Cheesy beef and potato enchilada skillet combines browned beef, crispy potatoes, sautéed onions and bell peppers, and beans all smothered in enchilada sauce and gooey cheese. All the flavor of enchiladas without the tortillas.

Yes, another potato recipe — but cast iron potatoes cooked until crisp are worth it. A 5 lb bag of potatoes demands attention, so I make lots of potato dishes to use them up before they go soft or spoil.

When one potato goes bad in a bag, it can quickly affect the rest, so I check frequently and cook more dishes to avoid waste.

This cheesy beef and potato enchilada skillet was my original plan for Cinco de Mayo. It’s easy: everything cooks in one skillet, then you add enchilada sauce and melt cheese on top.

I ended up frying quesadillas instead that year, which are tasty but take more hands-on time. This skillet is quicker and keeps you away from the stove so you can relax with a margarita.

To make it: brown the beef, crisp the diced potatoes in a heavy skillet, sauté onion and bell pepper, then stir in beans. Reduce heat, add enchilada sauce, remove from the stove, top with cheese, and finish in a hot oven until the cheese is melted and slightly golden.

It’s a satisfying, one-pan meal that feels like a lighter enchilada—more vegetables, fewer tortillas, and no rolling individual enchiladas.

Serve with pico de gallo, pickled red onions, fresh cilantro, guacamole, or sour cream—any toppings you enjoy. Pass a margarita and enjoy.

Cheesy Beef and Potato Enchilada Skillet

Yield:
Serves 4

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
40 minutes

Easy, vegetable-packed skillet with beef, potatoes, bell pepper, onion, and beans tossed in enchilada sauce and finished with melted cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola or avocado oil
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 2 large yellow potatoes, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 3/4 cup black or pinto beans
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup enchilada sauce
• 1 cup grated cheddar or cheddar-jack cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Heat a large cast iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When it shimmers, add the ground beef and cook until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
3. Add the diced potatoes to the skillet and cook 5–7 minutes, turning regularly so they crisp but don’t stick.
4. Add the diced bell pepper and onion and cook another 5–7 minutes until they are tender.
5. Return the beef to the skillet and stir in the beans, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook 5 more minutes until the mixture is nicely browned.
6. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the enchilada sauce until everything is coated.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top, and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake 5–7 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly golden.
8. Let the skillet cool 3–5 minutes before serving. Top portions with pico de gallo, pickled red onions, cilantro, guacamole, or sour cream as desired.

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  Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, pre-seasoned, 10.25″