This Mexican Ground Beef Skillet is an easy and healthy dinner recipe for busy families. It’s super versatile and can be eaten on its own, with veggies, or used in tacos. It’s also gluten free, paleo, and Whole30 compatible.
Need an easy recipe that you can make into multiple meals?
This ground beef skillet meal is definitely for you! It’s got simple flavors that aren’t overly spicy, so it’s great for a family meal, plus it’s made from simple ingredients you probably already have.
When creating this recipe, I really wanted to make something that had universal flavors that everyone could enjoy and that would make for easy leftovers.
This really fits the bill – you can eat it over vegetables or rice (or cauliflower rice), turn it into taco meat, use it on top of nachos, make burrito bowls, or even enchiladas!
So many options.
Ingredients
- onion (white, yellow, or purple all work fine)
- bell pepper (any type will do – I use yellow in this recipe)
- ground beef (I’ve made this recipe with just over a pound and just one pound of ground beef – either will work. I also prefer grass fed beef but you can use whatever you have.)
- spices (make sure they’re not old otherwise the flavor will be less potent)
- kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal, which is slightly less salty than other brands of kosher salt)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (I use plain, you can also use one with diced chilies in it)
I’ve written condensed directions here including pictures so you can see how to make this recipe. The full set of instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Before you scroll through, there is important information throughout this post.
How to Make Mexican Ground Beef Skillet
- Dice the onion and set aside in a small bowl
- Remove the top and seeds from the bell pepper, cut into strips and dice. Set in the same bowl as the diced onion.
- Pour oil in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Pour the diced veggies in and add 1 tsp of kosher salt. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove from skillet and set aside.
- Place the ground beef in the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon.
- Once it’s mostly browned (3-5 minutes), season the ground meat with the remaining kosher salt and spices. Cook until the meat is fully browned.
- Add in the can of diced tomatoes (including the juices) and the cooked veggies. Stir to combine.
- Cover the pan with a lid and let the meat and veggies simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Once done, garnish with green onion, avocado, or whatever you like.
Topping Ideas
- chopped green onion
- guacamole or plaid avocado slices
- chopped cilantro
- sour cream (omit if dairy free, paleo, or Whole30)
- a squeeze of lime juice
- pico de gallo
- jalapeno
Serving Suggestions
- in tortillas (corn or almond/cassava tortillas if paleo)
- on top of roasted veggies
- with rice (white, brown, or Mexican rice – if not paleo or Whole30)
- on top of zucchini noodles
- with cauliflower rice
- on top of spaghetti squash
- in my Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- as a topping for nachos
- in enchiladas
- for ground beef burrito bowls
FAQ
You might have some questions about this dish – let’s get to those now.
Can you cook ground beef in a cast iron skillet?
Yes, you can cook ground beef in a cast iron skillet. It will cook up the same as in a non-stick skillet or other pan.
Do you need oil to cook ground beef?
No, you don’t need oil to cook ground beef. Ground beef naturally has fat in it and as long as you stir it a little while it’s cooking, it shouldn’t stick to the pan.
Should you season ground beef before browning?
You should season ground beef either right before or while it’s browning. If you wait until after it’s browned it might not absorb as much flavor.
What Makes This Paleo Ground Beef Recipe So Great
- It’s fast and easy! You need less than 10 ingredients and it cooks up in under 30 minutes!
- This ground beef recipe is super versatile – eat it on it’s own, with some roasted veggies or cauliflower rice, or include it in other dishes like tacos or burrito bowls.
- It’s gluten free, paleo, and Whole30 compatible so it makes for a healthy dinner!
When making this paleo ground beef recipe, here are some cooking tips to keep in mind, as well as some fun recipe variations!
Cooking Tips
- Be sure to stir the diced onion and bell pepper when cooking so it doesn’t burn! Otherwise it will give the dish a charred flavor.
- When cooking the ground beef, stir it well to ensure all of it is browned. Sometimes uncooked pieces can be hard to spot.
- Depending on what beef you use, you may or may not need to drain the fat. I use a lean ground beef so don’t have that as an instruction, but if you use a fattier ground beef you should drain off excess fat.
- Don’t strain the diced tomatoes before you pour them in the skillet. The extra juice will help cook everything and blend the flavors.
Recipe Variations
- Try using diced tomatoes with chiles to give a kick of heat to this dish!
- Replace the ground beef with ground turkey for a lower-fat version!
- For an earthier flavor use green bell pepper; for a slightly sweeter flavor use a red bell pepper.
See how simple this ground beef recipe is? It’s perfect for a weeknight meal and makes even better leftovers. Be sure to pin it below to save it for your next busy week!
Pin This Skillet Meal for Later!
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MORE EASY PALEO GROUND BEEF RECIPES, CHECK THESE OUT!
