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This Mediterranean Beef and Veggie Skillet might just be the easiest dinner ever. Packed with veggies and fresh herbs, it’s equal parts healthy and hearty.
This colorful skillet dinner starts with ground beef or lamb; both work equally well here but if you can find ground lamb, the flavor works so well in this dish. For the veggies, I use a combination of red onion, zucchini, and red bell pepper (but any color bell pepper you have will work!). A duo of fresh herbs—including oregano and dill—plus freshly squeezed lemon juice brighten the whole thing up. It’s mind-blowingly easy to make and comes together entirely in one pan. What could be better than that?
I like to serve this meal over pre-cooked brown rice for a hearty grain bowl or a bed of peppery arugula salad for something a bit lighter. It also makes such a good meal prep option. Just let the mixture cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week!
Ingredients:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Ground Beef or Lamb
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Red Onion
- Zucchini
- Red Bell Pepper
- Garlic Cloves
- Smoked Paprika
- Ground Cumin
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Fresh Oregano
- Fresh Dill
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- Crumbled Feta Cheese
- Prepared Brown Rice or Baby Arugula, For Serving
step-by-step:
step one: cook the meat
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, salt, and black pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon until it is cooked through and no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain the meat and set aside, keeping a small amount of fat in the bottom of the pan to sauté the veggies.
step two: sauté the veggies
Decrease the heat to medium and add the onion, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook, tossing, until they are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
step three: add the spices and herbs
Add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, and dill. Toss until well combined and the spices toast a bit, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ground meat back into the skillet and toss until well combined. Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat.
step four: garnish and serve
Ladle into bowls over prepared brown rice or baby arugula, if desired. Top with crumbed feta and more dill to garnish. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe fAQs:
Yes! I love this with ground lamb, which has such a fantastic flavor that pairs well with the dried spices. Event ground chicken or turkey would work, too! You could also omit the meat altogether and add even more veggies like eggplant and tomatoes for a vegetarian-friendly version.
Absolutely! You can leave the feta cheese off or use a plant-based alternative for that same tangy flavor and creamy bite.
The next time you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner that will nourish your family, I hope you’ll try this Mediterranean Ground Beef Stir-Fry. Comment below and let me know how you like it!
Looking for more Mediterranean-inspired recipes? Try these!
Instant Pot Shredded Greek Beef Bowls
Moroccan-Inspired Roasted Chicken Salad
One-Pan Mediterranean-Inspired Chicken Bake
Mediterranean Beef and Veggie Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef or lamb
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
- 1 small red bell pepper, core removed and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta, for serving (omit for dairy-free, Paleo and Whole30)
- Prepared brown rice or baby arugula, optional, for serving (use cauliflower rice or omit rice for Paleo and Whole30)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, salt, and black pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon until it is cooked through and no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain the meat and set aside, keeping a small amount of fat in the bottom of the pan to sauté the veggies.
- Decrease the heat to medium and add the onion, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook, tossing, until they are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, and dill. Toss until well combined and the spices toast a bit, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ground meat back into the skillet and toss until well combined. Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat.
- Ladle into bowls over prepared brown rice or baby arugula, if desired. Top with crumbed feta and more dill to garnish. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
This recipe is truly delicious! My husband was hesitant because he is not a big zucchini fan, but even he said how good it was and that he would be happy if I made it again. But the biggest compliment I can give is that my very picky four-year-old daughter cleaned her plate! What a win! I did make a few adjustments – I used ground pork instead of beef because it’s what I had and it tasted delicious! I’m sure ground beef would also taste equally delicious but I’m super happy I made it with pork and I would make it again with pork. I used dried oregano and dill because I did not have fresh. I just used 1/3 the amount for each of those ingredients as I’ve read online that’s about the equivalent between dry and fresh. I was still nervous to do 2 teaspoons dried dill but trust the process because it tasted phenomenal! All the flavors come together really nicely and the lemon juice and feta just add the perfect little bite at the end – chefs kiss. I made this over Israeli couscous, which was perfect with it. Cannot say enough good things about this recipe! Thank you so much for providing this recipe that created a yummy meal for my family!