Creamy Potato, Leek and Ground Beef Skillet

For this creamy potato, leek and ground beef skillet, I parboil the potatoes first and give them a little time to cool. They then go into the skillet with browned beef and sliced leek. Crème légère, a splash of vegetable stock and a little mustard bring the sauce together, with nutmeg and parsley to finish.

Parboil the potatoes so they hold their shape

I use all-purpose potatoes and parboil them for 15–20 minutes. They should still feel slightly firm, as they finish cooking in the skillet. After about 30 minutes of cooling, I cut them into small slices or chunks.

Fold them gently into the beef and leek rather than stirring vigorously. This keeps the potato pieces intact. Check them with a fork at the end to make sure they are tender.

Brown the beef before adding the leek

I start by browning the lean ground beef in rapeseed oil, then break it into crumbles. Once it has some colour, I add the garlic and leek. The beef used here has about five percent fat.

Rinse the leek carefully between its layers before slicing it into thin rings or strips. A little care at this stage keeps any grit out of the finished dish.

A creamy sauce with crème légère

I used Aldi crème légère for this recipe. Over a lower heat, I stir it into the skillet with the mustard. Vegetable stock loosens the sauce, while sweet paprika, black pepper, freshly grated nutmeg and dried parsley add flavour.

Add the stock gradually. Start with enough to lift the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add more until the sauce is as creamy as you like. The potatoes absorb some liquid as they sit, so another small splash of stock can help before serving.

My kitchen tip

Use a broad spatula to fold the potatoes through the sauce without breaking them up. For extra golden edges, you can fry the parboiled potatoes in a separate pan before adding them to the beef and leek. This optional variation takes a little longer.

A comforting skillet dinner

Creamy Potato, Leek and Ground Beef Skillet

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Parboiled potatoes, lean ground beef and leek in a creamy crème légère sauce with mustard and vegetable stock.

Prep time

15 min

Cook time

40 min

Yield

3 servings

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Ingredients

− 3 +

• 600 gall-purpose potatoes
• 400 glean ground beef, about 5% fat
• 2leeks, about 500 g in total
• 2 largegarlic cloves
• 1 tbsprapeseed oil
• 120–150 gcrème légère
• about 150–180 mlvegetable stock, as needed
• 1 tspmedium-hot mustard
• sweet paprika
• salt and black pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg
• about 1 tbspdried parsley
• optionalfresh parsley, to garnish

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Instructions

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1. Parboil the potatoesCook the potatoes in water for 15–20 minutes, until partly cooked but still firm. Drain and leave to cool for about 30 minutes, then cut into small slices or chunks.
2. Prepare the vegetablesSplit the leek lengthways and rinse carefully between the layers. Slice into thin rings or strips. Finely chop or crush the garlic.
3. Brown the beefHeat the rapeseed oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and leave it to brown for 1½–2 minutes. Turn, break into crumbles and continue cooking until cooked through.
4. Add the leek and garlicBriefly fry the garlic, then stir in the leek. Season with salt, black pepper and sweet paprika.
5. Fold in the potatoesGently fold in the parboiled potatoes and cook for a few minutes, turning occasionally to keep the pieces intact.
6. Deglaze the skilletPour in about 80–100 ml of the vegetable stock and loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
7. Make the creamy sauceLower the heat and stir in the crème légère and mustard. Add the nutmeg and dried parsley, with more paprika and black pepper to taste.
8. Finish and serveSimmer gently for about 2 minutes. Check that the potatoes are tender and cook a little longer if needed. Gradually add the remaining stock until the sauce has the consistency you like. Adjust the seasoning, divide between three plates and garnish with fresh parsley if you wish.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories

560 kcal

Protein

37 g

Carbohydrates

54.9 g

Sugar

9.9 g

Fat

18.9 g

Saturated fat

7.9 g

Fibre

7.5 g

Salt

0.7 g

Data source: USDA SR28

Recipe: Corinna · kitchensplace

More hearty recipes to try

If you enjoy beef and leek together, try my German cheese and leek soup with minced beef. My meatloaf with feta is another comforting way to cook ground beef.