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Southwestern Ground Beef Sweet Potato Skillet

Southwestern ground beef sweet potato skillet with crispy roasted sweet potato cubes and smoky, browned ground beef in a one-pan Tex-Mex skillet. Black beans and corn simmer briefly until glossy, then it’s finished with avocado, cilantro, and lime for bright, savory flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 530
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Southwestern Ground Beef Sweet Potato Skillet
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cubed (1/2 inch)
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 lime wedges and fresh cilantro for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the sweet potatoes
  1. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato cubes, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring occasionally 10–12 minutes until golden and tender—remove and set aside.
Brown the beef and build the filling
  1. Add ground beef and onion to the skillet and cook, breaking apart, until browned. Drain fat.
  2. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute. Stir until fragrant.
  3. Return sweet potatoes to the skillet, add black beans and corn, and toss everything together. Cook 2–3 minutes until warmed through and the mixture looks evenly coated.
Serve
  1. Serve the skillet topped with avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Finish so the toppings look bright and fresh on top.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t move the sweet potatoes too much during the first 10–12 minutes—let them develop golden edges for better texture. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Freezing is not recommended because sweet potatoes can soften after thawing. For a lighter option, use 93% lean ground beef or swap to ground turkey to reduce saturated fat while keeping the same Tex-Mex spice blend.