One-Pan Cheesy Meat & Potato Skillet
Introduction
Few dinners deliver as much hearty comfort and minimal cleanup as a One-Pan Cheesy Meat & Potato Skillet. Imagine tender potatoes and seasoned ground meat sizzling together and blanketed under melty cheese—ready in under an hour with just one pan to wash! This dish is a family-friendly crowd pleaser, perfect for busy weeknights when you need something filling, flavorful, and fast.
Why You’ll Love This One-Pan Wonder
The magic of this skillet dinner lies in its irresistible combination of well-seasoned ground beef (or turkey), creamy potatoes, and gooey melted cheese, all cooked together for deep, mingling flavors. With no need to juggle multiple pots or complicated steps, you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying dinner. It’s a recipe everyone at the table will request again and again.
The Secret to Creamy, Cheesy Skillet Potatoes
Slice your potatoes thin to ensure they cook quickly and become perfectly tender. A splash of broth or milk adds moisture, helping create a creamy base that soaks up the savory meat juices. Topping everything with cheese and covering the pan allows for truly melt-in-your-mouth results—no oven required!
Assembling the Cheesy Meat & Potato Skillet
Layering is key: Start with browning your meat and sautéing onion for deep flavor, add spices and thin potato rounds, then pour in liquid and simmer. The final flourish is a generous amount of shredded cheese, melted right before serving. You’ll love how every bite contains a bit of everything.
Serving Suggestions for a Cheesy Crowd Pleaser
Serve this skillet meal hot, topped with chopped parsley, sliced green onions, or a dollop of sour cream for extra freshness. Pair with a simple green salad or roasted veggies if you’re feeling ambitious—but honestly, this skillet holds its own as a complete, satisfying meal.
Nutritional Information and Serving Size
This recipe yields about 4 generous servings. Each serving comes in at roughly 550–600 calories, depending on your choice of meat, cheese, and portions. It’s a wholesome, filling dinner with a balance of protein, carbs, and comfort!
Ingredients
💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—perfect for efficient grocery trips and meal planning.
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened.
- Add ground beef or turkey, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add thinly sliced potatoes to the skillet. Toss everything together, then pour in the broth or milk. Stir to combine and spread into an even layer.
- Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring once or twice, until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Remove lid, sprinkle cheese evenly over the potato and meat mixture. Cover again, and let sit off the heat for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with fresh parsley, scallions, or a spoonful of sour cream as desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Weekly Meal Planning
This recipe is a meal planner’s dream for busy schedules. Save and schedule this recipe to plan which days to make it and generate smart shopping lists that consolidate ingredients from all your planned meals.
Planning Benefits:
- Effortlessly calculates total ingredient quantities for your weekly shopping
- Organizes lists by grocery section, making store trips quick and efficient
- Prevents you from forgetting or doubling up on ingredients
- Brings structure to meal prep, saving you time and stress each week
Pro tip: When planning multiple recipes, schedule meals in advance to maximize ingredient overlap—like buying just the right amount of potatoes or cheese for this skillet and other recipes. You’ll cut waste and shop only once!
Cook and Prep Times
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
