What to Make With Ground Beef and Potatoes: 3 Fast Weeknight Dinners
Ground beef and potatoes are already in the house, which is the whole decision. You don't need a roast or a second store run. These three are a hash, a sheet pan, and a soup, each done in 30 minutes or less, with salt, onion, and oil doing the seasoning. Kids usually recognize the hash. The time on the card is the total, including the chopping. Got more in the fridge? Snap a photo and we'll pick dinner for you. Free.
Quick picks: 3 dinners with ground beef and potatoes in 30 minutes or less
Fastest option: a 20-minute dinner
20 min
Beef and potato hash
Total time, start to plate · One skillet · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Small potato cubes fry until they have a crust, then ground beef seasons them in the same skillet.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Steps
- Dice the potatoes small, about the size of a game die, and salt them.
- Fry the potatoes in oil in a wide skillet until the faces are brown. They take longer than the beef.
- Push the potatoes aside. Brown the ground beef with the onion, breaking it into small bits.
- Stir everything together and press it for 2 minutes so the bottom crusts.
- Taste for salt. Eat it from the pan with a fried egg if you have one.
Keeps: Fridge for 3 days. Fry it again so the potatoes crisp back up.
One-pan or sheet-pan option
30 min
Sheet-pan beef and potato coins
Total time, start to plate · One sheet pan · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Thin potato coins roast first, then crumbled ground beef joins them so both finish crisp.
Ingredients
- 1 lb potatoes
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 onion
Steps
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Slice the potatoes into coins and toss them with oil, salt, and paprika.
- Roast the coins for 15 minutes, until the edges start to brown.
- Crumble the ground beef over the pan with the sliced onion. Don't pack it into one lump.
- Roast 10 more minutes, until the beef is browned and the potatoes are tender in the center.
- Rest 2 minutes. Taste a coin and add salt if the paprika is the only flavor you can find.
Keeps: Fridge for 3 days. The coins soften and still make a good lunch.
The other dinner
28 min
Beef and potato soup
Total time, start to plate · One pot · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
A quick pot of ground beef, potato, and onion, thickened by mashing a few pieces into the broth.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 2 potatoes
- 1 onion
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
Steps
- Brown the ground beef with the onion in a pot. Drain the extra fat if the beef looks greasy.
- Add the potatoes, cut in small cubes, the water, and the salt.
- Simmer 15 minutes, until a cube breaks when you press it.
- Mash a few pieces against the side of the pot so the soup turns cloudy and filling.
- Taste. Potatoes drink salt, so it often needs another pinch.
Keeps: Fridge for 4 days. It thickens overnight. Add a splash of water.
Make it with leftovers
Cooked ground beef can go straight into the hash and the soup. Break it up as it warms. Leftover roasted potatoes only belong in the hash. The sheet pan wants raw potato coins so they crisp. Don't start the soup with mashed potatoes. They disappear.
Pantry staples you'll need
- Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion
- Garlic
No potatoes: cabbage cut thin can take their place in the hash. No ground beef: ground turkey works in all three if you add an extra pinch of salt, because turkey tastes shy.
Picky-eater and healthy tweaks
The hash is the plain one. Skip the onion and keep the pepper off a kid's plate. The sheet pan is the same foods, just crisp. Serve applesauce on the side if the plate looks too brown.
Drain the beef before you add the potatoes. Use a lean pack and a light hand with the oil. The soup is the lighter bowl: more potato and onion than beef, and no cheese required.
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Questions
What can I make with ground beef and potatoes in 20 minutes?
Beef and potato hash takes 20 minutes, start to plate. Small potato cubes fry until they have a crust, then ground beef seasons them in the same skillet.
What's the easiest dinner with ground beef and potatoes?
Beef and potato hash is the low-fuss one: one skillet, 20 minutes. Small potato cubes fry until they have a crust, then ground beef seasons them in the same skillet.
Can I make this with leftover or cooked ground beef?
Cooked ground beef can go straight into the hash and the soup. Break it up as it warms. Leftover roasted potatoes only belong in the hash. The sheet pan wants raw potato coins so they crisp. Don't start the soup with mashed potatoes. They disappear.
What else can I add to ground beef and potatoes for a full meal?
The cards already use ground beef, potatoes, onion. A piece of fruit or a handful of frozen vegetables is enough if you want more on the plate. Don't make a second shopping trip.
Is ground beef and potatoes a healthy dinner?
Drain the beef before you add the potatoes. Use a lean pack and a light hand with the oil. The soup is the lighter bowl: more potato and onion than beef, and no cheese required.
How do I make ground beef and potatoes kid-friendly?
The hash is the plain one. Skip the onion and keep the pepper off a kid's plate. The sheet pan is the same foods, just crisp. Serve applesauce on the side if the plate looks too brown.
Can I make ground beef and potatoes in one pan or a sheet pan?
Sheet-pan beef and potato coins uses one sheet pan and takes 30 minutes. Thin potato coins roast first, then crumbled ground beef joins them so both finish crisp.
What if I don't have potatoes?
No potatoes: cabbage cut thin can take their place in the hash. No ground beef: ground turkey works in all three if you add an extra pinch of salt, because turkey tastes shy.