If you’ve got a pound of ground pork and a bottle of barbecue sauce in the fridge, you’re halfway to this BBQ Pork & Sweet Potato Skillet. It’s made with tender sweet potatoes, ground pork, and black beans tossed in barbecue sauce, then finished with a layer of melted cheddar. A handful of sliced green onions on top adds a little crunch and a fresh bite.
This is a hearty dinner that comes together in one skillet. The sweet potatoes soften right on the stovetop with a splash of water, so there’s no need to turn on the oven or roast them separately. And once the cheddar goes on, you can pop the lid back on and let it melt while you get the bowls out.
How This Dinner Stretches a Pound of Ground Pork
The black beans and sweet potatoes do a lot of the work here. They bulk up the skillet so one pound of ground pork goes further, and every scoop still gets some meat, beans, and potatoes. The rest of the ingredients are easy to pull from the pantry or use in another dinner.
If you’re making this alongside the Cheesy Green Chile Beef & Rice Stuffed Peppers or the Crispy Chicken & Gravy Biscuit Bowls, you can use the same shredded cheddar for all three. The stuffed peppers also use yellow onion and garlic, so you can prep those for both dinners at the same time.
How to Make BBQ Pork & Sweet Potato Skillet
Start by browning the ground pork with the diced onion. Once the pork is cooked through, stir in the garlic and transfer the mixture to a plate. That gives the sweet potatoes room to cook in the same skillet.
Cut the sweet potatoes into small, even cubes, about ½ inch across. Give them a few minutes in the skillet with oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Then add a splash of water and cover the skillet so the potatoes can steam. Check them with a fork before adding the pork back in. If they’re still firm and the pan is getting dry, add another splash of water and give them a few more minutes.
Once the potatoes are tender, return the pork to the skillet and stir in the black beans and barbecue sauce. Let everything heat through, then sprinkle cheddar over the top and cover again just until it melts.
What Kind of BBQ Sauce Works Best?
A smoky or tangy barbecue sauce balances the sweetness of the potatoes, but use whatever you already have open. Start with the ½ cup in the recipe, then taste before adding more. If the sauce is thick and you want it to coat everything more evenly, stir in a splash of water.
How to Serve It
Scoop it straight into bowls and top with green onions. If you like a creamy topping with barbecue sauce, add a spoonful of sour cream. You can also tuck leftovers into warm tortillas for an easy lunch the next day.
The full ingredient amounts and step-by-step directions are in the recipe card below.
BBQ Pork & Sweet Potato Skillet
Description
Ground pork, sweet potatoes, and black beans come together in a tangy barbecue sauce and get topped with melted cheddar. This hearty skillet dinner uses simple ingredients and stretches one pound of ground pork into 4–6 servings.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and onion. Cook for 7–10 minutes, breaking up the pork, until cooked through and the onion is softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Drain excess grease and transfer the pork mixture to a plate.
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Add the oil, sweet potatoes, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Pour in ¼ cup of the water, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Add the remaining water a little at a time if the skillet dries out before the potatoes soften.
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Return the pork mixture to the skillet. Stir in the black beans and barbecue sauce. Cook uncovered for 3–5 minutes, stirring gently, until heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
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Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle the cheddar over the top, and cover for 2–3 minutes, until melted. Top with sliced green onions, if desired.
Note
- Keep the sweet potato cubes close to ½ inch so they soften evenly. If your barbecue sauce is on the sweet side, taste the skillet before adding an extra drizzle.