- Paleo Meatloaf Muffins
- Weeknight Paleo Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Sweet Potato Beef Sliders
- Paleo Ground Beef and Broccoli
- Ground Beef & Cabbage Stir Fry
OR TRY ONE OF THESE OTHER PALEO DINNER RECIPES:
- Turkey Paleo Meatballs
- Ground Pork Tacos
- Grilled Pineapple Chicken
- Smoked Pork Chops
- Ground Chicken Burgers
If you try this paleo Ground Beef Skillet recipe and love it, then don’t forget to give the recipe a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
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Mexican Ground Beef Skillet (GF, Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil avocado or olive
- ½ yellow onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 2.5 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1.33 lbs ground beef
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- green onion for garnish
- avocado for garnish
Instructions
- Remove the skin and ends of the onion then dice it using a large cutting board and large sharp knife. Remove the stem and seeds of the bell pepper and dice it as well.
- Pour oil in a skillet or large non stick pan over medium heat and add in the diced onion and bell pepper. Add in 1 tsp of the kosher salt and stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, then remove from skillet and set aside.
- Place the ground beef in the pan over medium heat and break it up with a wooden spoon. Once it’s mostly browned (3-5 minutes), add in the remaining kosher salt, ground cumin, garlic powder, & chili powder and cook until the meat is fully browned.
- Open the can of diced tomatoes and pour them in (without draining). Put the cooked vegetables in the pan as well, then cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.
- Once done, garnish with avocado and/or green onion and serve over cauliflower rice (or regular rice if not paleo)
Notes
- Be sure to stir the diced onion and bell pepper when cooking so it doesn’t burn! Otherwise it will give the dish a charred flavor.
- When cooking the ground beef, stir it well to ensure all of it is browned. Sometimes uncooked pieces can be hard to spot.
- Depending on what beef you use, you may or may not need to drain the fat. I use a lean ground beef so don’t have that as an instruction, but if you use a fattier ground beef you should drain off excess fat.
- Don’t strain the diced tomatoes before you pour them in the skillet. The extra juice will help cook everything and blend the flavors.
This was SO tasty and super, super fast and easy to make! I made mine with ground turkey and Muir Glen organic fire roasted with medium green chilies diced tomatoes along with cauliflower rice and I loved it! Definitely adding it to my “to make again” list since it had just the right amount of kick, full of flavor and was quick!
Yay – I’m so glad you liked it!
You didn’t drain the beef fat? I started to, then gave half back to it for simmering. I was out of chili powder (I know, blasphemy) so I sub’d Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic. I know that’s quite a twist, but WOW, it was DeeeeLish! Kids loved it even…
I don’t usually drain the fat, but I also typically get very lean ground beef so don’t really need to! I’ll go back and add a note about that. Glad your kids liked it – that’s a real win! 🙂
Made this a few times now. Everyone in my family loves it!
So glad it’s a hit!
This meal is delicious and soooo easy! My husband and I both loved it! Thank you for the recipe for a quick meal that doesn’t taste quick. I added it to my favorites list!
I made a couple of changes:
— I forgot to make rice first, so I toasted a few corn tortillas over the burner flame on the gas stove, then cut them into strips and mixed in with the meal.
— I only had a 10-oz. can of Rotel, so I added some hot salsa (Kylitos) to make up for the rest of the tomato/liquid. (I measured the hot sauce by pouring it in the empty Rotel can about halfway full so I didn’t have to dirty another dish.) Using the salsa had the added benefit of spicing up the dish.
I love that this meal doesn’t require cheese to be delicious and is so low in calories. However, I would say that the recipe provides 4 servings, not 8.
Thanks for the feedback Karen! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Im going to try to make this tonight. I dont have the peppers or avacado though. If i replace with nushrooms do you think it will still come out good?
While I haven’t tried it, I do think replace the peppers would mushrooms would be tasty! If you don’t have the avocado for topping, that’s fine 🙂
This was delicious. I like the idea of being able to substitute fire roasted tomatoes which I’m sure would be incredible or rotelle to give it a little bit extra kick. I did add a couple of extra seasonings as I was really looking for that authentic over the border flavor. I added smoked paprika and Mexican oregano which I think that really set it over the top. I very rarely make changes to recipe posts as the majority of the ones I choose to make are great as is.
I also recommend her beef stroganoff which is amazing!!!
Smoked paprika and Mexican oregano are great additions!
How much smoked paprika did you add?
Quick and easy and everyone loved it! Definitely will make again. ♥️
So happy you liked it – thanks for commenting!
My husband and I loved it. Used fresh tomatoes instead of canned with a bit of tomato paste. Had left overs for days but we enjoyed all the different ways mix it.
Isn’t it versatile? Glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious Taryn!
Thanks Jenny, so glad you liked it!
Delicious! Great change up to our usual taco night.
Thanks for letting me know Rachel – so glad you liked it!
A family favorite. I have had this recipe in my top monthly rotations. I love all the flavors and I only have a few adjustments. I only use 1 tsp sea salt, add more for taste at the table, 1/2 tsp black pepper, I blend all the peppers onions, tomatoes and green peppers in a blender ( kids have sensory issues). And I add diced sweet potatoes and spinach occasionally to change it up. My daughter always ask this to be on the weekly dinners and request it. Thank you for a wonderful easy recipe.
I’m so glad you have found a way to make this recipe work for your family – love the addition of sweet potatoes and spinach!