Creamy Ground Beef and Potato Skillet Dinner

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When you need a quick, family friendly, weeknight meal you’ll reach for this cheesy, creamy ground beef and potato skillet dinner recipe again and again! Just six ingredients, one skillet, and about 30 minutes is all it takes!

Jump to:

• Shopping list
• Make it stretch
• Instructions
• Tips
• Variations
• Related recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Shopping list

Six simple ingredients plus the usual suspects: salt, pepper, and a little oil!

• Lean ground beef – since this is cooked all in one skillet I don’t want to have to deal with a lot of grease. I use 90/10 but you can use whatever blend you like. If you use something with a lot of fat be sure to cook the meat first and pour off the fat before adding the potatoes and onions
• Grated Cheddar – is what I normally use but sometimes I shake it up with grated Pepper Jack or even Swiss.
• Cream of mushroom soup – don’t dilute it. My recipe calls for just one can but some people prefer two for extra creaminess.
• Potatoes – peeled or not. If I use Yukon Gold sometimes I just wash them really well and leave the peel on. If you want to save a lot of time buy the chopped hash browns from the dairy section of your store.
• Onions – are optional. I like them, some people don’t. Leave them out if you don’t.
• Milk – use what you have. I use whole milk but almond milk, skim milk, 2%, soy…. all work well.

Make it stretch

This is a simple meal to stretch when there is more month than paycheck.

• No potatoes? Use cauliflower or rice.
• Cut back on the meat and use more potatoes or rice to fill it out.
• Add cooked pinto, kidney, or black beans.
• Make your own cream soup if you’re out.

Instructions

This family friendly dinner is quick and easy – perfect comfort food for a weeknight.

1. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in the iron skillet.
2. Add the potatoes and onions.
3. Saute until the potatoes begin to get golden but aren’t mushy.
4. Add the meat and cook, stirring often, until it is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
5. Mix the milk and cream of mushroom soup, whisking until smooth.
6. Add half the cheese.
7. Stir well and spoon into the skillet, mixing in the ground beef and potatoes. Top with remaining cheese.
8. Cover, turn heat off and let the skillet stand, covered, for 5 minutes so the cheese melts.
9. Serve.

Tips

This is such a simple dinner but here are some tips to make it even easier.

• Make it super fast by using pre-cooked hashbrown potatoes. They’re usually available near the eggs in the dairy section.
• Use a bag of frozen onion and pepper mix to cut down on prep time.
• Try to get the potatoes all the same size – they’ll cook quicker and more evenly.
• This does not freeze well.
• Serve with a salad for a quick meal. If you happen to have some dinner rolls in the freezer all the better.

Variations

Variety is the spice of life, right?

• Add chopped chiles or jalapenos for a little kick.
• Substitute different cheeses for the Cheddar.
• Use cauliflower for the potatoes to save on calories and carbs.
• Add a pinch of garlic powder.
• Leftover pot roast works well in this recipe as a substitute for the meat in this recipe.

Related recipes

Love this creamy ground beef and potato skillet dinner? Me, too! Here are some more of our favorites –

• Bourbon Chicken has a crispy coating and a sweet-spicy-tangy sauce clings to it, creating a symphony of flavor!
• Burrito Casserole is an easy make-ahead recipe with lots of Tex-Mex flavor – gooey cheese and seasoned beef. 
• King Ranch Chicken  is super quick and easy. Chicken, Ro*Tel, and onion are mixed with a creamy sauce and layered with corn tortillas and cheese.

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If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe