Cheesy Southwest Beef and Potato Skillet: An Easy & Flavorful Weeknight Meal for Busy Families
This Cheesy Southwest Beef and Potato Skillet is a truly fantastic recipe for those bustling back-to-school evenings, offering comfort and convenience in one delicious dish!
Click here to pin this delightful one-pot meal and save it for your next busy weeknight!
As the leaves begin to turn and the scent of crisp autumn air fills our homes, we find ourselves well into the second week of the new school year. For many, this transition brings a whirlwind of activity, and our household is no exception. We’re finally starting to settle into our rhythm, which now includes the exciting, albeit challenging, logistics of having three wonderful children attending three different schools. Just when we think we’ve mastered this new routine, next week brings another layer of complexity: I’m heading back to class myself! For those who might not know, I’m pursuing my second Bachelor’s degree, this time in Nutrition and Dietetics. I’m incredibly excited about diving back into my studies, but I anticipate that the upcoming weeks will truly test my ability to juggle academics, family life, and everything in between.
Every year, the back-to-school season reignites a sense of purpose and fresh determination. I feel refreshed, excited, and absolutely resolute in my goal to send my children off to embark on a successful and joyful new academic year. This determination extends beyond their school day and right into our evenings, especially when it comes to nutritious and stress-free family dinners.
(My oldest son is enthusiastically navigating the halls of 6th grade, transitioning into middle school! My youngest, my sweet baby, is beginning preschool four days a week, embracing new adventures. And my lovely daughter is proudly starting 4th grade, full of smiles and eagerness. They are truly my heart! <3 <3 <3 )
A fundamental cornerstone of our new, busier routine this year is to streamline dinnertime as much as humanly possible, making it genuinely hassle-free. My strategy involves a meticulous grocery shopping trip on Sundays, armed with a comprehensive list, and a flexible plan for at least three key meals for the upcoming week. This approach has become my secret weapon against the dreaded mid-week grocery store dash. I’ve discovered that having a solid foundation of ingredients for a few go-to dinners is the ultimate key to maintaining sanity and avoiding endless trips to the supermarket. This past week, one of our standout meals came directly from the pages of my dear friend Mary Younkin’s incredible new cookbook, The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook. I was absolutely thrilled to finally get my hands on this culinary treasure. If you’re a follower of Mary’s popular blog, Barefeet in the Kitchen, you’ll already know that she’s a phenomenal mom to three adorable boys and an absolute genius in the kitchen. Her ability to create satisfying, hearty, and flavorful meals that truly feed the men in her life is unparalleled, and she shares all her wisdom in this fantastic book!
Discover incredible, time-saving recipes in The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook by Mary Younkin, the brilliant creator behind BarefeetintheKitchen.com
Mary’s recipes have consistently resonated with me because of their beautiful simplicity and incredible flavor. As she often says, we truly share the same “food brain,” and I adore that connection. Her dishes are not only perfectly suited for busy weeknights – a fact cleverly highlighted by the cookbook’s title – but they are also brimming with vibrant vegetables, impressive variety, and layers of delightful flavor. I’ve already bookmarked a substantial number of recipes to try, eagerly anticipating making dishes like Ginger Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry, Roasted Bruschetta Potatoes, BBQ Chicken and Mozzarella Tostadas, Caprese Skillet Chicken, and Sweet Chipotle Chicken Bites, to name just a few of the tempting options. The launch of this cookbook couldn’t have come at a more opportune time, as I am absolutely ready to plan out our family menus for the next several weeks directly from its pages! This book promises to be a game-changer for anyone seeking delicious, wholesome, and easy dinner solutions.
Looking for more delightful dinner ideas? Here are a few more healthy dinner ideas to inspire your meal planning!
Today, I am absolutely thrilled to share with you the very first recipe I enthusiastically tried from Mary’s “The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook”: her fantastic Cheesy Southwest Beef and Potato Skillet. This incredible recipe came together with astonishing speed, largely thanks to Mary’s ingenious tip of cooking the potatoes in the microwave simultaneously while browning the ground beef. This brilliant trick shaves precious minutes off dinner prep, making it a true hero on busy evenings. From the moment we tasted it, I knew this one-pan skillet meal would quickly earn a permanent spot in our family’s regular meal rotation. It truly is the epitome of a perfect weeknight dinner – flavorful, satisfying, and best of all, my entire family absolutely adored it. That’s a monumental win in any busy household!
