Description
A quick, one-pan weeknight dinner featuring seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, and melted cheese. It’s kid-approved, customizable, and ready in just 20 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240ml) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups (200g) shredded Mexican blend cheese (Cheddar and Monterey Jack)
- Optional: 1 can black beans (drained), 1 cup corn, 1 jalapeño (sliced), 1 avocado (sliced), 1/2 cup salsa
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Chop onion, mince garlic, and measure spices. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown the beef: Add ground beef to the hot skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until no longer pink. Drain excess grease if necessary, leaving about a tablespoon for flavor. Add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add spices: Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Simmer sauce: Pour in tomato sauce and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes to thicken and meld flavors. Adjust salt if needed.
- Add cheese: Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover with a lid or foil and let sit for 2 minutes to melt.
- Serve: Remove lid and gently stir to distribute cheese. Serve immediately with toppings like sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Notes
For best results, shred your own cheese to avoid anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting. Do not drain all the fat from the beef as it helps carry spice flavor. If the sauce is too watery, simmer longer. If too spicy, add sour cream. This recipe can be made with ground turkey for a lighter version.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1.5 to
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: ground beef taco skillet, one pan dinner, weeknight dinner, easy recipes, family meals, quick dinner, cheesy beef, 20 minute meals