One-pot dirty potatoes are a Cajun-style spin on dirty rice and dirty spaghetti, but with bite-sized potatoes taking the starring role instead of a starch that disappears into the background. Ground beef and ground pork browned and seasoned with Creole Trinity and Herb and Cajun seasoning, cooked down with the holy trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery, deepened with tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and Rotel, and then loaded with potatoes that cook in all of that bold, savory, smoky mixture until they are fork-tender with slightly crispy edges from the cast iron. One pot, one seasoning philosophy, and a dinner that tastes like serious Southern cooking.

The two-meat combination is the foundation that makes this dish more complex than a standard ground beef potato skillet. Ground beef brings the beefy, slightly rich flavor. Ground pork brings a fattiness and a slightly sweeter, more rounded depth that makes the whole pot taste more developed. Together they produce a base that the tomato paste and Rotel reduce into something deeply savory and specifically Cajun in a way that neither meat alone would achieve.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

One pot from start to finish. The meat, vegetables, and potatoes all cook in the same cast iron skillet with no separate pots, no draining into other vessels, and one pan to clean at the end.

The two-stage seasoning produces a deeply flavored result throughout. Seasoning the meat at the start and the potatoes when they go in means every component of the dish is seasoned from within rather than just coated on the outside.

The potatoes cook directly in the meat and vegetable mixture and absorb every bit of the Cajun-spiced, tomato-enriched braising liquid as they become tender. By the time they are fork-tender they taste like they have been cooking in the pot all day.

It feeds a crowd from one skillet. This recipe produces generous portions for 6 to 8 people with bold, complete flavor that works for a weeknight dinner or a weekend gathering equally well.

Ingredients Needed to Make One-Pot Dirty Potatoes

One cast iron skillet and bold Cajun pantry ingredients. Here is what you need.

The Meats

Ground beef and ground pork together form the protein base. The beef adds the primary savory, slightly rich flavor. The pork adds fat and a slightly sweeter depth that makes the finished dish more complex and rounded than an all-beef version. 80/20 ground beef and standard ground pork are both ideal.

The Cajun Trinity and Aromatics

Diced onion, diced bell pepper, and diced celery are the holy trinity of Cajun cooking and form the aromatic foundation of the entire dish. Minced garlic adds savory depth.

The Flavor Builders

Tomato paste caramelized briefly in the pot adds a concentrated, slightly sweet tomato depth that carries through the entire dish. Rotel adds diced tomatoes and green chilis with their liquid, providing acidity and a gentle heat. Worcestershire sauce adds a tangy, slightly sweet savory complexity.

The Potatoes and Seasoning

Any small waxy potato cut into bite-sized pieces works well. Waxy varieties like baby red or baby yellow hold their shape better during the covered cook than starchy russets. CTH seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and onion powder are all used in two stages for layered seasoning throughout.

How to Make One-Pot Dirty Potatoes

1

Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil if the pan needs it. Add the ground beef and ground pork together and season immediately with about 1 tablespoon each of the CTH seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and onion powder, plus salt and black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking the meat apart continuously, until fully browned with no pink remaining and some caramelized bits developing on the bottom of the pan. Drain excess grease if the meat has rendered a significant amount of fat, leaving just enough to cook the vegetables.

2

Add the diced onion, diced bell pepper, diced celery, and minced garlic directly to the pot with the browned meat. Stir to combine and cook for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened completely and the garlic is fragrant. The onion, bell pepper, and celery are the Cajun holy trinity and they form the aromatic base that defines the flavor of the entire dish.

3

Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir it into the meat and vegetable mixture. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and smells caramelized and slightly sweet rather than raw and sharp. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the entire can of Rotel including the liquid. Stir everything together thoroughly until the tomato paste is fully incorporated into the mixture and the pot smells deeply savory and bold.

4

Add the bite-sized potatoes to the pot. Season again with the remaining CTH seasoning, remaining Cajun seasoning, remaining onion powder, and additional salt and pepper to taste. Toss and stir until the potatoes are completely coated in the seasoned meat mixture with every surface covered.

5

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 to 7 minutes, until the potatoes are completely fork-tender with no resistance when pierced. If the mixture starts to look dry or anything begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a small splash of water or chicken broth and stir to incorporate. The potatoes are done when they are soft throughout and have developed slightly caramelized, slightly crispy edges from contact with the hot cast iron.

6

Taste the finished dish and adjust seasoning with extra CTH, Cajun seasoning, salt, or pepper as needed. Scatter sliced green onions over the top if desired. Serve directly from the skillet.