good. This one-skillet dish is so forgiving you could add just about any savory items that you like and it would probably turn out well. This recipe is going into our “meal rotation.” Thanks for another winner, Lisa!
Happy to hear this stir fry recipe has made it into your weekly rotation!
Cooking this recipe today! Glad I joined this group. Thanks for your study of what’s good for us all around💕
Hope you enjoyed this Mediterranean stir-fry Shirley!
So clean, so simple, yet so delicious! My husband even said it was very good. It makes for quick meal during the week yet it’s very wholesome.
Glad both you and your husband enjoyed this quick and easy stir fry recipe! :)
Just finished the dish …
Followed the recipe exactly …
It looked fresh and beautiful …
And tasted excellent!!!
A keeper (for sure).
Happy to hear this stir fry recipe worked out perfectly Tonni!
So simple, so delicious.
Thanks Lisa.
Of course Jack! Hope you enjoyed this new recipe :)
Can’t wait to try this one!!! Thank you for posting it!
Hope you enjoy this stir fry recipe Gina!
Very good and easy. Will definitely add olives and lemon next time. Served over lentils. Yumm.
I’m going to try this with olives added in.
The olives are a must! Hope you enjoy Diane :)
What a great recipe! Thanks for sharing, I can’t wait to fix it :) Did you use extra-lean ground beef? I’ll be back with an over the top rating!!
Can’t wait for you to try this Elizbeth! I used a 70% lean / 30% fat ground beef.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for yet another delicious recipe! Being French/Spanish on my mother side, French/Greek on my father side and being born and raised in Morocco, I’m all about Mediterranean food! And ground beef is definitely part of our diet, just not as often and not as much as in the SAD diet.
Here is my question: is this dish Whole30 compliant?
Thank you!
If you don’t include the feta cheese, this recipe is Whole30 compliant.