MyPlate-Inspired Beef Recipes

February 25, 2013
Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
Enjoy our favorite MyPlate-inspired beef recipes, which use beef as a nutritious choice to incorporate more protein into your healthy diet.
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Nutritious Beef Recipes

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Carne Asada Tacos with Avocado Pico de Gallo

Cooking Light is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDA’s MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to thousands of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit MyPlate.gov.

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Beef Tenderloin with Mustard and Herbs

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Beef Tenderloin with Mustard and Herbs

For this dish, grill the beef tenderloin first, and then coat it in the mustard and herb mixture for bright, fresh flavors. Serve with grilled polenta and a simple salad.

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Quick Beef Stroganoff

Credit: Photo: John Autry/Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Quick Beef Stroganoff

Make a classic family favorite in a fraction of the time. Best of all, this comforting dinner dish comes in at less than 400 calories per serving.

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Classic Beef Shish Kebabs

View Recipe: Classic Beef Shish Kebabs

The trick with this shish kebab recipe is to cook the beef separately from the vegetables so nothing overcooks. You can prepare this recipe on a grill pan, but you’ll need to cook the kebabs in batches.

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Beef Tenderloin with Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Beef Tenderloin with Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce

Entertaining? Pop the beef tenderloin in the oven as guests arrive, and make the cherry-black pepper sauce just before they're seated.

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Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue)

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue)

Bulgogi, beef barbecue, is one of the most popular Korean dishes. Serve over rice and lettuce for a complete meal.

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Beef Tenderloin Steaks and Balsamic Green Beans

Credit: Photo: John Autry and Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Beef Tenderloin Steaks and Balsamic Green Beans

We pair simply seasoned beef tenderloin with a flavorful sauté of fresh green beans, onions, shallots, garlic, and balsamic vinegar–all for under 250 calories per serving.

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Beef Pot Roast and Gravy

Credit: Photo: Jamie Chung
View Recipe: Beef Pot Roast and Gravy

A classic pot roast with gravy is the “gateway” recipe to using your pressure cooker–it’s quick, and you’re rewarded with a hearty dish in a fraction of the time.

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Beef Carnitas Tacos

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Beef Carnitas Tacos

These simple tacos are an ideal showcase for tender Beef Carnitas–tender, slowly cooked, inexpensive beef stew meat that will win you over with its great flavor and versatility.

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Maple and Soy-Glazed Flank Steak

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Maple and Soy-Glazed Flank Steak

Make use of a budget-friendly cut of meat by marinating in a rich Asian marinade, which serves double-duty in this delicious recipe.

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Caramelized Onion-and-Blue Cheese Mini Burgers

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Caramelized Onion-and-Blue Cheese Mini Burgers

Small but loaded with flavor: Caramelized onions, blue cheese, arugula, and sirloin fill your mouth with sweetness and pungency.

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Beef and Bacon Pizza

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Beef and Bacon Pizza

This meat-lover’s pizza is equally pleasing as a family dinner or for a casual party. For the best flavor, shred and grate the cheeses yourself.

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Espresso-Grilled Tenderloin Steaks

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Espresso-Grilled Tenderloin Steaks

Try a new twist on the usual weeknight steak dinner. Pair with steamed veggies or a side of rice.

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Classic “Prime” Rib

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Classic “Prime” Rib

This classic is all about technique–roast at a low temperature to ensure gently cooked meat with a medium-rare center. Keep the seasoning simple to allow the meat to star.

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Filet Mignon with Arugula Salad

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Filet Mignon with Arugula Salad

Arugula, a peppery salad green, makes a tasty bed for pan-seared steak. Asiago bread is a fitting accompaniment for a complete meal.

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Steak Diane

View Recipe: Steak Diane

This steak Diane recipe will impress your family and guests with very little effort. For an easy side of roasted potatoes, start with precut potato wedges.

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Beef Soba Noodles with Spinach and Coconut-Curry Vinaigrette

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Beef Soba Noodles with Spinach and Coconut-Curry Vinaigrette

"Bloom" the ginger, garlic, and curry powder by warming them in oil to round out flavors in this Asian-inspired, dinner dish.

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Sesame Beef Stir-Fry

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Sesame Beef Stir-Fry

Master the art of stir-fry with this beef-based, Asian-inspired dish. If presliced beef is not available, ask your butcher to thinly slice flank steak or boneless sirloin steak.

