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Mexican Ground Beef and Potato Skillet

A cheesy one-pan dinner featuring seasoned ground beef, golden potatoes, red bell peppers, onions, and green chiles. Flavored with a Mexican spice blend and topped with melted cheese, this hearty skillet meal is perfect for weeknights and meal prep.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Calories: 375
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 pound potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes (Yukon gold preferred)
  • 1 pound lean ground beef 90/10% or slightly leaner
  • 0.5 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (approximately 1-1.5 tsp kosher salt)
  • 4 ounces diced green chiles mild or hot depending on preference
  • 2.5 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 0.25 cup cilantro chopped
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheese cheddar, colby jack, monterey jack, or pepper jack

Equipment

  • 12-inch cast iron skillet or large skillet

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, swirl it to coat the bottom of the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring often, for about 6 minutes or until the potatoes are turning golden and start to become tender (they will still be too firm to eat).
  2. Push the potatoes to one side of the skillet and add in the ground beef. Crumble the beef then add in the onion and red bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook, continuing to break the beef apart as it cooks.
  3. Add in the green chiles, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cilantro. Stir everything together and cook until the potatoes are tender and the beef is cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
  4. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt if needed. Top with the shredded cheese and cook for another minute until it melts. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve hot.
Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale - Kitchen Equipment Recommendation

Notes

Potato Prep: Cut potatoes into a small dice (1/2 inch cubes) so they cook faster. Keep them equal in size so they cook evenly.
Skillet Size: Use a large enough skillet, 12-inch enameled cast iron skillet is recommended for best results.
Seasoning: Don't be shy with the salt. Potatoes and meat benefit from a decent amount of salt.
Cheese: Use a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese uses anti-caking agents and won't melt as well.
Veggies: Try swapping red bell pepper with green bell pepper, zucchini, carrots, or corn.
Protein Swap: Use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef.
Extra Sauce: For extra flavor and a saucy consistency, add 1/2 cup of red or green enchilada sauce or your favorite jarred salsa.
Sweet Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes can be substituted with sweet potatoes (peeling is optional).
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