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Recipes / 45-Minute Dinners

40-minute dinner

Cheeseburger Sweet Potato Skillet

Seasoned ground beef, tender sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pickles, and melted cheddar make a one-pan dinner with an estimated 28 grams of protein per serving.

By Weeknight Protein KitchenEasy high-protein dinners
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Cheeseburger sweet potato skillet with ground beef, melted cheddar, tomatoes, and pickles
Total time
40 min
Serves
6
Est. protein
28g

Why this one is weeknight-friendly

Small sweet potato cubes cook quickly under a lid, then the beef joins the same skillet. Fresh burger toppings go on at the end.

A few helpful tips

Keep the sweet potato cubes close to 1/2 inch so they cook evenly. Drain excess beef fat before adding seasonings if needed.

Easy swaps

Ground turkey can replace beef but must reach 165°F. Monterey Jack can replace cheddar.

Save the leftovers

Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days and reheat the beef mixture to 165°F. Add fresh pickles after warming.

The recipe

Cheeseburger Sweet Potato Skillet

15 min prep25 min cook

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 pounds 93% lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles

Contains: Milk, Mustard

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and water, cover, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  2. Uncover and add the onion and ground beef. Cook, breaking the beef into small pieces, until browned and the beef reaches 160°F, about 8–10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and mustard. Cook uncovered until the sweet potatoes are tender and excess liquid evaporates, about 3–5 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle with cheddar, cover, and remove from the heat. Rest for 3 minutes until melted. Top with tomatoes and pickles.

Food safety: Cook ground beef to 160°F. Add tomatoes and pickles with clean utensils after the beef is fully cooked.

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by ingredients and serving size. Protein data source.