Got 30 minutes??
If so, I’ve got your dinner covered. Looking to entertain with minimum time cooking? If so, I’ve got you covered. Taco Skillet!! They won’t stop scooping it. Your child won’t eat veggies? If so, I got you covered. This one disguises tons of veggie power for your little ones.
This cheesy gooey skillet is versatile and you can serve it with endless options and variations. It’s one meal fit for any time of the day, from breakfast to lunch to dinner. From special get togethers to regular weekday meals, this one’s a winner. By accident, it turns out to be a low carb keto dream. All win-win!!
The Big Game is coming up. Even if life isn’t back to normal yet, that’s one occasion that screams for tasty food. If you are on the lookout for an easy option that will make a crowd, even if only the one you live with, happy go with this skillet.
This one cooks in less than 30 minutes, then take it straight to your table. No more extra dishes, no more slaving in the kitchen unnecessarily before or after the game. And it’s loaded with veggies. Any type that you have in your fridge goes great with the meat and topped with cheese. Plus it has all the Mexican flavors that everyone likes. From tacos to burritos to taco bowls to tortilla chips… and some more. Read along, I will tell you all…
Ingredients Needed
- Ground beef
- Veggies – Today I am using red bell pepper, green bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, onion and tomatoes
- Tomato paste – It makes a lot of difference. If you don’t have this, add more fresh tomatoes.
- Garlic
- Homemade taco seasoning – Chili powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, dried oregano, red chili flakes, black pepper.
- Jalapeño – Optional.
- Cheddar cheese – Plenty
- Salt
- Oil
Taco Skillet Recipe
First, I dice up all the veggies into small pieces and finely chop the garlic. Then, I heat up some oil in the skillet and toss in the onions, bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms. I sauté them for about 3-4 minutes, until they’re nice and tender.
Next, I add in the garlic, jalapeño, ground beef, and a pinch of salt, making sure to break up the meat as it cooks. Once the beef is browned, I throw in the chopped tomatoes and all the taco seasoning ingredients, giving everything a good mix. After cooking for a couple more minutes, I stir in the tomato paste and let it all simmer for another 8-10 minutes until the meat is fully cooked.
Now comes the best part: I sprinkle grated cheddar cheese all over the meat mixture, cover the skillet with a lid, and let it melt into gooey goodness. Once the cheese is all melty, I serve it straight from the skillet to the table for everyone to dig in.
What toppings? So many possibilities…
- I like to add extra crunch with chopped scallions or lettuce on top.
- Some days I top it with avocado or guacamole. For a tangier avocado option, try my recipe for Venezuelan guasacaca.
- A dollop of sour cream adds creaminess.
- And don’t forget the salsa! Try my pico do gallo, or for something fiery my salsa taquera.
Serving Suggestions
- As an appetizer. All I need to do is open the tortilla chip or tortilla scoop packet.
- Dinner options. I scoop it into tacos, burritos and burrito bowls. Or serve it along with rice.
- For breakfast. It’s a great Mexican inspired breakfast. All I need to do is top my bowl full of this cheesy meat with a couple of fried eggs. Yum!
- Keto options? Make a hearty fulfilling bowl with some cauli rice and top with this skillet with avocado and sour cream. So satisfying. Or have it along with eggs or some zucchini chips.
- I love to make soup out of leftovers. If you end up with leftovers, add in some beef broth the next day and enjoy another dish altogether… taco soup. 🙂 You can stir in some hearty beans or keep it keto with some cauliflower rice.
Variations
- I like to play with veggies. Any veggie can find its way into this skillet. Corn, peas, yellow squash, olives, carrots or even spinach… all good.
- Sometimes I add in some kind of beans to make it heartier.
- I play with cheese. Instead of cheddar, use a blend of different cheeses like mozzarella. I can see feta on top also going great.
- Add in some kind of cooked noodles, like elbow macaroni or any shape. It’s like a Mexican variation of Johnny Marzetti!
I am hoping a lot of get togethers and happy times are coming our ways once we go out of our lockdown lives. With vaccines on the horizon, family times, get togethers with friends, potluck and parties will all come back with a vengeance. In the mean time…
Easy Cheesy Taco Skillet, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More Taco Inspired Recipes:
Taco Salad
Taco Casserole
Taco Pasta
Taco Soup
Easy Cheesy Taco Skillet
My quick & easy taco skillet is loaded with flavors and topped with melty cheese. It's a great weeknight meal or Game Day crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- ½ jalapeño, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1.5 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- 1.5 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, bell peppers, zucchini and mushrooms and sauté 3-4 minutes.
- Add in garlic, jalapeño, ground beef and salt and combine well, breaking the meat as you go along. Cook until the beef is no longer pink.
- Add tomatoes and taco seasoning ingredients. Stir well and cook 2 minutes.
- Mix in tomato paste and cook 8-10 minutes.
- Spread cheese on top of mixture. Cover and cook until cheese is melted.
Notes
- For a milder version, you can omit the jalapeño and red chili flakes. To make it hotter, use a whole jalapeño.
- Leftovers: You can store this taco skillet well for 3-4 days in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Just heat it back up in the microwave or in a skillet.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 381Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 104mgSodium 341mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 2gSugar 4gProtein 31g
Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
Get griddling! Try these Blackstone Recipes!
Never miss a recipe!
Join the GypsyPlate mailing list and get easy dinner recipes right in your mailbox. From homestyle comfort food to exotic dishes from around the world.
I made it mostly as the recipe called except I cheated and just used a taco mix & left out the zucchini (hubby doesn’t like them). I served as made with Mexican rice. Sides of sour cream & hot sauce too.
It was very tasty!