One Pan Cheesy Meat and Potato Skillet

One Pan Cheesy Meat and Potato Skillet is hearty, satisfying, and pure weeknight magic! With crispy browned potatoes, savory ground beef, and gooey melted cheddar cheese all cooked in a single skillet, this dish delivers maximum flavor with minimal cleanup.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Hearty, cheesy, and loaded with flavor, this One Pan Cheesy Meat and Potato Skillet is the ultimate comfort food. Juicy ground beef, tender potatoes, and melted cheese come together in one skillet for an easy, satisfying meal. Perfect for busy nights, it’s simple to make, filling, and absolutely delicious.

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Ingredient List

Main Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey, chicken, or pork)
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup beef broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Seasonings:

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Optional Garnish:

• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Green onions, chopped
• Sour cream
• Hot sauce

Why These Ingredients Work

The potatoes make this filling enough to be dinner instead of just a side dish. They also soak up the broth and get really flavorful. Ground beef adds that savory, meaty taste and creates browned bits on the bottom of the pan that make everything taste better. The bell pepper and onion add sweetness and make the whole thing smell amazing while it cooks. Garlic is just… garlic. It makes everything better. The paprika gives you a little smokiness without making it spicy, and the broth keeps everything from drying out. The cheese melts into all the cracks and crevices and basically makes this comfort food in a skillet.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large skillet with lid (at least 12 inches works best)
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Box grater (for shredding cheese)
• Measuring cups and spoons

How To Make One Pan Cheesy Meat and Potato Skillet

Step 1: Cook the Potatoes

Heat your skillet over medium heat with the olive oil. Add your potatoes and let them cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes. Here’s the thing—if you stir them constantly, they won’t get crispy. Just let them sit there and do their thing. When they’ve got nice brown spots and are starting to soften, take them out and put them in a bowl or on a plate. They’re not done cooking yet, but they’ll finish later.

Step 2: Cook the Ground Meat

Same skillet, don’t wash it. Add your ground beef and break it up with your spatula. Cook it for about 5-7 minutes until it’s all brown with no pink spots. If there’s a lot of grease pooling up, tip the pan and spoon most of it out. You want some fat for flavor, just not a swimming pool of it.

Step 3: Add Vegetables and Seasonings

Throw in your onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Add all the seasonings—paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir it around and cook for maybe 3-4 minutes until the vegetables aren’t raw anymore. Your kitchen should smell really good right now.

Step 4: Combine and Simmer

Put the potatoes back in the skillet and pour in the broth. Stir everything together. Put the lid on and turn the heat down a little bit. Let it bubble away for about 5 minutes. You want the potatoes soft enough to stick a fork through easily, and most of the liquid should be gone but not completely dried out.

Step 5: Add the Cheese

Sprinkle the cheese all over the top. Put the lid back on and turn off the heat. Just let it sit there for 2-3 minutes while the cheese melts. Don’t walk away though because you’ll want to catch it right when it’s perfectly melted and bubbly.

Step 6: Serve

Take it off the stove and throw some parsley on top if you want it to look pretty. Scoop it into bowls and eat it while it’s hot.

You Must Know

Critical Advice: Cut your potatoes the same size. I’m serious about this one. If some are huge chunks and some are tiny pieces, the little ones will turn to mush before the big ones are cooked. Aim for about half an inch cubes, and try to keep them consistent.

Personal Secret: Don’t pile the potatoes on top of each other when you’re browning them. Spread them out in one layer. Yeah, this might mean you have to cook them in two batches if your skillet is small, but it’s worth it.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Give the potatoes space in the pan or they’ll steam instead of browning. Nobody wants steamed potatoes in this dish.
• Season as you go. Don’t wait until the end to add all the flavor. A little salt on the potatoes while they cook makes a difference.
• Leftovers dried out? Add a splash of broth when you reheat them. Brings them right back.
• Crack some eggs on top at the end for breakfast. Cover the pan until the whites set. You’re welcome.
• Cast iron skillet works amazing here if you have one. Heats evenly and gives the best crispy potatoes.
• Using turkey instead of beef? Add a little extra oil because turkey is so lean it’ll stick to the pan.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Southwestern Twist: Use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar, add a can of rinsed black beans and some frozen corn. Top with salsa and avocado slices.

Breakfast Style: Swap ground beef for breakfast sausage. When everything’s almost done, make little wells in the mixture and crack eggs into them. Cover until the eggs cook.

Italian Inspired: Use Italian sausage, add a small can of diced tomatoes with the broth, use mozzarella instead of cheddar. Throw fresh basil on top at the end.

Veggie-Loaded: Add chopped mushrooms, diced zucchini, or fresh spinach. Put the mushrooms in with the bell pepper. Stir spinach in right at the end so it doesn’t get slimy.

Spicy Kick: Chop up a jalapeño and add it with the bell pepper, or just shake in some red pepper flakes. Or do both if you really like heat.

Sweet Potato Version: Use sweet potatoes instead of regular ones. They might cook a minute or two faster, so just keep an eye on them.

Make-Ahead Options

This is best fresh, but you can prep ahead. Cut up your potatoes and keep them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge for up to a day so they don’t turn brown. Chop your onion and pepper. Measure out your seasonings. Then when it’s time to cook, drain the potatoes really well, pat them dry with a towel, and you’re ready to start.

The cooked version keeps in the fridge for about 4 days in a container. Don’t try to make it ahead raw though—the potatoes will turn gross and brown, and it won’t cook right.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Sweet potatoes cook faster than regular potatoes, so check them earlier.
• Baby potatoes are cute and work great. Just cut them smaller so they cook in the same time.
• The paprika matters. It’s not just decoration. It adds flavor and color.
• Turkey and chicken cook faster than beef. Don’t overcook them or they’ll be dry.
• Fresh garlic is better, but jarred is fine if that’s what you have.

Serving Suggestions

You can eat this by itself—it’s filling enough. But if you want to add something, a simple salad with Italian dressing is good. Or garlic bread if you’re not worried about carbs.

I put out bowls of sour cream, hot sauce, green onions, and extra cheese so people can add what they want. Makes everyone happy.

This works for regular weeknight dinners, game days when people are coming over, or if you’re meal prepping for the week. Just scoop and eat.

How to Store Your One Pan Cheesy Meat and Potato Skillet

Put leftovers in a container with a lid and stick it in the fridge. It’ll last 3-4 days. Sometimes I think it tastes even better the next day after everything’s had time to sit together.

You can freeze it for a couple months if you want, but fair warning—the potatoes get kind of weird and grainy after you thaw them. If you do freeze it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating Instructions: Best way is on the stove over low heat. Stir it around and add a little broth if it looks dry. Microwave works too—just heat single servings for 2-3 minutes. Or warm it in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes with foil on top.

Allergy Information

Contains: Dairy (cheddar cheese)

Free From: Gluten (just check your broth label to be sure)

Substitution Suggestions:

• No dairy? Use dairy-free cheese or just skip the cheese and add a drizzle of olive oil at the end
• Lower fat? Ground turkey or chicken and reduced-fat cheese work fine
• Vegetarian? Plant-based ground meat works, just add extra seasonings because it can be bland

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

My potatoes aren’t getting crispy. What am I doing wrong?

Your pan’s probably too crowded or your heat’s too low. Spread the potatoes out with space between them and don’t stir them constantly. Let them sit for a bit so they can brown. Medium heat is what you want.

What if I don’t have beef broth?

Chicken broth works. Vegetable broth works. Water with a bouillon cube works. I’ve even used just plain water when I realized I was out of everything—just add extra salt and pepper.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how it turned out for you!