Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10)
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt, divided
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1.5 lbs medium zucchini (approx 3), sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp feta cheese crumbles

Instructions:

  1. Place your skillet over medium high heat. Once it is hot, add the 1 lb lean ground beef. Break it up into large chunks and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes until a dark brown crust forms. Resist the urge to stir it constantly; we want texture, not gray crumbles.
  2. Add 0.5 tsp Kosher salt and 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper to the meat. Continue cooking until no traces of pink remain. If there is an excessive amount of liquid in the pan, spoon out all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.
  3. Toss in the diced yellow onion. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the onion is translucent and soft. This creates the flavor foundation for the entire ground beef zucchini skillet recipe.
  4. Push the beef and onions to the sides and add the minced garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, and 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes to the center. Toast for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and the oil turns red.
  5. Add the 1.5 lbs of sliced zucchini to the pan along with the remaining 0.5 tsp Kosher salt. Stir everything together and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the zucchini is tender but still holds its shape.
  6. Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley. The residual heat will wilt the parsley and help the lemon juice deglaze any remaining brown bits from the pan.
  7. Sprinkle the 2 tbsp feta cheese crumbles over the top. Let it sit for 1 minute until the cheese is slightly warmed before serving directly from the skillet.