Name: Ground Beef and Potatoes Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound 90% lean ground beef; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces); 1 large yellow onion (diced); 4 cloves minced garlic; 1 tablespoon hot sauce (such as Cholula, plus more for serving); 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste); ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)

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Ground Beef and Potatoes is a super easy, budget-friendly skillet dinner made with browned ground beef, tender Yukon Gold potatoes, onion, garlic, and hot sauce. It’s hearty, satisfying, and ready in about 45 minutes.

Close-up of ground beef, browned potato pieces, and diced onion in a cream-colored enameled skillet with a wooden spoon and small pieces of chopped green parsley.

Quick Look: Ground Beef and Potatoes

Overview: This ground beef and potatoes recipe is a simple, hearty skillet dinner made with ground beef, Yukon Gold potatoes, onion, garlic, and hot sauce.
Why I love this recipe: This recipe uses 2 pounds of potatoes to 1 pound of ground beef. Since potatoes are inexpensive and filling, they help stretch every one of your hard-earned dollars into a satisfying, delicious dinner the whole family will love.
Heat level: Mild to medium, but customizable
Key tip: Brown the beef first, then remove it while the potatoes cook. This gives the potatoes more room to brown instead of steam.
Total time: About 45 minutes.
Storage/Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet until warmed through.
Best for: Busy weeknights, budget-friendly family dinners, or anytime you want a hearty meat-and-potatoes meal without a lot of fuss.

Comforting and customizable, this ground beef and potato skillet is a cozy, no-fuss dinner that works just as well on a busy weeknight as it does on a slow weekend. It is easy to adapt depending on what you have in the fridge, which is another reason I love it so much. The leftovers are some of the best, especially wrapped in a warm tortilla with gooey melted cheese and extra hot sauce.

If you love this combination of beef and potatoes, my Mexican picadillo recipe is another budget-friendly favorite made with ground beef, potatoes, and vegetables.

Quick Look: Ground Beef and Potatoes
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Ground Beef and Potatoes
Variations
What to Serve with Ground Beef and Potatoes
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
More Ground Beef Recipes
Ground Beef and Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the full measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Overhead ingredient photo showing raw ground beef, peeled diced Yukon Gold potatoes, diced yellow onion, olive oil, red hot sauce, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in white bowls. White text labels identify yellow onion, olive oil, hot sauce, ground beef, garlic, Yukon Gold potatoes, and salt and black pepper.

Ground Beef: I like to make this recipe with 90% lean ground beef. It’s the same fat percentage I use to make my ground beef taco meat, but you can make it with a higher-fat or leaner ground beef. If your beef releases a lot of grease as it cooks, drain the excess before cooking the potatoes.
Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are my first choice for this recipe. I tested the skillet with both Yukon Gold and Russet potatoes, and the Yukon Golds held their shape better while becoming tender and creamy inside. Russets can be substituted, but they soften and begin to fall apart faster, so stir them gently and watch them closely toward the end of cooking. For a deeper look at why different potatoes behave differently when cooked, see my guide to waxy vs. starchy potatoes.
Onion: A large yellow onion adds sweetness and savory flavor as it cooks with the potatoes.
Garlic Cloves: Also crucial to the flavor of this dish. Add it near the end so it becomes fragrant without burning while the potatoes cook.
Hot Sauce: Hot sauce adds flavor and a little heat without turning this into a particularly spicy dish. Cholula is my favorite here, but Valentina or Tabasco also work. If you’re sensitive to spicy foods, you can absolutely start with less and add more to taste.

How to Make Ground Beef and Potatoes

Overhead view of browned ground beef crumbled inside a large cream-colored enameled cast iron braiser with white handles.

Brown the Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Crumble and cook until browned and cooked through. If desired, season with a little salt and black pepper as it cooks. Transfer the cooked beef to a clean plate and set aside.

Overhead view of peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes spread across the bottom of a cream-colored enameled cast iron braiser.

