Ground Beef and Bacon Skillet with Potatoes (One-Pan Dinner)
Sneak Peek: This hearty skillet dinner is comfort food made simple. Just bacon, ground beef, potatoes, and carrots cooked together in one pan.
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When your stomach’s growling and your brain is fried, this skillet meal is a lifesaver. We first fell in love with it while camping—something about eating it in the woods made it even better. But even at home, it’s the ultimate shortcut to that meatloaf-and-potatoes vibe without the extra effort.
Ingredients and Substitutions
BACON: Thin-sliced bacon crisps best. Could you skip it? Sure, but why would you?
GROUND BEEF: Use 85/15 for less grease. Ground turkey works, too.
POTATOES: White, yellow, or even sweet potatoes (they cook faster and blend in with the carrots).
CARROTS: Slice ’em up—baby carrots work, too.
How To Layer This Skillet Recipe
1️⃣ BACON: Fry until crispy on one side. Flip so that raw bacon is facing down.
2️⃣ GROUND BEEF: Crumble it over the bacon, season it up.
3️⃣ POTATOES: Arrange in an even layer.
4️⃣ CARROTS: Scatter on top. Season with salt and pepper.
? Tips That Make a Difference
- Getting the bacon crisp (not burnt) is the trickiest part—adjust the heat as needed.
- Pan and stove types vary, so plan to watch closely the first time or two.
- Thin slices cook faster—use a mandoline for the veggies if possible.
- Soak potatoes in water if slicing ahead to keep them from browning.
- Optional Boosts: Add onions to the beef, sprinkle veggies with Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, or smoked paprika for extra flavor.
- This recipe travels well—works great in an electric skillet or over a campfire with cast iron.
Ground Beef and Bacon Skillet with Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 5-6 slices thin-sliced bacon
- 1 pound (454 g) ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- freshly-ground pepper
- 3-4 medium (639 g) potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 5-6 (500 g) carrots sliced
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Place 5-6 slices thin-sliced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the underside is browned and starting to crisp. Turn each piece over and remove the skillet from the heat just before the second side browns. Drain off the excess grease.
- Add and season the beef: Crumble 1 pound (454 g) ground beef evenly over the bacon. Season with half of 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of freshly-ground pepper.
- Layer the vegetables: Arrange 3-4 medium (639 g) potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced over the top of ground beef. Top with 5-6 (500 g) carrots, peeled and sliced. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Cover.
- Cover and cook: Cook about 15 minutes over medium-low heat until the bacon is crisp and vegetables are tender.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQ About Ground Beef and Bacon Skillet
I never do. It’s more of a last-minute recipe–best eaten immediately.
Ketchup! Lots of it. Or barbecue sauce or ranch dressing. This recipe begs for your favorite condiment.
A light salad on the side will add some fiber to the menu. Fresh bread like this Crusty French Bread or some Herb and Garlic Dinner Rolls made with your bread machine would be a welcome addition.
Would you like to see more easy recipes for ground beef? Take a look at this Best Baked Beans with Ground Beef and Sausage, Easy Chile Relleno Casserole with Ground Beef, or Easy Beef Goulash with Ketchup: Only One Pot To Clean.
Need help troubleshooting? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com–photos welcome!
Could I cover this dish and cook in the oven
Maybe with potatoes on top so they go crispy ?
Hi Mark,
If you cover this dish, in the oven or not, the potatoes will not get crispy. I have never cooked this in the oven so don’t know how well that would work. I’m thinking it would take a lot longer. When I make this recipe, it’s all about speed for me. If you try it, be sure to let us know.
Tried this for dinner tonight for myself and the husband for the first time. Not what I was expecting. Not fantastic but likewise wasn’t unenjoyable. The ketchup did help the taste a bit but the main concern was that the ground beef had no attention grabbing taste as per the recipie posted. Yes I put a fair bit of pepper in there. The bacon was crispy, the potatoes and carrots tender, even put some celery and threw in some garlic as well. Not sure if changing the bacon type or more seasonings being put in would help me! Husband did hit it with seasoning salt but then again his taste is a bit more selective than mine (he trained as a chef).
Gave 4 due to ease of cooking, ease of selecting ingredients, 1 pan use, prep time and presentation. Sorry had to take 1 off due to the lack of seasoning/extra taste in the beef. But would try it again and experiment with spices/seasonings.
Thanks for writing. This is a “camping recipe.” We’ve become quite fond of it because of the simplicity. It’s a blank palette for people to add whatever suits them. While that might not be for everybody, it opens the door wide open for people like you who want a lot of flavors. Glad to hear you added some spices. Another option is to use different condiments. Personally, I love Mayochup on the side.
I have made this in an electric skillet for years.
I also add a layer of sliced onion circles on top for extra flavor.
Hi Linda,
Me, too on the electric skillet. But I haven’t tried sliced onions. Good idea. Thanks so much for writing.
I have been making this recipe for many years adding rings of sliced onion as the top layer.
First in an electric skillet now in a large nonstick pan stovetop.
I start cooking the bacon first when it stars to brown I flip each piece and then add the other ingredients in layers ,ground turkey, potatoes, carrots then onions.
Salt and pepper.
I cover the pan and let it cook until the vegetables are tender.
I then turn the heat up a bit to ensure the bacon is crisp.
Family favorite for years!