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Thai Steak Salad

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Thai Steak Salad

Lots of veggies and herbs pack this flavorful salad. It’s quick to prepare and would be delicious with grilled chicken or lamb, if you prefer.

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Grilled Steak with Fresh Mango Salsa

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Grilled Steak with Fresh Mango Salsa

Ready in just 40 minutes, this beef-based dish uses mango salsa for an unusual blend of textures and tastes that will have you coming back for more.

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Southwest Burger

Credit: Photo: Christina Holmes
View Recipe: Southwest Burger

Chile peppers and cacti are staple ingredients in Southwestern cooking. Here I mixed a sweet-smoky ancho chile paste with bottom notes of earthy cumin into the beef patty. For a condiment, I started with nopales (cactus paddles) to give deep green veggie flavor. Jicama adds hearty crunch, while lime juice and cilantro brighten it all up. -Tiffany Vickers Davis, Test Kichen Manager

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Seared Steaks with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Seared Steaks with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce

Rich cherry sauce complements steak in this 40-minute dish.

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Grilled Sirloin Steak with Mango and Chile Salad

Credit: Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Grilled Sirloin Steak with Mango and Chile Salad

For a more kid-friendly dish, substitute red bell pepper for the jalapeño in the salad.

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Beef Noodle Soup

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Beef Noodle Soup

If you have the time, freeze the steak for 20 minutes prior to preparation for easier slicing.

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Flank Steak with Tomato-Balsamic Sauce

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Flank Steak with Tomato-Balsamic Sauce

This sauce is also tasty with sautéed chicken breasts or pork chops.

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Spicy Steak Lettuce Wraps

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Spicy Steak Lettuce Wraps

Give traditional lettuce wraps a kick in the tastebuds with the addition of zesty spiced steak.

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Steak with Lemon-Herb Pesto and Spinach Salad

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Steak with Lemon-Herb Pesto and Spinach Salad

Be sure to put some of the pesto aside for a later weeknight dinner. It's herbaceous flavor pairs well with beef, chicken, and fish.

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Brazilian Feijoada

Credit: Photo: Raymond Hom
View Recipe: Brazilian Feijoada

Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) is a delicious stew of pork and black beans that's traditionally served over rice with fresh orange slices. In Brazil, this dish is often served on special occasions, but preparing it in a slow cooker makes it possible to serve this rich dish on the busiest weeknights.

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Herb-Rubbed New York Strip with Sautéed Peas and Carrots

Credit: Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Herb-Rubbed New York Strip with Sautéed Peas and Carrots

Bacon lends the peas and carrots in this dish a lovely smoky flavor.

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Beef Tenderloin, Swiss Chard, and Caramelized Fennel Tacos

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Beef Tenderloin, Swiss Chard, and Caramelized Fennel Tacos

The chard makes a wonderful peppery, lightly bitter complement to the sweet fennel. Look for crema Mexicana in the supermarket dairy section or at ethnic markets, or substitute crème fraîche.

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Seared Steak with Braised Leeks

Credit: Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Seared Steak with Braised Leeks

If you want a more budget-friendly option, swap in some stemmed kale for the Swiss chard.

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Braised Beef with Onion, Sweet Potato, and Parsnip

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
View Recipe: Braised Beef with Onion, Sweet Potato, and Parsnip

Revamp classic pot roast with parsnip and sweet potatoes.

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Cremini Mushroom Meat Loaf

Credit: Photo: Jason Wallis; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
View Recipe: Cremini Mushroom Meat Loaf

With over 17g of protein and ready in under an hour, this lightened-up comfort food is a filling and satisfying dish for any night of the week.

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Seared Steaks with Red Wine, Mushrooms, and Onions

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Cindy Barr 
View Recipe: Seared Steaks with Red Wine, Mushrooms, and Onions

Finished with a rosemary, onion, red wine, and mushroom sauce, these seared steaks are an easy entrée that pair well with blue cheese mashed potatoes and broccoli.

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Chili and Coffee-Rubbed Eye of Round

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Chili and Coffee-Rubbed Eye of Round

In this deli-style roast beef, bold ingredients blanket the exterior of a lean but flavorful cut—eye of round.

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