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This creamy Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet recipe is a soul-warming but healthier version of a classic comfort food dinner. It is an easy one-pan meal made with budget-friendly hamburger meat and sliced potato. Only now the can of cream of mushroom soup is replaced with fresher, gluten free ingredients.
Skillet Ground Beef and Potato Recipe – A Vintage One-Pan Dinner
We used to call this meal “Skillet Supper”, and it was one of my mom’s back pocket meals. It was also one of the first dinners I learned how to make. Back then, making this simply meant browning a package of ground hamburger meat, adding cans of cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese soup, and sliced white potatoes, then stirring enough water to get it to the right consistency.
However, I thought it was time for a modern upgrade to this classic comfort food. So I reinvented it with healthier, fresher, and naturally gluten free ingredients. Ground beef and potatoes cooked in one pan with a simple, creamy, cheesy sauce make this an easy dinner recipe that the family will love.
It is hearty, budget-friendly, and totally delicious! Along with BBQ Chicken Tostadas or Spinach Tomato Frittata, it’s now one of my gluten free Back Pocket Meals!
It may take a few minutes longer than my mom’s version, but it still came together quickly. And is certainly a lot more nutritious, while still being as delicious as I remember.
Ingredients
Instead of canned soups and potatoes with all of the extra sodium and other funky ingredients, this uses fresh veggies with Greek yogurt and shredded cheddar cheese to make that creamy, cheesy sauce. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need, and the full amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Potatoes – white potatoes or small Russet potatoes will work. You’ll want to wash, peel, and slice these.
- Mushrooms – you can use white button mushrooms or cremini. Wipe off the dirt with a paper towel and slice them.
- Ground beef – I usually use 90% or 93% lean, but you can use whatever you prefer.
- Paprika
- Dry mustard
- Garlic powder
- Chicken broth – homemade or storebought. With storebought, I prefer broth or stock from a box over canned. Be sure it is gluten free, if needed.
- Cheddar cheese – I prefer sharp or extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, but use your favorite cheddar.
- Plain Greek yogurt – I usually use nonfat, but any will work.
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Salt and pepper
How to Make This Ground Beef and Potatoes Recipe
While it may take a little longer than the vintage version using canned cream of mushroom soup, it still comes together quickly. And you only need a single skillet.
Saute the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onions until they start to soften and turn translucent. Add potatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute until they start to brown, then stir in the mushrooms and cook until they are softened. Transfer the potatoes and mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
Cook the ground beef. Return the skillet to the stove and brown the ground beef over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
Let it simmer. Now add the potatoes and mushrooms back to the pan and stir in the paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, and chicken broth. Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes, or until the potatoes have softened.
Make the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese. Slurry the cornstarch in the water and add to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook for another minute or two until thickened and heated through.
Season and serve. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Tips for Success
- Use the right skillet. Make sure you have a nice, large skillet so that everything has room to brown, and it can fit all the ingredients. You’ll also want to make sure the skillet has a tight-fitting lid.
- Fresh is best. Though this recipe was originally made with lots of canned products, for the most delicious flavor and to avoid excess sodium and preservatives, fresh potatoes and mushrooms truly are the best option. I also recommend shredding a block of cheese versus using pre-shredded cheese so that it melts more smoothly and creamy.
- Cut evenly. You’ll want the potatoes and mushrooms sliced about 1/4-inch thick so that they cook consistently.
- Avoid curdling. So that the dairy ingredients don’t separate, reduce the heat to low so it is no longer boiling but just at a gentle simmer before stirring in the yogurt. The cheese should be added in small portions, stirring it in after each addition. Once you begin adding the yogurt and cheese, you do not want to bring it back to a full boil.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. However, always check for anything that may look or smell a little off.
This recipe does reheat well either in a skillet on the stove or in the microwave. So you can make it ahead or heat up the leftovers. This makes it great for those nights when the family can’t all sit down to dinner at the same time.
