Ground Beef and Potato Skillet designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
Weeknight Skillet: Beef, Potatoes & Peppers
A no-fuss, budget-friendly skillet that turns cheap pantry staples into a bold, comforting one-pan dinner in under an hour.
This is the kind of recipe that steps in when the week gets busy and you need something satisfying without fuss. Ground beef and potatoes are pantry and fridge regulars for a reason — they’re cheap, filling, and forgiving — and a quick parboil for the potato cubes means dinner comes together fast while still getting those golden, crispy edges you want. Smoked paprika and a spoonful of tomato paste give the whole skillet a smoky, savory lift, and Worcestershire adds that meaty, tangy counterpoint that makes every bite feel complete.
Technique does the heavy lifting here. Browning the beef well builds flavor, and leaving about a tablespoon of that rendered fat in the pan is a tiny trick that deepens the taste when you sauté the onion and red pepper. Parboil the 1/2-inch potato cubes just until tender so they won’t fall apart in the skillet; after draining, they’ll brown up in the pan and pick up a delightful crust. Finish everything with a splash of beef broth so the tomato paste loosens into a glossy coating that clings to meat and potatoes alike.
The result is a meld of textures — crisp-edged potatoes, caramelized onions, soft red pepper, and richly seasoned beef — all brightened by dried oregano and a hit of salt. It’s hungry-family friendly but not boring: serve it straight from the skillet with a spoonful of pickles or hot sauce on the side, shredded cheese, or a fried egg for extra comfort.
Practical notes: you can parboil the potatoes and slice the veg ahead to speed weeknight assembly, and leftovers reheat beautifully for lunches or next-day dinners. If you want to stretch the recipe further, add a few cups of chopped greens at the end or swap in a leaner ground meat — just keep the browning and the pan sauce step, which is where the flavor lives.
Ingredients
How to Make Ground Beef and Potato Skillet
- Wash and cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes; place in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes until just tender, then drain and set aside.
- While potatoes cook, peel and thinly slice the onion, core and dice the red bell pepper, and mince the garlic.
- Heat a large (10-12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil; add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until well browned (6–8 minutes). Season with half the salt and half the black pepper.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer browned beef to a bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the skillet; add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 4–5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika and oregano and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, then return the beef to the skillet.
- Add the par-cooked potatoes, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine; bring to a simmer and cook uncovered 6–8 minutes so the potatoes brown lightly and the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the frozen peas and the remaining salt and pepper, cook 2 minutes until peas are heated through, then remove from heat.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the top, cover the pan off-heat for 2 minutes to melt cheese, then garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Recipe Card
Ground Beef and Potato Skillet
Ground Beef and Potato Skillet designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Wash and cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes; place in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes until just tender, then drain and set aside.
- While potatoes cook, peel and thinly slice the onion, core and dice the red bell pepper, and mince the garlic.
- Heat a large (10-12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil; add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until well browned (6–8 minutes). Season with half the salt and half the black pepper.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer browned beef to a bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the skillet; add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 4–5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika and oregano and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, then return the beef to the skillet.
- Add the par-cooked potatoes, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine; bring to a simmer and cook uncovered 6–8 minutes so the potatoes brown lightly and the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the frozen peas and the remaining salt and pepper, cook 2 minutes until peas are heated through, then remove from heat.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the top, cover the pan off-heat for 2 minutes to melt cheese, then garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 31
- Saturated Fat
- 11.8
- Sodium
- 800
- Fiber
- 4.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 19
- Protein
- 28
- Fat
- 31
- Cholesterol
- 95
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 513
- Sugar
- 3