Description
This Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet is a flavorful, satisfying one-pan meal that combines seasoned ground beef, tender jasmine rice, and melty cheese, topped with fresh cilantro. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and easy to customize with your favorite taco toppings.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef, 80/20 or 85/15
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Seasonings and Cans
- 4 Tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- 10 oz can Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilis
Additional Ingredients
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, rinsed-frozen or canned
- 3/4 cup jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
Cheese and Garnishes
- 2 cups Mexican cheese, Colby jack, or a mix of mozzarella and cheddar
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Heat Oil and Brown Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
- Cook Onion: Add the diced onion to the skillet and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Seasonings: Sprinkle the taco seasoning and salt over the beef and onion mixture, stirring to evenly coat the ingredients.
- Add Tomatoes, Beans, Corn, and Rice: Stir in the Rotel diced tomatoes with their juices, black beans, corn, and rinsed jasmine rice. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer Rice: Pour in the chicken stock, bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.
- Melt Cheese and Rest: Turn off the heat, sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the skillet, then cover and let rest for 5 minutes until the cheese melts and becomes gooey.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot. Optional taco toppings like avocado, tomatoes, or sour cream can be added as desired.
Notes
- Feel free to customize toppings with diced avocado, sliced olives, chopped green onions, pico de Gallo, or lime wedges.
- Using fresh cilantro enhances the flavor; add just before serving for the best freshness.
- This dish can be made ahead and reheated, though cheese may firm up upon refrigeration.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 860 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
