Description
Hearty Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet delivers a comforting one-pan meal that blends savory flavors and satisfying textures. Rich beef and tender potatoes create a simple yet delicious dinner perfect for hungry families craving a quick and nourishing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef (96/4 lean)
- 4 slices center cut bacon
Vegetables and Potatoes
- 20 (500 grams) mini potatoes (red and gold)
Seasonings and Flavor Enhancers
- 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Crisp bacon in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Remove bacon, crumble, and reserve a small amount of drippings in the pan.
- Add ground beef to the skillet with dry mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until meat browns completely, stirring intermittently.
- Incorporate Worcestershire sauce during final moments of beef cooking, enhancing the meat’s savory profile.
- Strategically arrange thinly sliced mini potatoes in a single layer across the bottom of the skillet, creating a foundation for the meat.
- Distribute cooked ground beef evenly over potato layers, ensuring complete coverage.
- Gently pour skim milk across the layered ingredients, allowing liquid to settle between potato and meat sections.
- Generously scatter shredded cheddar cheese over the entire surface, creating a melty blanket.
- Transfer skillet to a preheated 400ºF oven, baking for 40-50 minutes until liquid reduces and cheese turns golden and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let rest briefly to allow flavors to meld and temperature to stabilize.
- Garnish with reserved crumbled bacon and optional chopped green onions before serving. Enjoy this robust, comforting dish directly from the skillet.
Notes
- Use thick-cut bacon for extra crispiness and more flavor intensity in the dish.
- Choose waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or red potatoes to maintain structure during baking and prevent turning mushy.
- Blot excess grease with paper towels if using higher fat content ground beef to keep the dish from becoming too oily.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter protein alternative that maintains the recipe’s core flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg