Meaty Baked Potato Topping Recipe + Freezing Instructions

We eat baked potatoes about twice a week and to keep things interesting, I’m always preparing different potato toppings to go along with them. A few years ago I came up with this Meaty Baked Potato Topping and my family loves it. Matter of fact, if you make a large baked potato and then top it with sour cream, the meaty topping and some cheese…well, that’s a meal all in itself!

During the summertime I’ll make up a big batch of this topping and fully cook it. Once it’s cool, I divide it up into 2-cup freezer containers and freeze it for later use. I label all of my containers and then pull them out of the freezer when I need them. Typically, I’ll thaw one out overnight in my refrigerator for the following day.

Meaty Baked Potato Topping Recipe

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
8-10 large cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters or halves
2 tbsp. onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. Adobo
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 large can of tomato sauce

In a large frying pan or stir-fry pan brown the lean ground beef until no longer pink. Drain grease and return the beef to the pan. Add-in all of the above ingredients (veggies, spices and tomato sauce) and stir until combined. Cover and simmer over low-medium heat for about 8 minutes or until everything is cooked through and the veggies are fork-tender.

Remove from heat and let cool. Once cool, spoon mixture into freezer containers. Cover, label and freeze.

Note: The spices are really according to-taste. I adjusted the amounts over the years to suit my family. You may like your’s a little spicier or with more heat. Adjust accordingly. When my sister makes my recipe, she adds approximately 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder and 1 tsp. hot sauce to her’s since they like things spicy and with heat!

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