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Southwest Ground Beef & Sweet Potato Skillet

Southwest ground beef sweet potato skillet - featured image
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This easy one-pan Southwest Ground Beef & Sweet Potato Skillet is a hearty, healthy, and flavor-packed dinner that comes together in about 35 minutes. With bold Tex-Mex spices, sweet potatoes, black beans, and corn, it’s a weeknight lifesaver the whole family will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef (85% lean preferred)
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Rotel)
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack), sliced avocado or sour cream, sliced jalapeños

Instructions

  1. Peel and dice sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Dice onion and bell pepper, mince garlic, and drain/rinse black beans. Gather all spices.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and crumbly, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess grease, leaving a little for flavor.
  3. Push beef to the side and add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté for about 2 minutes until starting to soften. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add diced sweet potatoes. Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to coat all ingredients with spices.
  5. Pour in diced tomatoes with green chilies (including juices). Stir well, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Add a splash of water or broth if mixture gets too dry.
  6. Uncover and fold in black beans and corn. Cook for another 3 minutes to warm through and meld flavors.
  7. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or spices as needed. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve with lime wedges. Add desired toppings such as cheese, avocado, or jalapeños.
  8. For crispy bits, let the skillet sit over medium-high heat for a couple extra minutes at the end, uncovered, to brown the bottom slightly.

Notes

Dice sweet potatoes evenly for quick, even cooking. Season in layers for best flavor. Add a splash of broth or water if the skillet gets too dry. Squeeze fresh lime over the finished dish to brighten flavors. Easily adaptable for vegetarian, vegan, or low-carb diets. Leftovers taste even better the next day and freeze well.

Nutrition

Keywords: southwest skillet, ground beef, sweet potato, one pan, easy dinner, tex-mex, healthy, gluten-free, meal prep, family friendly

Find it online: https://bitematrix.com/southwest-ground-beef-and-sweet-potato-skillet-easy-one-pan-dinner-recipe/