Ground Beef and Potatoes (Cheesy One Pan Skillet, 30 Minutes)

This ground beef and potatoes skillet is what I make on the nights when I have a pound of beef, a few potatoes and no plan: the potatoes get crispy in the skillet first, the beef browns with onion and bell pepper, everything gets a smoky paprika-garlic seasoning and a splash of broth, and then a handful of cheddar melts over the top. It is 30 minutes, one pan, about $2 a serving, and it lands at 32g of protein. It sits in the same no-plan weeknight rotation as my one pot ground beef stroganoff, one pot taco pasta and Korean ground beef bowls — the ground beef recipes that save dinner more often than I would like to admit.

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Why this ground beef and potato skillet beats the casserole version.

• The potatoes get crispy because they cook alone first. Most hamburger and potato recipes dump everything in together and the potatoes steam into mush in the beef juices. I brown the diced potatoes in the empty skillet for 10 minutes, scoop them out, and add them back at the end. Crispy edges, fluffy centers, every time — the same trick behind my steak bites and potatoes.
• It is a real one pot meal, not a one-pot-plus-a-baking-dish meal. No transferring to a casserole dish, no oven, no 45-minute bake. The cheese melts under a lid in 2 minutes right in the skillet, so the whole dinner — and the cleanup — is one pan. It is as fast as my one pot taco pasta and cheaper.
• 32g of protein from the cheapest meat in the store. A pound of 90% lean ground beef plus a cup of cheddar gives four servings 32g of protein each for about $2 a plate. The protein calculator can tell you how that fits your day; for a bigger number, use a pound and a half of beef and it climbs to 42g.

Here's what you'll need.

Here is everything that goes in — Yukon gold potatoes are my pick because they crisp outside and stay creamy inside, and 90% lean beef gives you flavor without a greasy skillet.

Here's how it all comes together.

STEP 1 — Crisp the potatoes.

Dice three medium Yukon gold potatoes into half-inch cubes — small enough to cook through in 10 minutes. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high, add the potatoes in one layer with a pinch of salt, and leave them alone for 4 minutes before stirring. Cook 10 to 12 minutes total until golden and tender, then scoop them onto a plate.

STEP 2 — Brown the beef with the onion and pepper.

In the same skillet, add the ground beef, diced onion and diced red bell pepper. Break the beef up with a wooden spoon and cook 6 to 7 minutes until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Drain off any pooled fat if you used 80/20.

STEP 3 — Season it.

Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, a teaspoon of salt and plenty of black pepper, and cook for 1 minute until it smells toasty. Add the Worcestershire sauce — it is the ingredient that makes a hamburger skillet taste like it has been simmering for an hour.

STEP 4 — Add the potatoes and a splash of broth.

Return the crispy potatoes to the skillet, pour in a third of a cup of beef broth, and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for 2 minutes so the broth reduces into a glaze that coats everything instead of pooling.

STEP 5 — Melt the cheese.

Turn the heat to low, scatter a cup of shredded cheddar over the top, cover the skillet and give it 2 minutes. The cheese melts into the beef without the oven. Finish with sliced green onions and serve straight from the pan.

If one-pan, no-fuss family dinners are your weeknight style, the Ultimate Slow Cooker Mediterranean Diet Cookbook.

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Dice the potatoes small and do not crowd them. Half-inch cubes cook through in 10 minutes; one-inch cubes take 20 and burn outside before the middle is done. If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, crisp the potatoes in two batches — a crowded pan steams instead of browns.
• Leave the potatoes alone for the first 4 minutes. I used to stir constantly and got pale, broken potatoes. Let them sit until the bottoms are golden, then flip. Less stirring, more crust.
• Do not skip the Worcestershire. Two teaspoons. I tested a batch without it and the whole skillet tasted flat, like plain taco meat with potatoes. It brings the savory, slightly tangy depth that makes people ask what is in it.
• Shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheddar is coated with starch and melts into a clumpy layer instead of a smooth one. A block of sharp cheddar takes 60 seconds on a box grater and melts like a blanket.

Why this is the cheapest dinner I make on repeat.

• About $8 for four servings. A pound of ground beef, three potatoes, an onion, a pepper and a cup of cheese. Everything else is already in the pantry. It is the dinner I make at the end of the grocery week when the budget is gone.
• It reheats better than most skillet dinners. The potatoes crisp back up in a hot skillet in 5 minutes, and the cheese re-melts. I double it on Sunday and eat it for two lunches — it is one of the few 30 minute meals that is just as good on day two.
• Endlessly adjustable. Swap the beef for ground turkey (same as my ground turkey sweet potato skillet), add a can of drained corn or black beans, or stir in a cup of salsa with the broth for a taco version. Top with a fried egg and it is breakfast.

Here's what I'd serve with this.

• Air fryer green beans — the 15-minute green side that cooks while the cheese melts
• Smashed cucumber salad — something cold and crunchy against the cheesy skillet
• Fried cabbage — a cheap, buttery side that fits the same skillet-dinner mood
• Cowboy caviar — spoon it over the top for a fresh, tangy contrast
• Apple crisp — the fall dessert that belongs after a skillet dinner

Just in case you have leftovers.

Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It freezes for 2 months in portions — the potatoes soften a little when thawed but the flavor holds. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a teaspoon of oil for 5 minutes, stirring once, so the potatoes crisp back up and the cheese re-melts. The microwave works too (90 seconds, covered) but the potatoes stay soft.

More easy ground beef dinner recipes...

One pot ground beef stroganoff One pot taco pasta Korean ground beef bowls High protein cheeseburger bowls

Looking for more one pan dinners? My sheet pan chicken and potatoes is the chicken version of this skillet, and the high protein chicken caesar pasta salad is what I pack for lunch the next day.

More set-it-and-forget-it family dinners

If you like dinners that cook in one pot and feed everyone without a fuss, the Ultimate Slow Cooker Mediterranean Diet Cookbook is full of the same kind of simple, hearty one-pot meals built on real ingredients.

Get the cookbook on Amazon

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