We’ve added gooey, melted cheddar cheese and more to give this Latin-American comfort food our own American twist. This is one of those hearty, meat-and-potatoes kind of dinners, but it is anything but bland. Salsa and spices bring the flavor and give it a little kick!
For more cheesy goodness, try our Hobo Casserole or our Ham and Potato Casserole.
Why Our Recipe
- A one-skillet meal that’s ready in about 35 minutes.
- Super flavorful ground beef and potatoes with gooey cheese for the ultimate comfort food.
- An inexpensive meal that can also easily be doubled to feed a crowd.
What’s great about this recipe is that it’s a simple meat and potatoes dish, but it’s still super flavorful. We boil the potatoes in beef broth, rather than water, which infuses the potatoes with that delicious, beefy flavor. The ground beef is seasoned with a blend of chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin, then add salsa! You get amazing Tex-Mex flavor without a ton of heat. Top it all off with a layer of gooey, melted cheddar cheese. So good!
Ingredient Notes
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Baby red potatoes can be used instead, as they have a similar texture.
- Ground Beef: Choose lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) to avoid excessive grease. Ground turkey or chicken can also be used.
- Onion: You can use a yellow or white onion.
- Olive Oil: Any neutral oil will work like canola, vegetable, avocado, or olive oil.
- Beef Broth: Canned beef broth, bouillon, or beef stock all work in this recipe.
- Salsa: We use a jarred mild salsa. Medium or hot salsa also works, depending on your preference.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded cheese melts better than pre-shredded, which contains anti-caking agents. Feel free to experiment with Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend.
Ground Beef Options
We recommend using 85/15 ground beef for this recipe. The extra fat enhances the flavor of this dish without creating too much excess grease.
If you prefer a leaner option, such as 90/10, that works too. You could even try ground turkey or chicken for a lighter twist, but keep in mind the flavor will be a bit different.
Keep in mind that using ground beef with a higher fat content will produce more grease, which you may want to spoon out to keep your dish from becoming too greasy.
Adjust the Heat
If you’re looking for more heat, grab a medium or hot salsa, bump up the chili powder, or even add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Diced jalapeños are also a great option. You can easily add them in with the ground beef and onion. Not a fan of spicy? Stick with mild salsa and skip the chili powder.
Sneak in a Veggie
Looking to sneak in some veggies? Bell peppers go really well with the flavors of this dish. Just throw it in with the onion and potatoes. If you’re worried about kids noticing the veggies, just chop them up and mix them in with the ground beef, and they’ll blend right in!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Microwave portions on high in 30-second increments.
I made this for dinner tonight, and it will continue to appear for dinner at our house! Yukon Gold potatoes come in a 1.5 pound bag so I used them all, which was perfect with 2 pounds of ground beef. My husband & I both liked this a lot, great twist for another Mex type meal!
This one did not do it for my family. Which is surprising because I’ve always loved every recipe from this site. It just came out rather bland. Just not our favorite. Had to comment for my future self.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that.
The flavors are spot on! Perfect seasoning! I would only change it to have more potatoes and maybe a bit less ground beef. Very delicious!
So glad you loved the flavors! Adding more potatoes and scaling back the ground beef is a great tweak.
For you think I could sub yellow squash or zucchini for the potatoes?
I suppose you could as far as using the flavors with squash instead of potatoes, but the cooking process itself would have to be changed since the cooking times are so different.
Looks and sounds delicious! Any suggestions to cut down on the sodium? 1180 for one serving is pretty high. Which ingredient is it coming from? On a side note, just made your chocolate chip cookies today… Always a favorite! Thanks for all you and your talented staff bring to us each day. Love the Sunday chats and recaps.
the higher sodium content mainly comes from the beef broth, salsa, cheddar cheese, and the 1 teaspoon of salt. To lower it, you can use low-sodium beef broth, choose a lower-sodium salsa and cheese, and reduce or skip the added salt (or use a salt replacer). These swaps can bring the sodium down quite a bit while still keeping the flavor. So glad you’re enjoying the recipes and chats. thanks for being part of our little community!
Looks like an easy great recipe!
Thank you! It really is a simple, flavorful recipe that comes together fast, but still packs in a lot of comfort and taste. Hope you get a chance to try it soon.
Very fast ,&;so good. My family ask for seconds.
Love hearing that! So glad it was a hit with your family and that they went back for seconds. Fast and tasty is always a win!
Can I use red skin potatoes instead of Youkons?
Yes. As long as the skins are nice and thin (like on a red potato), they should work perfectly.
YUM! 🤩 adding into my regular rotation of dinners. This is SO good!
Love hearing that! So glad it’s earned a spot in your dinner rotation. Thanks for the great feedback, and happy cooking!