Just heat it gently to avoid bringing it to a full boil. You can add a little water or milk if you need to thin it out.
Due to the dairy ingredients, I do not recommend freezing it. While it will be safe to eat, the consistency may be undesirable due to the separation that can occur when you freeze and thaw ingredients like cheese and yogurt.
Make it a Meal
While this ground beef skillet recipe makes a satisfying one-pan meal all on its own, you may want to add some veggies on the side. Here are some easy options:
- Brown Buttered Carrots and Peas
- Healthy Creamed Spinach
- Lemony Green Beans and Mushrooms
- Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower
Or toss a simple salad with one of my favorite homemade salad dressings:
Things You’ll Need
- Skillet: A 10-inch deep or larger cast iron skillet is nice for this dish because the heavy bottom keeps it from scorching. But any large pan will do.
- Lid: You need to make sure you have a good lid so it can simmer until the potatoes are tender without evaporating off all of the moisture. These universal lids are hands.
- Wooden Spoon: I like to use something wooden so that I can scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the ingredients from burning or sticking to the bottom. A heat-proof silicone spatula also works.
- Knives: Good shape knives will make prep work a breeze. A large chef’s knife is great for chopping an onion and slicing the potatoes. It can also be used for the mushrooms, or break out your small paring knife
Beef & Potato Skillet Supper
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- one medium onion or half of a large onion, chopped
- 1 pound white potatoes peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
- 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bellas, but white mushrooms would be fine, also)
- 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 oz.)
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- salt and pepper
- fresh parsley , optional for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook 2-3 minutes, or until starting to soften and turn translucent.
- Add potatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute for 4-5 minutes to start to cook and slightly brown the potatoes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened.
- Remove the contents of the skillet to a bowl and set aside.
- Return the skillet to medium heat and add the ground beef and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Cook until the ground beef is fully cooked through and browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
- Add the potato mixture back to the skillet with the ground beef, and add paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, and chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until the potatoes have softened.
- Reduce heat to low. Add Greek yogurt and slowly add the cheddar cheese, stirring between each addition until the cheese has melted.
- In a small bowl, slurry the cornstarch in the water and add to the skillet.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for another minute or two until thickened and heated through.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Did you make this?
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I didn’t have mushrooms so I added celery and carrots to get more veggies in. This was quick and easy, but most of all delicious!
Great idea!
I subbed the greek yogurt with plain almond yogurt and used a package of daiya cheddar shreds to make this dairy free. I did not need to thicken it with cornstarch i think because of the fake cheese. Turned out great! definitely a comfort food!!
Glad to hear you were able to substitute to meet your needs!
Make this last night. Substituted sour cream for the plain yogurt. Also did a mix of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. This will be a new staple for me. Easy and super tasty. Already sent to my family members!!
I am so happy to hear this! Love the addition of mozzarella!
Delicious!
Made this tonight. This is really good and tastes just like beef stroganoff but with potatoes instead of noodles. My potatoes took a long time to cook even though I sliced them thin with a mandoline.
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for letting me know. I haven’t made this in a while so it might be worth retesting to reconfirm the cooking time.
This recipe sounds great! I’m going to try it tonight. Thanks for the tip about substituting the yogurt for the soup. Fantastic way to avoid all that sodium, and one which I never would have thought of!
You’re welcome, Phoebe. I hope you love the recipe!
I didn’t have Greek yogurt so I used low fat sour cream. I also added some steamed mixed veggies. Great tasting recipe. I was looking for a different idea for a gluten-free diet!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe and were able to substitute ingredients that worked for you, Suzann. Thank you for your comment and rating of the recipe!
This was a go to meal in our house too. The only difference was we browned the meat in a cast iron skillet drained it and then dumped all the other ingredients in and popped it in the oven at 350 until the potatoes were done. Your new version sounds much better.
