This simple ground beef and potatoes skillet is a terrific way to get dinner on the table on a busy weeknight. In this recipe ground beef is cooked with diced potatoes and flavored with onions, garlic, and spices. The ingredients are kept to a minimum, but it’s still packed with flavor.
Ground beef is a wonderful ingredient because it’s versatile and easy on the budget. There are many ways to use ground beef without feeling like you’re eating the same thing night after night. Take this ground beef and potatoes recipe, it’s totally different than a lasagna soup or Salisbury steak. But they do have one fantastic ingredient in common.
Ingredients
- Oil – We use olive oil, use your favorite cooking oil.
- Ground beef – Good options include sirloin, chuck, or round ground beef. I buy what’s on sale and use what I have on hand.
- Produce – From the produce section you will need an onion (yellow or white), garlic, and russet potatoes.
- Spices and condiments – Salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce season this dish simply. Find Worcestershire sauce in the condiment aisle at the grocery store or online.
- Pantry – Tomato paste adds flavor and a touch of color. Beef broth is used to make a sauce the potatoes cook in, plus it adds to the beefy flavor of this dish.
- Garnish – Fresh parsley, green onions, chives, and cilantro all make good choices.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
- Add the beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir well then arrange it in one layer. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir and continue cooking for 2 minutes (or until browned) while stirring and breaking up large pieces. (see cook’s notes and tips 1)
- Add the onions to the ground beef and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, stir often.
- Next, add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir well to combine the ingredients and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, broth, and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet, stir well. When the beef and potatoes start to sizzle, cover the pan, and lower the heat to medium low.
- Cook gently for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. A fork or knife should slide in and out without resistance. Stir occasionally to make sure the potatoes are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Taste the beef and potatoes and add salt if needed. As a reference we added a ¼ teaspoon to ours.
Cook’s notes and tips
- Depending on the fat content of the ground beef you may want to drain some or all of it. An easy way to do this is to take the pan off the heat, arrange the beef on one side and tip it slightly so that the oil pools opposite the meat. Use a large spoon to scoop out the excess oil. Level the skillet and continue with the recipe.
- Stir gently when the potatoes start to soften so they do not break apart.
- If you’d like less sauce in the potatoes and ground beef skillet uncover the pan for a few minutes and let some of the pan juices cook out. Stir occasionally.
Frequently asked questions
Ground chuck, round, or sirloin will work well. The main difference between them is the fat content. Here’s a quick reference of their lean to fat ratios. Chuck is 80-85% lean to 15-20% fat; round is 85-90% lean to 10-15 % fat; and sirloin is 90-92% lean to 8-10% fat.
I like using russet potatoes because they’re starchy and work with the liquid to add little body to the dish. However red, yellow, and Yukon gold potatoes can be substituted. Adjust the cooking time if needed.
Serve this simple dish with a slice of Texas toast or a piece of crusty bread. It will also go beautifully with scrambled or fried eggs. And you can’t go wrong with a side salad or vegetables like roasted broccoli or our delicious bacon green beans.
Storing and reheating instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze, cool the meat mixture, place it in a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Place the desired portion in a non-stick skillet. Heat it covered on medium-low until hot, stir occasionally. Or reheat it in the microwave until hot all the way through.
Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil or your favorite cooking oil
- 1 pound Ground Beef use sirloin, chuck, or round
- 1½ teaspoon Salt we use kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Small Onion finely diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 pound Russet Potato peeled and cut into roughly ½ inch cubes (red or yellow potatoes can be substituted if necessary)
- ½ cup Beef Broth
- 1 tablespoon Chopped Parsley for garnish optional (green onions, chives, and cilantro will also make good garnish options)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Stir well to combine then arrange the ground meat in one layer. Cook for 3 minutes without disturbing.
- Stir the beef and continue cooking for 2 minutes (or until browned) while stirring and breaking up large pieces with a cooking spoon or spatula. (see cook’s notes and tips 1)
- Add the onions to the ground beef and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, stir often.
- Next, add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir well to combine the ingredients and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, broth, and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet, stir well. When the beef and potatoes start to sizzle, cover the pan, and lower the heat to medium low.
- Cook gently for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. A fork or knife should slide in and out without resistance. Stir occasionally to make sure the potatoes are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Taste the beef and potatoes and add salt if needed. As a reference we added a ¼ teaspoon to ours.
Notes
- Depending on the fat content of the ground beef you may want to drain some or all of it. An easy way to do this is to take the pan off the heat, arrange the beef on one side and tip it slightly so that the oil pools opposite the meat. Use a large spoon to scoop out the excess oil. Level the skillet and continue with the recipe.
- Stir gently when the potatoes start to soften so they do not break apart.
- If you’d like less sauce in the potatoes and ground beef skillet uncover the pan for a few minutes and let some of the pan juices cook out. Stir occasionally.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Ari
This was sooo yummy and scrumptious!! I added Goya Sazondar Total seasoning (the green lid) to ground turkey and potatoes. Thank you for sharing this easy and delicious recipe!