A savory paleo skillet of tender-crisp spiralized sweet potato 'noodles' tossed with browned, seasoned ground beef and wilted spinach, finished with creamy avocado and bright cilantro.
Skillet ‘Noodles’ with Sweet Potato, Beef, and Creamy Avocado
A one-pan, paleo-friendly dinner that swaps wheat noodles for tender-crisp spiralized sweet potatoes and finishes with creamy avocado and bright cilantro.
If you’re craving the texture of noodles but want to keep things paleo, spiralized sweet potato is your secret weapon: long, slightly sweet strands that caramelize at the edges when they hit a hot pan yet stay tender in the middle. This skillet keeps things fast and focused—no elaborate sauce, just the natural sweetness of the tuber paired with savory browned beef and a pop of fresh herbs.
The backbone of the dish is simply seasoned ground beef browned in a hot 12-inch skillet until those fond bits form on the bottom—smoky paprika, warm cumin and a splash of coconut aminos turn the meat deeply savory. A quick tip: pat the spirals dry with a towel before you cook them so they sauté instead of steaming, and if you don’t have a spiralizer, thin matchsticks do the job just as well.
Red pepper and onion soften into the pan, followed by garlic and a handful of spinach that wilts into pockets of green. Toss everything together so the sweet potato noodles pick up the beefy browned bits; finish with creamy diced avocado and a handful of chopped cilantro for contrast—rich, fresh, and a little herbal.
This is a weeknight workhorse: about 15 minutes prep and 20 minutes at the stove, and it feeds four as an easy main. You can spiralize ahead of time and store the strands dry in the fridge, and when reheating, warm gently in a skillet so the noodles keep their tender-crisp bite rather than turning mushy.
Ingredients
How to Make Spiralized Sweet Potato Beef Skillet
- Peel (optional) and spiralize the sweet potatoes into long noodles; if you don't have a spiralizer, cut into thin matchsticks. Pat the spirals dry with a towel to remove excess moisture and set aside.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add ground beef, break it up with a spatula, season with half the salt, half the pepper, the smoked paprika, and cumin, and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
- Transfer the browned beef to a bowl, leaving any browned bits in the pan; if there is excessive fat, spoon off and discard so about 1 tablespoon remains in the skillet.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, then add the chopped onion and diced red bell pepper; sauté until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the spiralized sweet potato to the skillet and toss to combine with the onions and pepper. Spread the noodles into an even layer, cover the skillet, and cook 3–4 minutes to steam and soften, then uncover and toss; cook another 3–4 minutes until tender-crisp, adding a splash of water if it starts to stick.
- Return the browned beef to the skillet, pour in the coconut aminos, and toss everything together; cook 1–2 minutes until the flavors meld and any excess moisture has evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the fresh spinach and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let sit a minute to allow flavors to settle.
- Divide among four plates and top each serving with sliced avocado and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Serve hot as a hearty paleo one-skillet meal.
Recipe Card
Spiralized Sweet Potato Beef Skillet
A savory paleo skillet of tender-crisp spiralized sweet potato 'noodles' tossed with browned, seasoned ground beef and wilted spinach, finished with creamy avocado and bright cilantro.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel (optional) and spiralize the sweet potatoes into long noodles; if you don't have a spiralizer, cut into thin matchsticks. Pat the spirals dry with a towel to remove excess moisture and set aside.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add ground beef, break it up with a spatula, season with half the salt, half the pepper, the smoked paprika, and cumin, and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
- Transfer the browned beef to a bowl, leaving any browned bits in the pan; if there is excessive fat, spoon off and discard so about 1 tablespoon remains in the skillet.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, then add the chopped onion and diced red bell pepper; sauté until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the spiralized sweet potato to the skillet and toss to combine with the onions and pepper. Spread the noodles into an even layer, cover the skillet, and cook 3–4 minutes to steam and soften, then uncover and toss; cook another 3–4 minutes until tender-crisp, adding a splash of water if it starts to stick.
- Return the browned beef to the skillet, pour in the coconut aminos, and toss everything together; cook 1–2 minutes until the flavors meld and any excess moisture has evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the fresh spinach and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let sit a minute to allow flavors to settle.
- Divide among four plates and top each serving with sliced avocado and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Serve hot as a hearty paleo one-skillet meal.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 51
- Saturated Fat
- 15
- Sodium
- 750
- Fiber
- 11
- Unsaturated Fat
- 32
- Protein
- 45
- Fat
- 47
- Cholesterol
- 135
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 770
- Sugar
- 17