Funny, my mom always did it stove top, but now I want to take my version and make it a baked casserole!
what a terrific post Brianne! Family dinner is SO important
What a great idea to have some ‘back pocket meals’. I love how you transformed this one from your childhood to use fresh ingredients.
I would dive into this plate headfirst!
This is definitely a comfort dish! I love your updated version!
I also grew up eating dinner around the family table. It’s so important. This looks like a great comfort meal to try as the weather turns cool.
I think it looks delicious, and even more so, sounds like it would be a hit w/my husband too! Fantastic recipe 🙂
This looks like an amazing winter time recipe!
Love the back pocket meals! 🙂 and I love how you updated this with fresh potatoes, mushrooms and Greek yogurt!! yum! and hey, most comfort foods don’t look pretty but taste delicious!!! I love this!
A great update to your moms dish Brianne! We always waited until my dad got home from work to eat too. I think that’s where I got my late dinner eating habits at. You’d be shocked if I told what time I eat dinner now.
I totally wish we could eat earlier, but we do what we gotta do!
Oh yes, back pocket meals are a definitive must 🙂 – Like you we also eat around the family dinner table every night it is where we catch up on our days and address table manners 😉
So necessary to have quick and easy meals!
It seems to me that some of the foods that comfort us the most…or make us most nostalgic, are the “not so pretty” ones. And I love each and every one. This sounds like a great family meal :).
And it is unfortunate that, as food bloggers, we think twice about making ugly food, even if it is delicious.
Love your updated tweaks for a healthier edition of this!
Thanks Dorothy! I love to healthify things a bit!
I love modernizing old family favorites. This dish of yours looks like home. A very comforting sort of dish. Beautiful!
I had never thought thought to update this one till now. So glad I did.
“…eating a wide variety of foods, not a special “kids’ meal”.” Thank you, Brianne! Yes! I don’t have kids yet, but I feel strongly about this. It makes me sad thinking that kids grow up thinking chicken fingers and hot dogs are the foods they are supposed to eat, while the adults eat other things 🙁
I love the updates you made to this dish! Who cares what it looks like, I can tell it’s delicious!
Thanks Lori! And my son does have the occasional hot dog and he does get treats like cupcakes, but “normal” food for him is salmon and grilled chicken and broccoli and sweet potatoes and tons of fruit. It is so important!
Yep, totally! Hot dogs and chicken fingers are fine…once in awhile. Totally agree!
Just a big ol’ plate of comfort food! Love it!
Thanks Jen. It totally is.
Simple and flavorful. Works for me! I love that you replaced the canned soup with the Greek yogurt. That is such a great idea and a great way to cut sodium and empty calories. Plus, I just love the tang of Greek yogurt. Mmmmm
I swear you can sub Greek yogurt for anything! And it totally turned this into a more nutritious dish.
I love your updated version of your mom’s recipe. It’s great to have those recipes that come together quick on busy days.
Dressing up hamburger this way sounds like a great, quick meal for anytime!
It is a great quick and budget friendly meal!
What great memories you have with this dish. My husband is a real meat and potatoes guy and I’m sure he would enjoy this recipe. Adding it to my to-cook list for sure.
I really do Renee. Hope your husband enjoys it!
This looks like an awesome comfort food for winter!
Thanks Heather! I can’t wait to make it more this winter.
What a beautiful meal and wonderful childhood memories with your family. I love those comfort meals from our childhood.
Thanks Isabel! I am so thankful this event inspired me to recreate this meal for my boys.
I love your updated version of this skillet dinner, Brianne! The mushrooms sold me…and the potatoes and beef will thrill the hubby!
Thanks Liz! With all the creamy meat and potatoes, even my non-mushroom-lovers devoured them.
Love all the heart in this post, Brianne. We also always ate dinner as a family. Great update with the fresh mushrooms and potatoes on your mother’s recipe =)
Thank you! It is so important to eat as a family as often as possible.