Ground Beef Tray Bake with Potatoes and Peppers
A Middle Eastern-inspired one-pan meal where spiced ground beef forms the base, topped with precisely arranged potato slices, tomatoes, peppers, and onions in concentric circles. The vegetables soften and caramelize during baking, creating tender layers that meld with the seasoned meat. Serve family-style straight from the tray for casual weeknight dinners or entertaining. This version the typical kebab by building visual appeal and allowing even cooking across all components in one bake.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 medium tomato, chopped
- parsley, fresh, chopped(optional)
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch black pepper, ground
- ½ teaspoon chili flakescayenne pepper0.25:1heat
medium
- 1 teaspoon parsley, dried
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 medium potato, peeled
- 1 medium onion
- ½ medium bell pepper, mixed color
- 3 medium tomato
- tomato sauce(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine ground beef, chopped onion, garlic, green pepper, red pepper, tomatoes, and fresh parsley in a bowl.
- 2
Season with salt, black pepper, chili flakes, and dried parsley. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.
- 3
Spread tomato paste over the bottom of a pizza baking tray, then drizzle and spread the 90ml oil.
- 4
Transfer meat mixture to the tray and spread evenly. Score into 8 pizza-style slices but leave intact.
- 5
Slice potatoes into thin rounds. Cut onion into strips. Chop pepper into small strips. Slice tomatoes into strips.
- 6
Arrange potato slices around the outer edges of the tray. Create a circle of potato slices in the center.
- 7
Arrange tomato slices around the outer potatoes and inside the center circle.
- 8
Add pepper strips following the same pattern, placing diced pepper in the center circle.
- 9
Layer onion strips over the potatoes and add diced onion to the center circle.
- 10
Drizzle tomato sauce over the entire tray to taste.
- 11
Bake at 400°F for 1 hour 30 minutes until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked through.
- 12
Remove from oven and serve directly from the tray.
Tips
Slice vegetables uniformly so they cook evenly. Thinner potato slices (3-4mm) ensure they soften completely in 90 minutes.
Score the meat into 8 portions before arranging vegetables; this guides plating and makes serving clean.
Check potatoes at 75 minutes; if your oven runs cool, tent with foil to prevent over-browning while vegetables finish softening.
Good to Know
Cover leftovers and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 160°C for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
Assemble entirely up to 4 hours ahead, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Add 10-15 minutes to bake time if starting cold.
Serve directly from the tray family-style with flatbread, yogurt, or a fresh cucumber salad. Offer hot sauce and extra lemon wedges on the side.
Common Mistakes
Do not chop vegetables too large to avoid uneven cooking; aim for uniform slices and strips.
Do not skip scoring the meat before layering vegetables; without guides, plating becomes difficult.
Do not bake uncovered if browning too fast; tent with foil after 60 minutes to prevent charring while centers cook.
Substitutions
FAQ
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the entire tray up to 4 hours before baking, cover, and refrigerate. Add 10-15 extra minutes to bake time since it starts cold. You can also prepare components separately and arrange just before baking.
What if my oven temperature varies?
Check potatoes at 75 minutes; they should be tender when pierced. If browning too quickly, reduce heat to 180°C and extend time to 110 minutes. Conversely, if cooking slowly, increase to 220°C and check at 70 minutes.
How long does this keep and can I freeze it?
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as potatoes become mushy upon thawing. Reheat leftovers covered at 160°C for 15-20 minutes until hot throughout.