This sweet potato ground beef skillet is a great one-pot meal, easy to throw together for a nourishing weeknight dinner with a Mexican-inspired flair. Cubed sweet potatoes, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes mixed with ground beef and finished with delicious melted cheese. So good!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It's easy to make! The convenience of using one single skillet which also means fewer dishes. And you can customize this recipe by switching up the veggies, like adding bell peppers or spinach. Or you can use ground turkey or chicken too.
- This dish is delicious and nourishing. With a Mexican-inspired flair, it has a good balance of protein, carbs, fat and fiber. You'll stay full and satisfied for hours like this stuffed sweet potato recipe. And it's great for meal-prep and can be served in different ways. As-is, in a tortilla, over rice or even on top of greens.
Key Ingredients and variations
- Ground beef: lean beef (90 to 95% lean) is a better choice than fatty ground beef. Replace with ground chicken or turkey or even plant-based meat to keep it vegetarian.
- Taco seasoning: I used store-bought seasoning for convenience. You can use spices of choice like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika...
- Sweet potatoes: dice them pretty small so they cook fast. They're high in fiber and considered a superfood.
- Black beans: another excellent source of fiber and protein. Could be replaced by pinto beans. Rinse and drain them from the can.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: use the ones your prefer, diced, petite diced or crushed. I'm personally not a fan of diced canned tomatoes that are too large, so I always try to use a smaller dice or crushed.
- Onion and garlic: flavor enhancers.
- Cheese: finishing this dish beautifully.
- Cilantro: a fresh herb to elevate the dish.
How to make sweet potato ground beef skillet
- Use a large skillet, possibly with a lid and oven safe.
Brown the meat on medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes, then add minced garlic and taco seasoning, stir everything well and cook for 2 minutes. Remove beef from the skillet and set aside.
Add oil in the same skillet, heat it up, then add the diced sweet potatoes, sautée on medium heat for 5 minutes stirring often.
Add onion, salt and pepper. Stir everything and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until the onion is tender.
Add the beef to the skillet with the sweet potatoes and onion. Add the black beans and fire roasted tomatoes can. Stir everything, add lid and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat, sprinkle the cheese. Optional: add oven-safe skillet to the oven on high broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve, add fresh cilantro and toppings of choice and enjoy!
More Recipes with Ground Beef
If you love ground beef check these out!
Tips
- Dice the sweet potatoes fairly small so they cook fast.
- You can add a little water with the can of fire-roasted tomatoes if you feel like it's needed.
- Add all the toppings! Sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream or Greek yogurt, jalapeño, hot sauce, crushed tortilla chips.
- Drain or pat dry with paper towels any excess fat coming out of the meat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftovers should be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days. You can serve the sweet potato ground beef skillet on top of rice, wrapped in a tortilla or even on top of salad greens.
Not really, but it's going to depend mostly on the taco seasoning that you use. Some are spicier than other. Adding jalapeños, salsa or hot sauce would make it hotter if you prefer.
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Sweet Potato Ground Beef Skillet
Equipment
- large skillet with lid oven safe
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean, such as 93-7% or 90-10%
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cups small diced sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 15.5 ounces can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 15.5 ounces can fire-roasted tomatoes diced, petite diced or crushed per your consistency preference
- ⅔ cup shredded cheese Mexican-style, cheddar or of choice
- chopped cilantro
Topping Ideas
- avocado
- jalapeño
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- salsa
- spicy salsa
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Heat up a large skillet, spray a little cooking oil then add the ground beef. Brown the meat on medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes, then add the minced garlic and taco seasoning, stir everything well and cook for 2 minutes. Remove beef from the skillet and set aside.
- Add oil in the same skillet, heat it up, then add the diced sweet potatoes, sautée on medium heat for 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add the diced onion, a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until the onion is tender.
- Drain the excess fat from the ground beef set aside if needed. Add the beef to the skillet with the sweet potatoes and onion. Add the black beans and fire roasted tomatoes can (with liquid). Stir everything, add lid and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove lid from skillet, continue cooking for a few more minutes until the liquid has thickened. Remove from heat, sprinkle the cheese. Optional: add oven-safe skillet to the oven on high broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve, add fresh cilantro and toppings of choice and enjoy!
Notes
- Sweet potatoes: cooking time will vary depending on their dice size. Cook until tender.
Nutrition
About Priscilla Lawrence
Hi there, I'm Priscilla Lawrence! Welcome to Sprinkled With Balance where I share elevated and approachable nutrient-rich recipes that aren't overly restrictive, complicated or boring! Based in California but born and raised in France, I'm a mom of two, former certified nutritionist, recipe developer, and food photographer.
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