Ground Beef and Rice Skillet is a 30 minute, one pan meal the entire family will love! Hamburger, rice, peppers, tomatoes, and cheese come together for a complete comfort food meal.
How many times have you wished for a quick and easy hamburger and rice recipe for dinner? Seeing as how those are two ingredients most of us have on hand, it only make since to have a few super easy ground beef recipes to turn to on those busy nights when you have no idea what to make for dinner. This is one of my favorites, along with these Mongolian Noodles and 20 Minute Stroganoff!
Why I love this recipe
This recipe is packed with flavor and a slight Mexican flair. It cooks up in 30 minutes start to finish and only uses one pan...no sink full of dirty dishes! I also love that it's family friendly and budget friendly as well!
Ingredients
Nothing fancy here...
- ground beef
- onion
- red bell pepper
- garlic
- beef broth
- rice
- Rotel
- Worcestershire sauce
- Cheddar cheese
- salt & pepper
Step by step
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and drain. While the meat is browning, chop the onion and bell pepper.
- Add onion, pepper, garlic, and salt & pepper to the meat and stir. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add garlic, beef broth, rice, Rotel, and Worcestershire and stir to mix. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Serve garnished with chopped parsley if you'd like to get fancy!
Tips for best results
- Do not pre-cook the rice, it cooks up in the liquid in the skillet and absorbs all that amazing flavor.
- Don't rush the step cooking the onion and garlic with the meat, this adds a lot of flavor to the meat and makes the final result so tasty.
- Want it spicier? Choose the "Hot" variety of Rotel to add in.
FAQs
You can use any type of ground meat you prefer in this recipe: turkey, chicken, pork, or a combination of these. If you use ground poultry consider adding a little extra Worcestershire to amp up the flavor.
I use long grain rice in this recipe but you can use most any rice, however you may have to adjust the cooking time according to the variety you use. I don't recommend jasmine rice because it is too delicate to withstand the big flavors in this hamburger and rice skillet recipe. Short grain, white rice, brown rice, even Basmati rice will all work beautifully.
I don't recommend skipping the onion and garlic as they add a ton of flavor to the finished dish, however you can use any color of bell pepper you prefer or switch it out with other small veggies like peas, carrots, corn, or frozen mixed vegetables.
Serving suggestions
This skillet dinner can stand alone with the beef, rice, cheese, and pepper making it a complete, well-rounded meal. If you'd like to add on to it you can serve it with a side salad and/or homemade Texas toast.
If you try this recipe, please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
Print
Ground Beef and Rice Skillet Dinner
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: main course
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Ground Beef and Rice Skillet is a 30 minute, one pan meal the entire family will love! Ground beef, rice, peppers, tomatoes, and cheese come together for a complete comfort food meal.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 10 oz can Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies (undrained)
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- parsley for garnish if desired
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain and return to skillet. While meat is browning, dice onion and bell pepper.
- Add onion, pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper to meat and stir to mix. Cook 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add beef broth, rice, Rotel, and Worcestershire to the skillet and stir to mix.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minute or until rice is tender.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese. Serve with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Do not pre-cook the rice, it cooks up in the liquid in the skillet and absorbs all that amazing flavor.
- Don't rush the step cooking the onion and garlic with the meat, this adds a lot of flavor to the meat and makes the final result so tasty.
- Want it spicier? Choose the "Hot" variety of Rotel to add in.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 381
- Sugar: 4.8 g
- Sodium: 968.8 mg
- Fat: 11.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.7 g
- Protein: 33.3 g
- Cholesterol: 89.6 mg
Keywords: ground beef and rice skillet dinner
Jen says
easy and delicious!
★★★★★
Roberta says
I had some leftover rice from the night before. It seemed to make the cooking time just that much quicker. The flavor was good but we amped it up by adding some onion powder.
★★★★
Smiling Tulip says
I made this tonight and it was so good!!! My husband absolutely loved it! I deleted the pepper because our local store wanted $3 for one and since I was using the hot and spicy Rotel I didn't think we needed the heat of the pepper. It was very very very tasty will definitely make again!
Barb says
I believe it's just a sweet pepper called for, not chili pepper! No extra heat. I use a green pepper in this delicious recipe because they're cheaper! 🙂
Miranda says
Can I substitute the rice for potatoes instead? It looks delicious! I may just give it a go anyway and I’ll comment how it turns out.
Marc says
You can do whatever you like…potatoes would be good
★★★★
Shane Soule says
Absolutely delicious, I followed the recipe to the tee. At the end I only had Cilantro instead of Parsley.. My Wife and I enjoyed it so much we even tried it over Tortilla Chips and added this to make nachos. It's really good
★★★★★
Sam says
Turned out perfectly!
★★★★★
Jodi says
I had ground sirloin, low fat cheese, and rice on hand and looked for a quick and easy recipe. This recipe caught my eye. My husband and I really enjoyed it with a green salad. It was very good. I am sure it is the kind of recipe that can be adjusted in minor ways and will still be delicious. I plan to make it again with cheddar cheese as the original recipe calls for. Thanks for this recipe!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I'm so glad you liked it, it definitely is an easy recipe to "play" with and make your own depending on what you have on hand!
