Ground Beef And Potatoes Recipe

Interestingly, just as you were craving a hearty, no-fuss dinner, this ground beef and potatoes recipe landed in your lap. You'll love how quickly you can transform simple ingredients into a satisfying meal that'll have your family asking for seconds. Whether you're a busy parent or a novice cook, this one-skillet wonder promises comfort and flavor without complicated techniques. Curious about how to turn basic pantry staples into a mouthwatering dish that'll become your new weeknight go-to?

Recipe Highlights

• Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles and seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Dice potatoes and onions into uniform pieces, then add to the browned beef, ensuring even cooking and maximum flavor integration.
• Cover the skillet and simmer, allowing potatoes to become tender while the beef develops a rich, caramelized exterior.
• Enhance flavor with optional seasonings like garlic powder, paprika, or dried herbs to personalize the classic comfort dish.
• Drain excess fat if needed and aim for crispy potato edges and a well-balanced texture in this hearty one-skillet meal.

History

Although ground beef and potatoes might seem like a simple combination, its culinary roots run deep in global comfort food traditions.

You'll find this hearty dish traces back to European peasant cuisine, where affordable, filling ingredients were essential for survival. Potatoes, originally from South America, spread through Europe in the 16th century, transforming local cooking methods.

Ground beef became popular in the late 19th century with the invention of mechanical meat grinders, making tough cuts more palatable and economical. Working-class families quickly adopted this one-skillet meal as a practical, nutritious option.

Recipe

This classic comfort dish combines the rich, savory flavor of ground beef with tender, golden potatoes, creating a satisfying meal that's both simple and delicious. Perfect for busy weeknights or when you want a no-fuss dinner that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort, this recipe brings together basic ingredients to create a truly comforting meal.

The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity – just a few ingredients transform into a hearty, filling dinner that appeals to both kids and adults. With just one skillet, you'll create a complete meal that's both nutritious and incredibly tasty, making it a go-to recipe for home cooks looking for quick and satisfying dinner options.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by preparing your ingredients. Dice the potatoes and onion into small, uniform pieces to ensure even cooking. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the diced onions and cook until they become translucent and slightly softened, which typically takes about 3-4 minutes.

Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook the beef until it's completely browned, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking and to prevent sticking.

Once the beef is cooked through, add the diced potatoes to the skillet, seasoning generously with salt and pepper.

Cover the skillet and let the mixture cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and ensure the potatoes cook evenly. The potatoes should become tender on the inside and develop a slightly crispy exterior. If the mixture seems too dry during cooking, add a small amount of water to help steam the potatoes and prevent sticking.

For the best results, use a heavy-bottomed skillet or cast-iron pan, which provides even heat distribution and helps achieve better browning. Cut potatoes into consistent sizes to promote uniform cooking, and avoid overcrowding the pan, which can lead to steaming instead of browning.

If you want to add extra flavor, consider incorporating garlic, paprika, or dried herbs like thyme or rosemary to enhance the dish's overall taste profile.

Cooking Steps

You'll start by dicing your onions and potatoes into uniform pieces, which ensures even cooking and helps create a consistent texture in your skillet.

Next, brown the ground beef, breaking it up into small crumbles, and season the mixture generously with salt and pepper to build layers of flavor.

Once your ingredients are well-combined, cover the skillet and let everything simmer, occasionally stirring to prevent sticking and drain excess fat if needed.

Step 1. Dice Onions and Potatoes

First things first, grab a sharp chef's knife and a sturdy cutting board to prepare your onion and potatoes for this hearty ground beef skillet. Carefully wash the potatoes, then slice them into uniform 1/2-inch cubes to ensure even cooking. You'll want each potato piece roughly the same size, which helps them cook consistently and look professional.

For the onion:

• Slice off the top and bottom
• Peel away the outer skin
• Cut in half vertically
• Make horizontal and vertical cuts
• Dice into small, consistent pieces

Watch your knife technique: keep your fingers curled under, using the knuckles of your guiding hand as a safety guard. Quick, controlled movements will help you achieve those perfect, evenly-sized potato and onion pieces that'll make your skillet look restaurant-ready.

Step 2. Add Ground Beef

Carefully transfer the browned onions to one side of the skillet, creating space for the ground beef. Break the meat into the empty section, using your spatula to create small, uniform crumbles.

Press the ground beef down gently, allowing it to make full contact with the hot skillet's surface. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning and prevent sticking.

• Watch for color changes from pink to brown
• Break larger chunks into smaller, consistent pieces
• Listen for sizzling sounds indicating proper heat
• Aim for a rich, caramelized exterior on the meat

As the beef browns, its natural fats will render, creating a flavorful base for your one-pan meal.

Drain excess fat if desired, but keep some for added richness and depth of flavor.

Step 3. Season With Salt, Pepper

Two essential ingredients transform your ground beef and potato skillet from bland to brilliant: salt and pepper.

These classic seasonings will elevate your dish from ordinary to extraordinary, bringing out the rich, savory flavors of the meat and potatoes.

• Use kosher salt or sea salt for the best taste
• Freshly ground black pepper provides more robust flavor
• Start with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Sprinkle seasonings evenly across the skillet
• Taste and adjust seasonings as the meat cooks

Add salt and pepper gradually, tasting as you go.

Remember that ground beef naturally contains some saltiness, so you'll want to season carefully.

The goal is enhancement, not overwhelming the natural flavors of the beef and potatoes. A light, balanced touch ensures a perfectly seasoned, mouthwatering meal.

Step 4. Cover and Simmer

After browning the beef and potatoes, you'll want to transform your skillet into a tender, flavor-melding environment by covering and simmering the dish.

Place a tight-fitting lid over your skillet, creating a steam chamber that'll help cook the potatoes evenly and infuse the meat with moisture. Reduce the heat to low-medium, allowing the ingredients to gently simmer for 15-20 minutes. During this time, stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure uniform cooking.

Watch for key indicators of doneness:

• Potatoes should be fork-tender
• Beef should reach an internal temperature of 160°F
• Surface should develop a light golden-brown crust

As the dish simmers, the flavors will meld, creating a rich, comforting meal that's both hearty and satisfying.

Step 5. Drain Excess Fat if Needed

Once the potatoes and beef have simmered to tender perfection, you'll want to check the skillet for excess grease.

Carefully tilt the pan to one side, observing the liquid's appearance and quantity. If you see a significant layer of fat pooling:

• Use a large spoon to skim off the excess grease
• Alternatively, carefully drain the fat into a separate container
• Pat the mixture with paper towels if minimal fat remains

Pro tip: Leave a small amount of fat for flavor, but remove most of the heavy grease.

Lean ground beef (90/10) will produce less excess fat compared to fattier varieties. If you've used a particularly greasy batch of ground beef, consider using a colander to drain thoroughly, then return the meat and potatoes to the skillet.

This extra step ensures a lighter, less oily final dish that lets the beef and potato flavors shine through.

Final Thoughts

Although simple in its preparation, this ground beef and potatoes recipe offers a deeply satisfying meal that transforms basic ingredients into a comforting classic.

You'll discover that mastering this dish requires minimal technique but delivers maximum flavor. Consider experimenting with additional seasonings like garlic powder, paprika, or dried herbs to personalize your skillet creation.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility—you can easily adapt it to suit your taste preferences or use whatever ingredients you have on hand.

Remember that consistent heat and proper pan selection are key to achieving those perfectly browned potatoes and caramelized beef. With practice, you'll develop an intuitive sense of when to stir, when to let the ingredients crisp, and how to balance moisture and browning.