Description
A one-pan, budget-friendly weeknight dinner featuring ground beef, rice, and melted cheddar cheese. This easy skillet meal is kid-approved, requires minimal cleanup, and comes together in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 fat ratio)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 ½ cups beef broth (low-sodium)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced (optional, for garnish)
- Sour cream (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and shred the cheese. Measure out all other ingredients.
- Brown the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break into small crumbles. Cook for 5-7 minutes until no longer pink. Drain excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build the sauce: Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in beef broth and diced tomatoes (with juice). Stir well, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the rice: Stir in the uncooked rice, ensuring it is submerged. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15-18 minutes without lifting the lid. Check for tenderness and liquid absorption.
- Add the cheese: Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top. Replace lid and let sit for 2 minutes to melt via residual heat.
- Combine and serve: Fluff rice with a fork and stir in the melted cheese until creamy. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot with optional green onions and sour cream.
Notes
[‘Do not rinse the rice; the starch helps thicken the sauce.’, ‘Keep the lid on while simmering rice to trap steam.’, ‘Grate your own cheese to avoid anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.’, ‘Leave a little grease from the beef for flavor.’, ‘Use low-sodium broth to control salt levels.’, ‘This recipe does not freeze well due to texture changes in rice and cheese.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: ground beef, rice skillet, one pan dinner, weeknight dinner, cheesy beef, easy recipe, family dinner, budget meal