What can I make with beef and potatoes?
Beef and Potatoes is the ingredient most weeknight dinners get built around, and it rewards a little technique more than a long ingredient list. Below are recipes from our library that use beef and potatoes, followed by the browning, temperature, and storage notes that make the difference between a good result and a grey one.
12 recipes with beef and potatoes
Smash Burger
Thin, ultra-crispy burger smashed on a hot griddle.
American10m4Smashed Cheeseburger
Thin, crispy-edged beef patties with American cheese on a toasted bun.
American20m4
Japchae
Chewy sweet potato noodles tossed with beef and vegetables.
Korean50m6Classic Cottage Pie
A traditional British dish made with ground beef and vegetables, topped with a layer of mashed potatoes.
British70m6
Massaman Curry
Rich, mildly spiced curry with beef, potatoes, and peanuts.
Thai105m6Flemish Beef Stew
A hearty and flavorful stew from Flanders, made with tender beef, dark beer, and root vegetables.
Belgian180m4
Beef Brisket Pot Roast
1 Prepare the brisket for cooking: On one side of the brisket there should be a layer of fat, which you want.
United States4
Beef pumpkin Stew
Cut the beef into 1-inch chunks.
4
Pastel de Papas (Chilean Potato Pie)
Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil.
4
Jiggs Dinner
The night before, break salt beef into big chunks and soak in water overnight, at least 8-10 hours.
Canadian4
Corned Beef Hash
Sauté the onions: Heat butter in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium heat.
British4
Massaman Beef curry
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, then roast the peanuts on a baking tray for 5 mins until golden brown.
Thai4
How to cook beef and potatoes so it stays tender
- 1Pat the beef and potatoes dry and salt it 15-40 minutes ahead. Dry surface means browning instead of steaming.
- 2Preheat the pan until a drop of water skitters, then add a thin film of oil. Crowding the pan is the number one reason beef and potatoes turns grey.
- 3Brown in a single layer without moving it for 2-3 minutes per side, then build the sauce in the same pan so the browned bits dissolve into it.
- 4Cook to temperature, not time: 160F for ground meat, 130-135F for a medium-rare cut, then rest 5 minutes before slicing.
What goes well with beef and potatoes
Beef and Potatoes is at its best with onion, garlic, tomato, potato, paprika and red wine. Any two or three of those, plus beef and potatoes, is already a dinner rather than an ingredient list.
Storing beef and potatoes
Keep raw beef and potatoes on the bottom shelf of the fridge and use it within 1-2 days, or freeze it flat in a bag for up to three months. Cooked leftovers keep 3-4 days and reheat best with a splash of stock in a covered pan rather than in the microwave.
Substituting beef and potatoes
If you are out of beef and potatoes, look for something that behaves the same way in the pan rather than something that tastes the same. Match the moisture level, the cooking time, and the richness, and adjust the liquid slightly if your substitute releases more water. When in doubt, describe what you actually have in the chat and Mr. Chef will rewrite the recipe around it.
Beef and Potatoes recipes: common questions
- What can I make with beef and potatoes and not much else?
- Plenty. With beef and potatoes plus an onion, garlic, oil, and salt you already have the base of a skillet dinner, a soup, or a simple sauce. Add a starch - rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes - and it becomes a full meal. The recipes above are ordered so the ones needing the fewest extra items come first.
- What is the quickest beef and potatoes recipe?
- Look for the entries above marked 20 minutes or less. As a rule, anything cut small and cooked in a hot pan beats anything roasted whole, and one-pan recipes save more time in cleanup than in cooking.
- Can I substitute beef and potatoes?
- In most recipes yes, as long as the replacement plays a similar role - similar moisture, similar cooking time, similar richness. Swapping across roles (a watery vegetable for a starchy one, for instance) usually needs a change in liquid or cooking time too.
- How do I use up leftover beef and potatoes?
- Fried rice, a frittata, a grain bowl, a soup, or a quesadilla will absorb almost any leftover beef and potatoes without a recipe. If you want something specific, tell Mr. Chef exactly what is in the fridge and it will build a recipe around it.
- What temperature should beef and potatoes be cooked to?
- Use an instant-read thermometer rather than timing: 165F for poultry, 160F for ground meat, 145F for whole cuts and fish, all measured at the thickest point away from bone. Rest larger cuts for five minutes before cutting.