Mexican Rice Beef Skillet

Meet your new weeknight hero—this cheesy, wildly satisfying Mexican rice beef skillet where big, bold ground beefy flavor meets fluffy, veggie-kissed rice, warm Mexican spices, and gooey queso cheese sauce. Made with pantry-friendly ingredients and one pan in 35-minutes, this dinner recipe will make you look like a pro with almost no effort at all!

📝 Ingredients

• 2 Cups Long Grain Rice ((basmati or jasmine preferred))
• 1 TBS Vegetable Oil ((substitute: canola oil))
• 1 1/2 pounds Ground Beef ((SEE NOTES))
• 1 TBS + 1 1/2 tsp Taco or Fajita Seasoning ( - DIVIDED)
• 3/4 tsp Smoked Paprika ( - DIVIDED)
• As Needed Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• 2 medium Jalapeno Peppers (– de-stemmed, de-seeded, and small dice (about 1/3 cup))
• 1 medium Yellow Onion (– peeled and small dice (about 1 1/2 cups))
• 1 medium Red Bell Pepper (– de-stemmed, de-seeded, and small dice (about 1 cup))
• 3 cloves Garlic (– peeled and minced)
• 1 TBS Tomato Paste
• 2 1/2 Cups Beef Stock ((sub: 3 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 1/2 cups water))
• 1 (14-ounce) Can Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• 1 whole Lime ( – juiced)
• 1 Cup Queso Cheese Dip ( - DIVIDED)
• Optional Garnishes: pico de gallo (fresh cilantro, sour cream, sliced avocados or guacamole)
• Serving Suggestions: Flour Tortillas (or Tortilla Chips)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Rinse and Drain Rise: Add the rice to a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cool water until the water runs completely clear. Then, transfer the rice to a small bowl and top with fresh, cool water. Set the bowl aside and let the rice soak for 10-15 minutes. Drain the rice again before proceeding to use in the recipe.
2. 2Meanwhile, Brown Ground Beef: Meanwhile, Brown Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the ground beef, 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Cook, breaking the meat up into pieces, until browned and just about cooked through. Then use a slotted spoon to transfer the ground beef to a paper towel lined plate to drain and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan.
3. 3Cook Veggies and Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium and heat the fat in the pan. Once hot, add the jalapeños, yellow onions, and red bell peppers. Season with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of taco seasoning, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes, or until the veggies are soft. Next, add in the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
4. 4Add Tomato Paste: Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the paste is lightly caramelized, about 1-2 minutes.
5. 5Add The Rice: Toast Rice: Add the rinsed and drained rice to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, or until the grains of rice are lightly toasted and fragrant.
6. 6Add Stock, then Tomatoes: Pour the beef stock into the skillet, using the back of a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan (that’s flavor!). Then, add the diced tomatoes to the skillet.
7. 7Simmer Mexican Rice Covered: Bring to Boil, Cook Covered: Increase the heat under the pan to high and bring the contents to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cover the pan. Let the rice simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquids are absorbed.
8. 8Add Browned Beef and Steam: Add Browned Beef, Steam, and Fluff: Remove the skillet from the heat – leaving the rice covered! Now, quickly uncover the skillet and dump the browned ground beef on top. Re-cover the pan and let the rice steam for 5 minutes. Then, remove the lid and use a fork to fluff and mix the beef rice.
9. 9Add Queso Cheese: Add Lime Juice and Queso: Add lime juice and ¾ cup of the queso to the rice. Stir to combine and then taste the Mexican beef rice. Taste and adjust for flavor as needed, adding more salt and pepper for overall flavor, taco seasoning for southwestern flavor, lime juice for brightness, etc.
10. 10Serve Mexican Rice Beef Skillet: Garnish and Serve: Transfer queso rice and beef to serving bowls and drizzle the remaining ¼ cup of queso over the top and then garnish with fresh cilantro, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, and your favorite Mexican toppings. Enjoy immediately.