This easy ground beef veggie skillet is one of my favorite one-pan dinners for spring and summer. Made with fresh vegetables, lean ground beef, and simple pantry ingredients, it’s a quick weeknight meal that comes together in under 30 minutes. It’s fresh, flexible, meal-prep friendly, and the kind of ground beef skillet recipe I make on repeat during busy weeks.
Do you have ground beef and a medley of vegetables in your fridge that you need to use up? Then turn to this ground beef skillet recipe! It’s the perfect clean-out-your-fridge meal that has big, comforting flavors and minimal ingredients
The beauty and simplicity of ground beef meals
Ground beef skillet meals are one of those dinners I make almost every other week because they’re simple, flexible, and everyone in my family loves them. As a gardener, this is especially the kind of meal I gravitate toward in spring and summer when zucchini starts taking over the garden and fresh vegetables are everywhere at farm stands and farmer’s markets.
What I love most about this version is how fresh and adaptable it feels. I’ll often swap in whatever vegetables I have on hand, and when I want something heartier during colder months, I make my Ground Beef Butternut Squash Skillet instead. For meal prep weeks, I usually turn to my Ground Beef Fried Rice Bowls paired with rice and extra veggies.
Why You’ll Love This Ground Beef Skillet
Just like my Ground Turkey Butternut Squash Skillet, this veggie ground beef skillet is completely customizable and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. All you need is ground beef, fresh or frozen vegetables, and soy sauce. You’ll love the meaty, umami-forward bites on their own or over sticky rice or pasta.
You can always rely on this recipe when you need a quick weeknight dinner, a healthy and hearty option for meal prep, or when you’re craving comforting food. It’s also dairy free, low carb, keto-friendly and gluten free. The whole family will love it!
Ingredient notes
- Ground beef – I recommend grass-fed lean ground beef as it tastes better and is higher in vitamins A, E, and other antioxidants than grain-fed beef. However you can easily substitute the beef for ground sausage, ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork or a combination of these options.
- Onion and garlic – Fresh red onion and garlic play a considerable role in flavoring the beef and veggies. If you’re a garlic lover, feel free to use more.
- Vegetables – Most vegetables pair well with beef but I recommend using what’s in season and readily available to you. Fresh zucchini, broccoli florets, and red bell peppers were my veggies of choice. Feel free to mix these up by using the variations I’ve included below or by using up the vegetables that are already in your fridge or freezer.
- Soy sauce – This savory, salty condiment enhances the deep flavors and gives the dish a burst of umami. If you’re gluten free, swap it for tamari or coconut aminos.
- Parsley – It adds a vibrant pop of flavor at the end and ties the whole dish together but you can use cilantro, dill, rosemary or thyme.
RECIPE TIP
👉🏻 Practice makes it perfect! By chopping all of the vegetables before you start cooking, you’ll flow through the rest of the instructions flawlessly.
👉🏻 I recommend using a 12-inch cast iron pan, but you can also make ground beef and vegetables in a stainless steel pan or Dutch oven.
Serving suggestions
Were you lucky enough to have leftovers? Great! Repurpose them or a fresh batch into a totally different dish, such as:
- Beef Stuffed Shells Pasta – Stuff the leftover ground beef into pasta shells, add sauce and top with cheese for a cozy weeknight meal.
- Stuffed zucchini boats – Fill the zucchini boats with the veggies and ground beef for a healthy and low carb dinner or appetizer.
- Brown Rice – is our favorite way to pair this ground beef meal with.
Easy Variations
A skillet filled with beef and vegetables leaves plenty of room for customizations. Make it your own by using these add-in suggestions and variations:
- Meat options – Not into beef? No problem! Swap the ground beef for ground chicken, turkey, or vegetarian ground “beef” instead.
- Vegetable options – You aren’t limited to zucchini, broccoli, and bell peppers here. Add shredded cabbage, cauliflower florets, asparagus, spinach, yellow squash, and any other fresh or frozen vegetables you want to use up.
- Toppings – Garnish individual servings with sliced avocado. Give each bite an added crunch by topping the dish with fresh herbs.
More Ground Beef Skillet Recipes
meal prep tips
This ground beef veggie skillet is one of my favorite meal prep dinners because it reheats beautifully and can be used in so many different ways throughout the week.
I usually make a larger batch and portion it into containers for quick lunches or busy nights when nobody feels like cooking. It’s great on its own, but also easy to turn into completely different meals depending on what you pair it with.
Easy ways to meal prep this recipe:
Serve over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
Turn it into burrito bowls with avocado and salsa
Spoon into lettuce wraps or tacos
Add a fried egg on top for a quick lunch
Pair with roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes
Hungry for more quick and healthy dinners?
- Creamy Keto Tuscan Salmon Skillet
- Mediterranean Salmon
- Churrasco Steak with Grilled Veggies
- Healthy Cabbage Chicken Stir Fry
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
Ground Beef Veggie Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups zucchini cubed
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat oil in large skillet. Add ground beef and cook for 8-10 minutes then add the onion and garlic. Continue to cook the beef until no longer pink.
- While the beef is cooking you can chop the veggies. This will save you time!
- Add veggies; zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper and stir well. Season with salt, pepper and add in soy and tomato paste, still to combine. Simmer covered for another 6-8 minutes until the veggies have softened and sauce has thickened.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
Storage
Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or microwave until warmed through. If needed, add a small splash of water or broth to refresh the vegetables.Freezer Friendly?
Yes! while the vegetables soften slightly after freezing, the recipe still works well for freezer meals. Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
When you say soy does that mean soy sauce?
yes, soy sauce or coconut aminos. Two options!
I made this for my Dad and my husband and we loved it! It’s been a couple weeks and I am making it again tonight, might add some fresh crimini mushrooms, can’t wait!
That’s so great Robin, I am so very happy to hear! Thanks for sharing your feedback too 🙂
This is one of my favorite recipe of yours. Sometimes I add mushrooms. Really good!
made this, it was excellent! thank you
Wow! Just made this dinner for my family and EVERYONE loved it! That says a lot! I was looking for a healthy new twist on a ground beef dinner. This will be on repeat! Thank you!
That’s awesome Gretchen, I am happy to hear!
My husband and I really liked this but we’re wondering if it’s possible to use other than ground meat?
Hi Nita, yes you can use ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, venison or a combination of these 🙂
Recipe was ok. Needed more flavoring and seasoning. When I tasted it at the end I had to add a whole bunch of spices I found in my spice rack to save the recipe. I also felt the soy sauce made it a bit too salty. I would recommend maybe cutting soy sauce amount by half.
Hi Alexa, sorry to hear that my ground beef skillet wasn’t very flavorful for you. Seasoning can sometimes be a personal choice, some like more some like less, but I am glad that you found ways to turn it around.
I LOVE this recipe. Sooo flavorful and delicious. I can’t stop making it for dinner!
Ground beef and vegetables, this is perfect! Loved it
This is such an easy healthy meal, yet so delicious. Everyone needs to try it, you’ll want to make it every week once you do!