Sweet Potato and Ground Beef Skillet

This easy-to-make Sweet Potato and Ground Beef skillet is seasoned with a homemade Tex-Mex spice blend featuring chili powder, cumin, and coriander. All made in one skillet, this quick recipe is perfect for a weeknight family dinner. 

Our popular Mexican Picadillo inspired this simple skillet meal. For more easy family dinner recipes, check out our Cast Iron Chicken Pot Pie and Walking Taco Casserole. 

 

Why I Love this Meal

• Simple: this quick dinner recipe uses simple ingredients, a combination of pantry items, fresh produce, and a one pound pack of ground beef.
• Customizable: switch up the veggies, meat and spice level to make this to suit your family.
• One Skillet Meal: this dinner comes together in one skillet making it easy to make and clean up.

Ingredients

• Cilantro Lime Rice: this is our favorite type of rice, to save time you can use a store bought rice.
• Spice Blend: a Tex-Mex blend of salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and coriander brings a nice flavor and a light warmth to the dish.
• Bay Leaves: adds a bit of depth to the flavoring.
• Broth: if you use a salted broth be sure to adjust the amount of salt called for in the recipe.

How to Make a Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet Meal

1. Add the ground beef to cook in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks.

2. When the meat is mostly browned, still slightly pink, add in the diced onion, bell pepper and sweet potato. Stir to cook. Allow this to cook for 5-7 minutes until the onion and peppers have softened. Then add in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.

3. Stir in the tomato sauce and chicken broth, add the seasonings, stir. Then add the bay leaves. Bring this all to a simmer, cover and let cook for 10 minutes.

4. Remove the lid, stir and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until the broth has reduced, mixture has thickened and the sweet potatoes are tender.

Serving Ideas

• Tacos & Burritos: use this as a filling for tacos on a soft flour tortilla or inside of a burrito.
• Rice or Grains: use our favorite cilantro lime rice, green rice (arroz verde) or Mexican rice. Or swap the rice and serve over quinoa or another grain of choice.
• Cauliflower: skip the rice and serve over some cilantro lime cauliflower rice.

Storage Information

• Storage: store leftover sweet potato and ground beef in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Freezer: allow to cool to room temperature, then add to a freezer safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• Reheating: reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until warmed through.

More Skillet Meals

• Mexican Picadillo
• Cuban Picadillo
• Cast Iron Skillet Pot Pie
• Easy Classic Meatballs

Photography and styling by Jess Gaertner Creative