The beauty of this Cheesy Southwest Beef and Potato Skillet lies in its vibrant, zesty flavors combined with hearty, comforting ingredients. The medley of ground beef, tender potatoes, green chiles, and a generous topping of melted cheese creates a harmonious blend that appeals to every palate. It’s a dish that brings warmth and satisfaction without demanding hours in the kitchen, making it an ideal choice for unpredictable schedules and hungry appetites. The aromatic blend of cumin, chile powder, smoked paprika, and garlic truly transports your taste buds to the Southwest, while the optional cayenne pepper adds a delightful kick for those who enjoy a bit of heat. This recipe isn’t just about convenience; it’s about delivering a truly memorable family meal with minimal fuss.
You can effortlessly purchase your own copy of The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook here and start creating your own delicious, easy weeknight masterpieces!
Print Recipe
Cheesy Southwest Beef and Potato Skillet
Yield: 4-5 servings
Ingredients for Your Cheesy Southwest Beef and Potato Skillet:
- 1 1/2 lb medium-sized red potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick (approximately 6 cups)
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chile powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for a little kick)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp granulated onion or onion powder
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 (7 oz) can chopped green chiles, undrained
- 2 medium-sized zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick (optional, adds extra veggies!)
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), plus more for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions for Preparing Your Easy Skillet Dinner:
- Begin by preparing your potatoes. Place the sliced red potatoes in a medium-sized glass bowl. Sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the freshly ground black pepper. Add the 2 tablespoons of water, then stir or toss the potatoes thoroughly with your hands to ensure even coating. Microwave the potatoes for 4 minutes. Carefully remove, stir well, and then microwave for an additional 2 to 4 minutes, or until the potatoes are perfectly fork-tender. This microwave trick is a fantastic time-saver! As an alternative, you can boil the potato slices in a pot of water until they are fork-tender, which usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes; drain them thoroughly before adding to the skillet.
- While your potatoes are cooking to tender perfection, start browning the ground beef. Crumble the ground beef into a large, deep-sided skillet and cook it over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes, breaking it apart as it cooks. As the beef browns, sprinkle in the flavorful spices: the ground cumin, chile powder, cayenne pepper (if using), smoked paprika, granulated onion, granulated garlic, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Continue cooking until the beef is fully browned. If necessary, drain any excess fat from the skillet to keep the dish lighter. Stir in the canned chopped green chiles and cook for about 1 minute longer over medium heat, allowing the flavors to meld. Gently add the softened potatoes to the skillet, stirring carefully to combine them with the beef mixture without breaking them up too much.
- Next, incorporate your vegetables. Stir in the sliced zucchini (if using). Cover the skillet with a lid and let it cook for 3 minutes, allowing the zucchini to steam and begin to soften. Stir again, checking the zucchini to see if it has started to soften but still retains a slight crispness. If needed, cover and cook for an additional 2 minutes. The zucchini is perfectly done when it’s slightly tender but still has a bit of bite. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the thinly sliced green onions, then generously sprinkle both the shredded cheddar cheese and pepper Jack cheese over the top. Stir gently again until the cheeses are beautifully melted and gooey, coating all the ingredients. Finish by topping with the fresh chopped cilantro, adding a burst of fresh flavor and color.
For a lighter version of this incredibly satisfying recipe, opt for lean ground beef and consider using a reduced amount of cheese without sacrificing flavor!
This fantastic, family-friendly recipe is proudly from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook by Mary Younkin, the talented creator of BarefeetInTheKitchen.com. It’s a testament to her genius in crafting simple, flavorful meals!
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For even more dinner inspiration and easy meal ideas, make sure to follow my dedicated Easy Weeknight Meals board on Pinterest. It’s packed with ideas to simplify your busy evenings and keep your family well-fed!