Some dinners just work on every level, and this Southwestern beef and vegetable bake is one of them. Seasoned ground beef, three colors of bell pepper, and tender roasted potatoes all come together in a single baking dish under a layer of melted cheddar, and the whole thing comes out of the oven looking and smelling like a meal worth sitting down for. The cumin and chili powder give the beef a warm, Southwestern depth without pushing the heat into territory that divides the table.
This is a true one-dish dinner, which means less cleanup and more flexibility on a busy weeknight. Everything goes into a 9×13 pan, bakes for 45 minutes with minimal attention, and feeds six people comfortably. It’s the kind of meal that works just as well on a Tuesday as it does when you have company coming over and need something reliable.
Why You’ll Love This Southwestern Beef and Vegetable Bake
The two-stage baking method is what makes this recipe more than just a thrown-together casserole. The first 30 minutes covered with foil creates a steaming environment that cooks the potatoes through without drying out the beef. The final 10 to 15 minutes uncovered with cheddar on top gives you that bubbly, slightly golden cheese finish that makes the dish look as good as it tastes.
Using three colors of bell pepper isn’t just for looks. Red and yellow peppers bring natural sweetness that balances the savory, spiced beef, while the green pepper adds a sharper, slightly bitter note that keeps the dish from being one-dimensional. The potatoes absorb the spiced beef juices as everything bakes together, which means every cube is seasoned all the way through rather than just on the surface. This dish also reheats exceptionally well, making it one of the better weeknight options when you want leftovers that hold up.
Ingredients for Southwestern Beef and Vegetable Bake
I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes here over russets. They hold their shape better at high heat, have a naturally buttery flavor, and don’t get waterlogged during the steam phase. Here’s everything you need:
The Protein: 1 lb ground beef
The Vegetables: 2 cups potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 yellow bell pepper, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 onion, chopped
The Aromatics and Spices: 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder Salt and black pepper to taste
The Topping: 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, optional garnish
The potato size is the most important prep detail in this recipe. Keep the cubes at or under 1/2 inch. Anything larger and you risk the peppers going soft while the potatoes are still firm in the center. A sharp knife and a quick eye for consistency is all it takes. For the beef, 85/15 or 90/10 lean-to-fat ratio works best. Leaner than 90/10 can result in a drier finished dish since the fat carries the spice flavor into the vegetables during baking.
How to Make Southwestern Beef and Vegetable Bake
The key to this recipe is building flavor in the skillet before anything goes into the baking dish. Sautéing the onion and garlic first, then browning the beef and seasoning it properly, means the spices bloom in the fat and coat every crumble of meat rather than sitting raw on top of everything in the pan. I find that taking those extra few minutes on the stovetop makes a noticeable difference in the finished dish.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Don’t rush this step as the softened onion base gives the whole dish a sweeter, more rounded flavor.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it into small crumbles, until fully browned and no pink remains, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
- Stir in the cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 more minute, stirring to coat the beef evenly in the spices. The heat helps the spices bloom and deepen in flavor before the mixture goes into the oven.
- Transfer the seasoned beef mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the diced potatoes and all three colors of diced bell pepper. Toss everything together so the spiced beef juices coat the vegetables evenly.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. This steam phase is what gets the potatoes fully tender. A tight seal on the foil is important here because any gaps will let steam escape and the potatoes may stay underdone.
- Remove the foil and check the potatoes with a fork. They should slide through easily with no resistance. Scatter the shredded cheddar evenly over the surface and return the dish to the oven uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and starting to turn golden at the edges.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving. Scatter fresh cilantro over the top if you like, and serve with sour cream or guacamole on the side.
Pro tip: If you want a little more color on the cheese, switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes, watching closely. It goes from golden to overdone quickly under a broiler.
What to Serve with Southwestern Beef and Vegetable Bake
This is a complete meal in one dish, so the best sides complement the Southwestern flavors without duplicating what’s already in the pan.
Warm Cornbread: A simple skillet cornbread or a pan of honey butter cornbread pairs perfectly with the Southwestern spice profile and gives you something to scoop up the cheesy, saucy bits left in the dish.
