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Quick Back-to-School Ground Beef Taco Skillet

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A quick and easy one-skillet dinner featuring seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, and melted cheese, perfect for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 works well for flavor, but lean ground beef is fine too)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (about ¾ cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel recommended)
  • ½ cup corn kernels (frozen or canned, drained)
  • ½ cup beef broth or water
  • 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a mix)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish, optional)
  • Sliced green onions (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil. Place your skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Let it warm up for about 30 seconds until it shimmers.
  2. Cook the onion. Add the diced onion to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes translucent and starts to soften.
  3. Add the garlic. Toss in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  4. Brown the beef. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Break it apart with your wooden spoon as it cooks. Let it brown for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains. If there’s excess fat, spoon most of it out, leaving about a tablespoon for flavor.
  5. Add the spices. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne (if using) over the beef. Stir everything together and cook for 1 minute.
  6. Add the tomatoes, beans, and corn. Pour in the diced tomatoes with green chiles (including the liquid), the drained black beans, and the corn kernels. Stir to combine everything evenly.
  7. Add the broth. Pour in the beef broth or water. Stir again, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  8. Simmer. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick but still slightly saucy.
  9. Season to taste. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  10. Add the cheese. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the skillet mixture. Cover the skillet with a lid (or foil) and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
  11. Garnish and serve. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle fresh cilantro and sliced green onions over the top if using. Serve immediately straight from the skillet or spoon it into bowls.

Notes

For a thicker consistency, mash about half the black beans with a fork before adding. To make it vegetarian, swap ground beef for two cans of black beans or plant-based meat substitute. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: ground beef taco skillet, quick dinner, back to school, one skillet, weeknight dinner, taco skillet, easy dinner

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/quick-back-to-school-ground-beef-taco-skillet/