Description
Discover a simple ground beef recipe no pasta needed—flavorful, fast, and perfect for busy nights. Ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef (80/20)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) low‑sodium beef broth
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Juice of ½ lime
Instructions
- Prep the aromatics. Toss the diced onion, minced garlic, and red bell pepper into a bowl. This will be the flavor base.
- Heat the pan. Place a large skillet over medium‑high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the onion mixture.
- Sauté until softened. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the pepper softens. The garlic should turn fragrant but not brown.
- Brown the beef. Push the veggies to the side of the pan and add the ground beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon and let it sear without stirring for about 2 minutes. Then continue to crumble and brown until no pink remains, about 5–6 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
- Incorporate tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin, and red‑pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute; this deepens the flavor and removes the raw taste of the paste.
- Add liquid and corn. Pour in the beef broth, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then stir in the corn. Let the mixture reduce for 5–7 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and coats the beef.
- Season and finish. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the lime juice over the top, give a quick stir, and remove from heat.
- Garnish. Sprinkle chopped cilantro right before serving for a fresh pop of color and flavor.
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. If your skillet is small, brown the beef in batches. Overcrowding steams the meat instead of browning it.
- Use fresh lime. The acidity brightens the rich beef and balances the smoky spices.
- Adjust heat. If the sauce reduces too quickly, lower the heat and add a splash more broth.
- Choose quality beef. A slightly higher fat content (80/20) keeps the dish juicy while still being lean enough for a healthy meal.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: Beef recipes
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: simple ground beef recipe no pasta