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Ground Beef Recipe - Weeknight Skillet With Veggies and Garlic

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef (80–90% lean)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 cup corn kernels (frozen or canned, drained)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or use the beef drippings)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
  • Juice of 1/2 lime (or 1 tablespoon vinegar)
  • Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
  • Cooked rice, tortillas, or crusty bread for serving

Method
 

  1. Prep your ingredients. Dice the onion and bell pepper, chop the zucchini, and mince the garlic. Have your spices and tomato paste ready so the cooking moves quickly.
  2. Brown the beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the ground beef and a pinch of salt. Cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes.
  3. Drain if needed. If there’s excess fat, spoon off most of it, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. You want enough to carry flavor but not so much that it turns greasy.
  4. Sauté the aromatics. Push the beef to the edges of the pan. Add olive oil if the pan looks dry. Add the onion and bell pepper to the center and cook 3 minutes, stirring, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Bloom the spices. Add tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir to coat the beef and veggies. Cook 1–2 minutes to darken the paste slightly; this builds a deeper flavor.
  6. Add veggies and deglaze. Stir in the zucchini and corn. Pour in the broth and add the soy sauce or Worcestershire. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Those bits are flavor gold.
  7. Simmer and reduce. Lower the heat to medium. Let it simmer 5–7 minutes until the liquid reduces to a glossy sauce that clings to the beef and vegetables.
  8. Finish and taste. Squeeze in the lime juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. If you want it saucier, splash in a little more broth; if you want it thicker, simmer another minute.
  9. Serve your way. Spoon over rice, tuck into warm tortillas, or pile onto toast. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley if you like a fresh finish.