The original name I had for the recipe was “slumgully”
Hi Linda,
I’m so glad you wrote. I can’t wait to try your idea about cooking the bacon until it starts to brown, then flipping it before adding the other ingredients. The bacon is the only tricky part of this recipe. I suspect this is the remedy. Thank you for writing.
Love this recipe! This was very tasty!
I made this tonight as I was looking for a quick dinner. The only change I made was to add a sprinkle of garlic powder to the meat. I thought this tasted like a bacon cheeseburger. My family really liked it.
Obviously, deep skillet is needed for French Potato Pie. 🙂
This looks yammy. I also make similar to this what I found on Russian website. In cold skillet put a layer of half portion of ground meet (or any meat combinations: beef and pork, beef and chicken, etc), salt and pepper. Then layer of thinly sliced potatoes, salt pepper. Then thinly sliced onion, salt and pepper. Repeat same layers with second half of meat, potatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Put on a top mayo and shredded cheese, cover with lid. Cook 20-25 min on low-med heat until you see steam coming out from underneath of lid. Put aside, let it rest 10 min. My husband and son love this dish. For reason not understandable to me Russians call it French Potato Pie.
Interesting variation. I must give it a try.
Ohhhh! Yum. AT the end of the day, I need some winning no-brainers, thank you! My husband is not the biggest cooked carrot fan…does anyone have a substitution suggestion?
Update-had this again Wed. night and it was really yummy. My DH ate all the leftovers for lunches and said it reminded him of camping with his family when he was a little guy. He is a total fan of this dish!
Your pictures are great. I do have a question — It appears that you did this yummy 4-layer meat & potatoes in an iron skillet. It also looks like you have a glass top stove. I had been told iron skillets were a no-no with ceramic or glass top stoves, so do I dare try this with my Granny’s iron skillet? Can’t wait to taste it!
Hi Jeanine,
I have never heard that about glass top stoves and iron skillets. You could be right for all I know. But I use them with no problem I am aware of. HOWEVER, I normally prefer to use non-stick skillets because I don’t like to wash things by hand. The skillet in the picture is only a prop but you could certainly make this in an iron skillet. Again, I, myself, make this in a non-stick skillet for ease of clean-up.
Thanks for your quick reply. I plan to try the recipe this week and will likely use the non-stick skillet, but I might try it sometime in the iron skillet in the oven. Blessings to you today!
OK-made this last night and DH said Yum! We named it Campfire Skillet. I did saute 1/2 onion until soft and spread on the beef and my stove must have come over on the Mayflower bcuz it took 45 minutes to get done. DH is a gravy freak so a small batch of brown gravy was served on his. We both brought it today for lunch. Highly recommended.
Looks beautiful Paula!
Do the potatoes really cook in 15 minutes?
Hi Natasha,
How’s it going? Yes, the potatoes will cook in 15 minutes. Slice them very thin and of course, the skillet it is covered as it cooks so it doesn’t take long.
My husband’s loves meatloaf and I never make it!! Perhaps if I prepared this he’d be just as happy 🙂
Wow! This recipe looks really good (and easy!). I don’t think I would have ever thought to put everything in the skillet at once. Brilliant! I will definitely be giving it a try in the near future. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, this must be loaded with flavor, I love that the bottom becomes the top with that yummy bacon!
The picture definitely looks better than anything we ever produced camping!!!
Looks delicious especially with the crisp bacon to top! Yum!
This is definitely a mans meal for sure, my husband would love this, I’ll have to give it a try for him!
Looks delish, Paula, and really takes me back a few decades. My Mother used to make something like this quite frequently. We add sliced onions and sometimes bell pepper to what you use. If it’s on hand, we throw in a little sliced green cabbage. Also, a little leftover cooked brown rice is in the bottom of the Dutch Oven. Everything is layered with a sprinkling of S&P, then a 28oz can of tomatoes is poured over the top. Put lid on and cook about 30 minutes. We never tried bacon… good idea. Now-a-days we layer and put it all in a crockpot and let it cook itself all day. Yum; -). Thanks for a great post.
Quick, easy and delicious- what more could you need? That bacon on top (or bottom, whichever way you look at it) looks good! 🙂
You know what I love? There’s a good amount of veggies here! I know you get it, but I am often in disbelief how many one pot recipes lack enough veggies. Looks great! Thanks for sharing!
This should be a very popular recipe on your blog, for sure, Paula. Heinz now makes a ketchup with balsamic vinegar which I use on meatloaf. The leading photo is gorgeous.
Thanks for the heads-up about the catsup Gary. I think I must pick some up ASAP.
I make a version of this in a casserole — my husband’s all-time favorite dish! I put the sliced carrots, potatoes, layer of onion, salt & pepper (lightly.) Then add a layer of ground beef ( I usually brown it,) salt & pepper, pour over a can of tomato soup, diluted with half can of water. Cover with foil, bake 350 1 hr. — so good!
Oh Sally, That sounds wonderful! Must try when I have an hour for it to bake.
Oh, my, Paula! It doesn’t get any easier than that! We all have days that fill up too fast, leaving less time to cook dinner. Thank you!
One question: You do not cover the skillet with aluminum foil to hold the heat in to help the potatoes and carrots cook? Maybe I’m overthinking this one! It’s too easy!
Rita,
Yes, yes. You must cover it to hold the heat in. I use a lid but aluminum foil would also work.