Cook the Potatoes: Drain any excess grease from the skillet and, if desired, wipe away any small pieces of ground beef with a paper towel. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the diced potatoes and cook, stirring as needed to prevent burning, until golden and nearly fork-tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Overhead view of browned diced Yukon Gold potatoes in a cream-colored braiser with a mound of freshly diced white onion added on top.

Sauté the Onion: Stir in the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Overhead view of browned potatoes and softened onions in a cream-colored braiser topped with minced garlic, red hot sauce, salt, and black pepper.

Add the Aromatics and Seasonings: Add the garlic, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Overhead view of cooked ground beef being returned to browned potatoes and onions in a cream-colored enameled cast iron braiser.

Return the Beef: Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet and gently mix it with the potatoes and onion. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the beef is heated through and the potatoes are tender.

Overhead view of finished ground beef and golden potatoes mixed with diced onion in a large cream-colored enameled cast iron braiser.

Serve: Remove from the heat and garnish with minced parsley and additional hot sauce, if desired.

Tips for Perfectly Cooked Potatoes

The biggest thing to remember when prepping the potatoes for this recipe is to cut them into even 1/2-inch cubes so they can cook through without taking forever. If the pieces are too large, the outsides may look golden and tender, but the centers will still be hard.

Cook the potatoes over medium-high heat in a wide skillet or braiser, stirring only as needed so they have time to brown. This is the same hands-off approach I use for my fried potatoes and onions; it gives the potatoes time to brown instead of just turning mushy.

Finally, before adding the ground beef back to the skillet, test a few pieces with a fork. They should be nearly tender, meaning the fork should slide in with just a little resistance in the center. They will finish softening as the onions cook and during the final few minutes of covered cooking.

Close overhead view of ground beef and golden potatoes in a cream-colored braiser with a wooden spoon resting in the skillet and chopped green parsley sprinkled over the dish.

Variations

This recipe is easy to customize based on what you have on hand. Here are some fun and flavorful ideas to get you started:

Cheese: Once the potatoes are fully tender and the beef is heated through, sprinkle shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack over the top. Cover for 2-3 minutes, or until melted.
Vegetables: Add chopped bell peppers or sliced mushrooms at the same time as the onion so they have time to soften, and stir in quick-cooking vegetables like peas, spinach, or zucchini during the last few minutes of cooking. For another ground beef and potato dinner loaded with vegetables, try my Cuban picadillo recipe made with potatoes, bell peppers, olives, and a rich tomato sauce.
Fresh herbs: Sprinkle parsley, green onions, cilantro, or chives over the finished skillet just before serving.
Swap the meat: Use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef. Cook it the same way, adding a little extra oil if needed since leaner meats release less fat.
Adjust the heat: Add more or less hot sauce with the garlic and seasonings, or stir in a pinch of crushed red pepper for even more heat.

What to Serve with Ground Beef and Potatoes

This ground beef and potatoes recipe is perfect straight out of the pan with a dash of hot sauce and a dollop of sour cream. For a more complete meal, pair it with something fresh and simple like a light arugula salad with shaved parmesan, roasted broccoli, roasted zucchini with parmesan, or roasted butternut squash during the fall and winter months.

Leftovers are especially good tucked into a warm tortilla with melted cheese and hot sauce, or reheated for breakfast and topped with a fried egg.

Ground beef and potatoes served in a white ribbed ceramic bowl and garnished with chopped green parsley, with a spoon in the bowl, a hot sauce bottle blurred in the background, and additional white serving bowls behind it.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Storage: Let leftovers cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Ground beef and potatoes can be frozen, although the potatoes may have a softer texture after thawing. Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat until heated through. If reheating on the stovetop, a small splash of broth or water can help if the mixture seems dry.

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This Ground Beef and Potatoes recipe is a simple and dependable dinner that I hope you come back to whenever you need something easy to get on the table. If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a comment and rating below and tell me how you made it your own – extra hot sauce, melted cheese, a fried egg on top, or straight from the skillet. Thank you so much! 💛

Close angled view of seasoned ground beef, golden potato pieces, and diced onions in a cream-colored skillet with a wooden spoon and a light parsley garnish.

4.91 from 40 votes