Andrea says
Was kind of bland for my taste so I added a packet of taco seasoning and Fiesta corn. Turned out really good.
Melissa Riker says
Great idea!
Sherry says
This recipe is a big hit with my family! I also add an extra yellow pepper, a bag of frozen corn and a can of black beans (rinsed)
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I'll have to try it with your adaptions, it sounds great!
Suzi says
Very delicious! My very picky 6 year old daughter had seconds! She usually picks at food. My husband even had seconds. This is a keeper.
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
Awesome! I'm glad it was a hit!
Amy says
Made this tonight. Had most of the ingredients. Used plain diced tomatoes and added a little cayenne pepper for heat. Also used chicken broth as I didn’t have beef broth. Turned out great! Served it with tortilla chips.
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I'm so glad you liked it Amy!
Gloria Overbey says
My grandson is picky eater he loved it
Melissa Riker says
So happy he liked it!
Rhonda Reyna says
Loved it. Easy filling and tasty. I didn't have beef broth so I opened two chicken ramen noodle seasoning packets and added one and a half cups water.
I substituted the red bell pepper for orange and yellow small sweet ones.
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I'm so glad you liked it!
Judy says
What's the serving size?
Christian says
So easy, and really delicious. I toss a couple bay leaves in while it simmers to cut some of the acidity.
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
so glad you enjoyed it
Michelle says
Recipe was super simple, quick to make and best of all even my picky eater likes it! I'll be making this again! I used a yellow bell pepper and Success instant rice as that's what i had on hand. Thanks for a new go to quick meal, my favorite!
★★★★★
JT says
Thank you, this was delicious. My Husband was skeptical about this recipe. but had 2nds. I only had a pound of beef and added a 14.5 can of beef broth. Made green pepper sautéed on the side and added to my plate. Really good dish, reminded me of stuffed peppers, but in a skillet.
★★★★★
Alexandra Baade says
I have made this about 4x already and I love it! I use ground beef and sometimes ground turkey. It tastes just like stuffed peppers!
★★★★★
Kris says
Amazing recipe and so easy! I’ll be making this again! I used a mix of colored peppers and used regular diced tomatoes. I added Italian seasoning since I thought it needs a bit more flavor. Also, uncle Bens rice is the best!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
So glad you liked it Kris!
Rebecca Payne says
So Good!
★★★★★
Wendy Lewis says
I added mexicorn and taco seasoning and it was great. Would make a great taco.
Barb says
This is delicious! Have made twice and will continue to! Halved it for the two of us, used about 2/3 can of Rotel. Perfect. I used a beef bouillion cube and water for the broth. Your recipes are my cup of tea! Thank you!
Gary South says
Great recipe although I did add some Taco seasoning otherwise I followed the recipe as written
Hannah says
Perfect quick dinner on a school night! My kids had thirds and they are picky picky. I didn’t have a bell pepper so skipped that but it still was delicious. Definitely will be adding this to our rotation of favorites. Thank you!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
You're welcome, so glad you liked it!
Kimbra says
It was delicious.I will make again!
I did make some modifications based on other reviews. I seasoned up the meat with my usual seasonings (Goya, garlic salt and steak seasoning.). I added a packet of Sazon when I added the broth.
Served it with cilantro instead of parsley, sour cream and cholula.
★★★★★
Kimbra says
I also used turkey ground instead.
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
so glad you liked it!
Katie Y. says
Instead of sprinkling the cheese on the mix, I toasted an English muffin. Put a little cheese on top, then the mix, then sprinkled a little more cheese. Used mushroom instead of red pepper. Delicious!
Jamie says
This was so good! Easy to prep too. I recommend (if you like it a little more spicey) to double or triple lol the pepper. Gives a nice kick. This was super easy though I always love the crockpot for the simplicity of it however this is my first stove top and it was delicious!!! Hubby’s on his 3rd bowl lol
★★★★★
Lizzy says
Our family loved this! We’re trying to find more freezer-friendly recipes for meal preps, so would this one be a good bet for freezing next time?
Kim says
Made this and added a can of black beans (rinsed) a teaspoon of Better than Bullion (beef) and 2 to 3 tablespoons of Taco seasoning. Really good!
Melissa Riker says
So glad you liked it!
lailani says
fantastic. thank you so much.
Ashley Brister says
Love this dish.... I'm eating my results right now!!! It's so delicious I added whole kernel corn... Have pictures not sure how to add to my comment
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
So glad you liked it!
Rob k says
This is the bomb digity!!!!!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
So glad you liked it!
Crystal says
Very easy to make and all ingredients were in the house. Thank you!
★★★★★
Barry F. says
Nice easy dinner.... even my wife could make it
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Destiny says
I haven't made it just yet but what are the measurements for everything?
Melissa Riker says
The full recipe card is at the bottom just above the comment section
Linnea says
I would NOT recommend making this with brown rice. We have been cooking it for an hour and the rice is still crunchy. Brown rice only takes 40 minutes to cook so I don't know why this is, we've added a lot more liquid and it just won't cook.
jeanett says
i had the same experience
★★★★
Michelle says
This happened to me as well. I added another cup of broth just to get it soft enough to eat. It probably took over a hour. Told my husband that next time I’ll just have to use white instead of brown rice. Otherwise we loved it!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
Oh yes, brown rice takes much longer to cook, I'm glad you liked it though!
