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.
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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.
While I’ve got lots of great gluten free beef recipes, with this one 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.
And if you love Mexican-inspired healthy meals, check out these cheesy chicken enchiladas or some ground pork tacos.
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!
What you’ll need for this recipe
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- Onion: white, yellow, or purple all work fine
- Bell pepper: any color of bell pepper 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. A learner cut of beef is best so you don’t have to drain off the fat – I would recommend a lean or extra lean piece of ground beef, like a 95/5 or 90/10.
- Spices: ground cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Make sure they’re not old otherwise the flavor will be less potent)
- Kosher salt: this recipe calls for Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is less salty by weight than other brands. This gives you a little more control when salting your foods. If you have a different brand of kosher salt you may want to use slightly less than the recipe recommends.
- Diced tomatoes: this recipe calls for plain diced tomatoes, but you can also use fire-roasted ones or tomatoes with diced chilies in them.
Lane'
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!
Taryn Solie
Yay – I’m so glad you liked it!
Eric
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…
Taryn Solie
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! 🙂
Ann
Made this a few times now. Everyone in my family loves it!
Taryn Solie
So glad it’s a hit!
Karen
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.
Taryn Solie
Thanks for the feedback Karen! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Brittany
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?
Taryn Solie
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 🙂
Katherine Rhoadarmer
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!!!
Taryn Solie
Smoked paprika and Mexican oregano are great additions!
Chris
How much smoked paprika did you add?
Rebekah Keegan Royston
Quick and easy and everyone loved it! Definitely will make again. ♥️
Taryn Solie
So happy you liked it – thanks for commenting!
Michelle
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.
Taryn Solie
Isn’t it versatile? Glad you enjoyed it!
Jenny
Delicious Taryn!
Taryn Solie
Thanks Jenny, so glad you liked it!
Rachel
Delicious! Great change up to our usual taco night.
Taryn Solie
Thanks for letting me know Rachel – so glad you liked it!
Whitney
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.
Taryn Solie
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!