Description
One-pan dinners don’t get much better than this Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet! This easy recipe is a quick, wholesome, and flavor-packed meal made in under 30 minutes. With tender sweet potatoes, seasoned ground beef, and cozy spices like cumin and smoked paprika, this dish is perfect for a quick breakfast, easy dinner, or healthy snack. It’s one of those reliable food ideas that checks every box: minimal cleanup, satisfying flavor, and plenty of options to customize. Whether you need dinner ideas for a busy weeknight or a hearty lunch prep for the week, this easy recipe has you covered.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef (85/15 lean recommended)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons water or broth (for steaming sweet potatoes)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
1. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into small cubes. Chop the onion and mince the garlic.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Drain any excess fat and set the beef aside.
3. In the same skillet, add a little more olive oil if needed. Sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Add diced sweet potatoes to the skillet and stir well. Pour in water or broth, cover with a lid, and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
5. Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet. Add smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together until evenly coated.
6. Cook uncovered for 2–3 more minutes to allow flavors to blend and any excess moisture to cook off.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
8. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
Notes
Dice sweet potatoes evenly to ensure they cook quickly and consistently.
Adjust the spices to your taste—smoked paprika adds depth, but you can swap it with chili powder for heat.
For meal prep, divide into airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days—it reheats beautifully.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (¼ of recipe)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: easy dinner, one pan meal, healthy ground beef recipe, sweet potato skillet, food ideas, quick meal, dinner ideas