Guacamole: A fresh guacamole brings cooling creaminess and a bright avocado flavor that works beautifully against the cumin and chili powder in the beef. Serve it alongside or dollop it directly on each portion.
Sour Cream: A simple spoonful of sour cream over each serving adds a cooling, tangy contrast to the warm spices. It’s one of the easiest ways to finish the plate and one of the most effective.
Black Bean Salad: A quick salad of rinsed black beans, corn, lime juice, and cilantro adds a fresh, bright element that echoes the Southwestern flavors in the bake without feeling redundant.
Simple Flour Tortillas: Warm flour tortillas on the side let people scoop the beef and vegetable mixture into impromptu wraps, which is especially popular with kids and makes the leftovers more versatile the next day.
Pro Tips & Variations
Lighter protein swap: Ground turkey or chicken works well as a direct replacement for the beef. Add an extra half teaspoon of cumin to compensate for the milder flavor of poultry.
Vegetarian version: Replace the ground beef with two cans of rinsed black beans. Add the beans directly to the baking dish with the vegetables without the stovetop browning step. The cumin and chili powder still season everything beautifully.
Turn up the heat: Add a finely diced jalapeño to the skillet along with the onion and garlic, or stir a pinch of cayenne into the spice blend with the cumin and chili powder. Either option adds heat without changing the character of the dish.
Cheese variations: Sharp cheddar is the most straightforward choice, but a pepper jack adds heat and a Monterey Jack gives a milder, creamier melt. A combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack gives you the best of both.
Add a can of corn: Stir a drained can of whole kernel corn into the baking dish along with the peppers and potatoes. It adds sweetness, color, and a slight crunch that works well with the other textures.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This dish reheats particularly well because the potatoes and beef hold their texture. For single portions, the microwave on medium power for 2 minutes works fine. For larger amounts, cover with foil and warm in a 325°F oven for 20 minutes until heated through.
I find the flavors actually deepen overnight as the spices continue to meld with the beef and vegetables. If anything, day-two leftovers taste more cohesive than the first serving. This dish doesn’t freeze especially well after baking because the potatoes can become grainy after thawing, but it works well as a make-ahead meal prepped through step five and refrigerated unbaked for up to 24 hours before going in the oven.
Common Questions
Can I use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes? Yes, and it’s a great variation. Sweet potatoes add a natural sweetness that complements the cumin and chili powder beautifully. Keep the dice at 1/2 inch and check for doneness at the 25-minute mark during the covered bake since they can cook slightly faster than Yukon Golds.
My potatoes were still firm after the 30-minute covered bake. What went wrong? The most likely cause is that the foil wasn’t sealed tightly enough and steam escaped, or the potato cubes were cut larger than 1/2 inch. Re-cover tightly and bake for another 10 minutes before adding the cheese.
Can I prep this the night before? Yes. Complete the stovetop steps, combine everything in the baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Bake directly from the refrigerator, adding 10 minutes to the initial covered bake time.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese? You can, though block cheddar that you shred yourself melts more smoothly. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can give the melted topping a slightly grainy texture. Either works, but fresh-shredded gives a noticeably better result.
Can I make this in a cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish? A large, oven-safe cast iron skillet works well for this recipe and goes straight from stovetop to oven. Brown the beef in the skillet, add the vegetables directly to the same pan, cover tightly with foil, and bake as directed.
This Southwestern beef and vegetable bake is the definition of a reliable weeknight dinner. It’s straightforward to put together, flexible enough to work with what’s in the fridge, and satisfying enough to earn a regular spot on your dinner rotation. Give it a try and don’t skip the three-pepper combination. That’s where the color and the flavor both come from.
Oven-Baked Southwestern Beef and Vegetable Bake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it into small crumbles, for 6 to 8 minutes until fully browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in the cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 more minute, stirring to coat the beef evenly in the spices.
- Transfer the seasoned beef mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the diced potatoes and all three colors of diced bell pepper. Toss everything together so the spiced beef juices coat the vegetables evenly.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove the foil and scatter the shredded cheddar evenly over the surface. Return the dish to the oven uncovered and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and starting to turn golden at the edges.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with sour cream or guacamole on the side if desired.
