This Southwest Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet is a hearty, one-pan dinner packed with bold spices, tender sweet potatoes, and savory ground beef. Made with simple ingredients and minimal cleanup, it’s the perfect healthy comfort food for busy weeknights, meal prep, or family dinners. Warm Southwest flavors, satisfying textures, and easy customization make this skillet a reliable go-to meal.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef 85–90%
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- Seasonings & Flavor Base
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¾ tsp salt adjust to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Pantry Staples
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste or 1 cup diced tomatoes
- ½ cup chicken or beef broth
Instructions
- Brown the beef
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook 5–7 minutes, breaking it apart, until browned. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add vegetables
- Stir in onion and bell pepper. Cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Season
- Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook sweet potatoes
- Add diced sweet potatoes, tomato paste, and broth. Stir to combine.
- Simmer
- Cover the skillet and simmer 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the sauce thickens.
- Finish
- Remove from heat and let rest 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
- Dice sweet potatoes evenly so they cook at the same rate.
- Keep the skillet covered while simmering to steam the potatoes until tender.
- Add a splash of broth if the skillet dries out before potatoes are done.