Karen says
I used brown rice and worked out perfect! Did you try minute brown rice?
Jenny says
Great easy meal. Loved it
★★★★★
Kathy says
I made this with venison and it was absolutely delicious!!!
★★★★★
Geoffrey Oliver says
Took a very long time for the rice to cook, and I ended up having to add a lot more beef broth, but once it was finally done, it was very delicious. Tastes good with hot sauce too.
★★★★
Allison says
Loved this! Had to use a lot more broth and cook a longer than listed, but the result was still delicious! Also added onion powder, garlic powder, a hint of cumin and paprika.
★★★★★
Rachel says
Loved it!
★★★★★
Jacquie says
Made it, my whole family absolutely loved it!!
★★★★★
Jacquie says
Made it, my whole family absolutely loved it!!!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I'm so glad you liked it Jacquie!
Karen says
I made this for the first time tonight. My husband said this is so good 5 times while he was eating it and going for seconds. Thank you so much. This is a keeper.
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
Yay! I'm so glad he liked it Karen!
Laura Sisco says
OMG this was fantastic. So easy to make. I only had 1 lb of ground beef so I added a can of black beans. It made so much for me, can't wait to have leftovers.
This would taste real good wrapped in a tortilla with sour cream salsa and guacamole.
★★★★★
Monesha L Battle says
I'm making this now it's just the rice takes a little longer to cook but overall I'm ready to dig in simple easy meal thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Joan says
In stead of green pepper how much frozen peas and carrots do I use? Can't wait to make this, sounds so yummy.
Cheryl Cheney says
A handful or 2 should do!
Wendy says
Wow, this dish surprised me! I did not expect it to come out so yummy.
★★★★★
Joan says
This is a great and very simple recipe. Everyone loved it!!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
So glad it went over well!
PV says
This ground beef/hamburger skillet dish is a nice adaptation to stuffed bell peppers...1 cup of rice was a bit more than we like in our stuffed bell peppers and if we are having this again, I'll just add 1/2 cup rice or more ground beef/hamburger but I did add extra bell peppers, straight out of the garden young jalapenos and serrano peppers along with my own personal home canned petite diced tomatoes seasoned with roasted veggies (peppers, onions, and garlic)...the whorschestershire added a slight sweetness that was a nice flavor (Lea & Perrins is what is preferred in my house so use what you prefer) and definitely add some spice as you desire.
★★★★
Melissa Riker says
Glad you liked it and were able to make it your own with your garden harvest!
Chefyl says
I did something similar, PV (but without pre-roasting anything, and i had to sub dried minced onions for fresh). Came out so flavorful. I'm going to try the leftovers with tacos and nachos, as others have recommended. Thanks for the tasty, flexible recipe, Melissa
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
So glad you liked it!
Lynda J says
Made the double size recipe. It was a great base! I added diced jalapeños, and I didn't have Rotella, but I added diced chili's and diced tomatoes. I also added less salt, I figured with the Worcester it wouldn't need it. I also added chili, garlic, and onion powder, and some paprika. It was very tasty and made a lot!
★★★★
Melissa Riker says
Glad you liked it!
Cc719 says
This is so good! Do you think it would work to sub the rice for pasta shells or macaroni? I also want to add corn to this...
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I haven't tried it, sorry!
Vicki B says
I made this for dinner tonight. It is good, not fabulous! I have another meal left, my husband liked it, but we both thought that there was something missing. I am not sure that I will make it again.
★★★★
Nana says
I made this exactly to the recipe and the rice was not done
EDC says
I made this for dinner. While it was cooking, I read the comments and decided to put it in tortillas and make tacos. It was good. I used sour cream on mine to stop the kick from Rotel tomatoes. I am not a spicy girl.
Karen says
Made it tonight for dinner. It was for 4 people. Everyone really liked it and I loved it cause it was so simple to make! I made garlic toast with it. I will definitely make it again!
★★★★
Cindi says
Definitely need to par-cook the rice. After leaving it to simmer for nearly an hour, rice was still crunchy.
Joan says
This recipe is great!!! My family loves it! What is also great is that it is simple and doesn't have a ton of ingredients I don't have, and it doesn't take long to make. Thank you Melissa!
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I'm so glad you like it, you made my day with your kind comment!
Landa Lewis says
My husband said “That’s pretty good. What is it called?” I guess I’ll be making it again.
★★★★★
Melissa Riker says
I'm so glad you liked it!
Becky says
I made the Ground Beef and Rice Skillet and I have to say it was outstanding!!! My husband and I both loved it!!! I added 1 cup of corn and used basmati rice and stirred in the cheese once done cooking it as sooo yummy!!!
★★★★★
Ashley says
Made this tonight and my husband loved it. I added some chili powder and Lawry’s seasoning.
★★★★★
Paul says
Rice was hard and was just ok supper would have been better to have hamburger patties and boiled rice.
★★