Spicy Ground Beef Skillet with Cheesy Tortilla Strips

A flavorful and quick one-pan meal featuring seasoned ground beef and tender fire-roasted tomatoes, topped with melty cheese and crispy tortilla strips for a hearty and spicy experience.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 18 min
• Total: 28 min
• Servings: 4.5
• Cuisine: Mexican
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $3.99/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• one-pot
• quick
• comfort food
• spicy
• savory
• crowd-pleaser

Ingredients

• 1.25 pound ground beef (85/15 or 90/10)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
• 15 ounce fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 15 ounce black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 5 corn tortillas
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. Brown the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add 1 1/4 pounds ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
2. Season and simmer: Stir in 3 minced cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained) and 1 can rinsed black beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
3. Prepare tortilla strips: While the beef simmers, slice 4-5 corn tortillas into thin strips. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a separate small skillet or shallow pot over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until golden and crispy, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
4. Finish and serve: Remove the beef skillet from heat. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the beef mixture. Cover the skillet for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh cilantro and crispy tortilla strips before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 610
• Protein: 43.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 44.9 g
• Fat: 30.6 g
• Fiber: 10.2 g
• Sodium: 920 mg
• Saturated Fat: 14.5 g
• Sugar: 5.1 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg