Southwest Ground Elk & Sweet Potato Skillet Recipe
This sweet potato skillet combines southwest inspired flavors with hearty ground elk burger and sweet potatoes for a comforting one pot meal. The perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors for a nourishing and filling bowl, perfect for any night of the week! You can make it with ground elk, or ground beef.
If you like this southwest inspired recipe, check out my southwest sourdough skillet recipe.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
A Quick, One Pot Dinner – Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner, this filling and delicious meal comes together in 30 minutes and one pot. That’s a win win if you ask me!
Hearty and Satisfying: The combination of ground elk, sweet potatoes, and bold Southwest flavors is both filling and delicious. The whole family will love it!
Nutritious Ingredients: Ground elk is lean and a great source of clean protein, while sweet potatoes add fiber and a natural sweet flavor that compliments the dish so well.
Versatile: Enjoy this skillet dinner as-is or serve it over rice, quinoa, or a bed of greens for a change-up.
Meal Prep-Friendly: Make a big batch for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Why Ground Elk Meat?
The quick answer for this is that my husband shot an elk this year and so we have a lot of elk burger in the freezer to use! But really, elk meat is one of the best game meats out there in my opinion. It has a mild flavor, is really lean and you can use it in place of ground beef in most recipes. It’s high in protein, grass-fed, and is high in essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins (especially B12).
Ingredients For Southwest Sweet Potato Skillet
You need just a few simple, real food ingredients for this easy one skillet meal!
- Butter or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 lb ground elk (or ground beef)
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 tsp chili powder (divided 2/2)
- 2 tsp cumin
- Salt & black pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 – 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar is good, or use your favorite cheese)
Optional Toppings:
- avocado
- hot sauce
- cilantro
- diced green onion
- Sour cream or greek yogurt
Other Supplies You Will Need
- Large skillet or dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Knife and cutting board
- Cheese grater
How To Make Southwest Sweet Potato Skillet Recipe
Alright, let’s get your ingredients and one pot and get this party started. Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil or butter to the pan, and then the diced onion and ground meat.
Step 2: Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season with 2 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp cumin, and salt and pepper.
Step 3: Add the minced garlic and cook until the meat is cooked through. Remove the mixture to a large plate and set aside.
Step 4: To the same pan add the diced sweet potatoes, tomatoes, green chiles, and water. Season with 2 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp cumin. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Step 5: Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add the meat mixture back into the pan. Season with additional salt if needed, and mix everything together. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.
Step 6: Recover with the lid for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve warm with desired toppings!
Variations & Substitution Ideas
This is one of those simple recipes that you can customize so many different ways! Here are a few ideas to try:
- Add red bell pepper
- Make this a breakfast hash and top with a fried egg
- Add cooked black beans for additional protein and fiber
- Add a diced chipotle pepper for additional flavor and spice
- Use your favorite ground meat. If you don’t have ground elk, you can use ground beef, turkey, or chicken.
- Serve over white or brown rice
How To Store Leftovers
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Or, you can freeze the leftovers in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Southwest Ground Elk & Sweet Potato Skillet
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet or dutch oven
- 1 wooden spoon
- Knife & Cutting board
- 1 can opener
- 1 Cheese grater
Ingredients
- butter or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 lb elk burger or ground beef
- 3 medium sweet potatoes peeled & diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 15 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 14 oz can of diced green chiles
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 tsp chili powder divided in half (2 & 2)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- salt & pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings
- avocado
- hot sauce
- chopped cilantro
- diced green onion
- sour cream or greek yogurt
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil or butter to the pan, and then the diced onion and ground meat.
- Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season with 2 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp cumin, and salt and pepper.
- Add the minced garlic and cook until the meat is cooked through. Remove the mixture to a large plate and set aside.
- To the same pan add the diced sweet potatoes, tomatoes, green chiles, and water. Season with 2 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp cumin. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add the meat mixture back into the pan. Season with additional salt if needed, and mix everything together. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.
- Recover with the lid for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve warm with desired toppings!
I hope you love this easy one pan dinner! If you enjoy it, I would so appreciate it if you could leave me a review and a 5 star rating.
