Busy Day Ground Beef and Potatoes

a photo of a cast iron skillet full of crispy potatoes and ground beef mixed with onions and red bell peppers

This simple and delicious one pot recipe features ground beef and potatoes cooked together with flavorful seasonings for an easy and hearty meal. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!

This is a recipe Cade and I would make when we first got married and lately I’ve been in the biggest cooking rut. It’s not even that I don’t want to cook, it’s just that nothing feels inspiring and nothing sounds good. So, I’ve been going back to my roots and making some simple comfort foods that everyone will eat and take no brain cells from me.

Ingredients for Ground Beef and Potatoes

Onion and peppers taste good when you pair them with classic ground beef and potatoes! We add a few seasonings and you have an easy ground beef dinner recipe they whole family will love. Here are all the ingredients you need:

Canola Oil: helps cook the potatoes until golden and crispy
Yukon Gold Potatoes: you can peel them or not and dice them into 1/4-inch cubes
Ground Beef: I usually go with 85/15 for good flavor. You can use more lean ground beef if desired, or substitute it with ground turkey or ground chicken.
Onion: just a yellow onion works great
Red Bell Pepper: you could also grab a yellow or orange bell pepper
Worcestershire Sauce: adds rich umami flavor
Ketchup: adds flavor and a touch of sweetness
Liquid Smoke: adds smokiness
Dijon Mustard: adds flavor
Seasonings: Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Dried Oregano, Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Parsley: adds a fresh pop of flavor

How to Make Skillet Ground Beef and Potatoes

You only need one pan to make this family-friendly meal! Grab your cast iron skillet and let’s get cookin’!

Brown the Potatoes: Add oil to a large cast iron skillet and heat over high heat. when the oil is shimmering, reduce the heat to medium high and add the potatoes. Season them with salt and stir to coat. Let them cook until browned, stir often until the potatoes are tender.
Cook the Ground Beef: Remove the potatoes from the skillet and add the ground beef and break it up to cook.
Sauté the Onions and Peppers: Push the meat to the sides of the pan and add the onions. Stir until they soften and then add the bell peppers and cook until soft. Drain any grease if needed.
Combine: Add all the rest of the ingredients (including the potatoes) to the large skillet and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender.
Season: Give the dish one last hit of salt and pepper until you get the flavor you want. Serve it hot and top it with some fresh parsley.

The complete recipe in full detail can be found in the recipe card down below so keep scrolling for all the information you’ll need to make this tasty dinner recipe.

Do You Have to Use a Cast Iron Skillet?

Normally I would say that any skillet will get the job done just fine but for this recipe, you must use a cast iron skillet. To get the crispiness and flavor you want, use a cast iron skillet.

What to Serve with Ground Beef and Potatoes

When I eat a hearty main dish, I like to have simple vegetable sides to lighten it up. Some of our favorite side dishes are:

If you want to add some fruit to the dinner, our winter fruit salad would be a great option too!

Storage Tips

Store: Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4-5 days.

Reheat: You can use the microwave or stovetop to reheat leftover ground beef and potatoes. If I’m reheating just one serving, I’ll pop it in the microwave but if I’m reheating a bunch for the whole family, then I’ll use the stovetop.

Freeze: These leftover freeze great! Let them cool completely and then store them in an airtight container. They will keep for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat on the stovetop as written above.

As long as we are talking about leftovers, I love when we have leftovers of this ground beef recipe because I love repurposing them! Sometimes I’ll make scrambled eggs and serve them for breakfast. Or, add some grated cheese and salsa throw it into a tortilla for a tasty burrito for lunch or dinner the next night! Ground beef and potatoes is so versatile!

Warm up with this classic comfort food dish of ground beef and potatoes. Learn how to make it and why it’s a go-to meal for those busy weeknights.

More Comfort Food Dinner Recipes:

Ground Beef and Potatoes

This simple and delicious one pot recipe features ground beef and potatoes cooked together with flavorful seasonings for an easy and hearty meal. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!

Course 100 + BEST Easy Beef Recipes for Dinner, Over 500 Family Dinner Recipes Ideas

Keyword dinner, dinner recipe, easy dinner, easy weeknight dinner, family dinner, ground beef, one skillet, potatoes

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings

Calories 315kcal

Author Carrian Cheney

Equipment

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1 Pound Yukon Gold Potatoes or Russett potatoes, diced into ¼-inch cubes
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Yellow Onion small, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper diced
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Ketchup
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt plus additional to taste
¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Parsley chopped, for garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large 10-12″ cast iron skillet over high heat.

2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium high, then add the potatoes and a sprinkle of salt evenly over all potatoes. Stir once and let sit to brown the bottom. Cook, stirring often, until the potatoes are turning golden and becoming tender, but not soft, about 6 minutes.

1 Pound Yukon Gold Potatoes, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Remove the potatoes to a dish. Add the meat. Cook, breaking apart the meat.

1 Pound Ground Beef
Push the meat to the sides, and add the onion, stirring until softened, and add the bell pepper until soft. Drain excess grease if needed.

1 Yellow Onion, 1 Red Bell Pepper
Add the Worcestershire, ketchup, liquid smoke, mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Continue cooking and breaking up the beef, until the potatoes and onions are tender and the meat is fully cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes more.

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, 1 Tablespoon Ketchup, 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke, 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard, 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot, topped with chopped parsley.

Parsley