The Wannabe Chef: Skillet Beef Casserole

Beef Goulash

Growing up, I remember hearing the term “goulash” for when my mom would throw a bunch of ingredients together to make a one-pot meal.

While goulash sounds kind of gross, mom’s one-pot meals always seemed to work out perfectly. Recently, I needed to clean out the pantry a little, so I checked out what I had left…potatoes, squash, onions…. Add a little ground beef and I had a stovetop casserole that was quick, easy and could definitely be considered a goulash. In fact, when my husband walked in the door from work and took a look at the skillet, the first word out of his mouth was, “goulash?” Yes, indeed. And thankfully, it was a yummy goulash, too. The salsa and chili powder added a Mexican flair to the dish, and you can never go wrong with melted cheese.

Skillet Beef Casserole

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 2 yellow squash, diced
  • 1 can diced potatoes, drained
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 jar salsa
  • 1⁄2 cup water
  • 1 Tbl. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • green onions, diced for garnish

Brown ground beef in cast iron skillet or large saucepan. Drain the fat.

Add onions and squash. Simmer until just tender. Add potatoes. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder.

Add salsa and water and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Top with cheese, allow to melt, then garnish with green onions.

Serve over rice or pasta.

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