One-Pot Cheesy Mexican Ground Beef and Rice — All your favorite burrito ingredients minus the wrap!! Made in one skillet, ready in 30 minutes, and so EASY! Hearty comfort food that’s packed with bold Mexican flavors!!
Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Recipe
I love one-pot recipes. I want to be relaxing on the couch after dinner not doing endless dinner dishes. This skillet Mexican ground beef casserole recipe is easy, hearty, and packed with flavor and texture from the taco-seasoned ground beef, sautéed onions, salsa, tomatoes, corn, rice, cilantro, and cheese. Comfort food at its finest.
This cheesy ground beef and rice casserole has all the ingredients you’d find in a burrito, minus the wrap, and made in a skillet. Anything with Mexican inspired flavors is a hit in our house.
You could incorporate black beans, top with avocado, guacamole, or sour cream. Get creative with your favorite Mexican ingredients.
This was great the day I made it but the flavors married over time and the leftovers were great. They heated up beautifully in the days to follow.
What’s in Mexican Ground Beef and Rice?
To make this cheesy hamburger and rice recipe, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Ground beef
- Yellow onion
- Taco seasoning
- Petite diced tomatoes
- Salsa
- Water
- Long grain rice
- Corn
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Fresh cilantro
How to Make Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
Add the onion and ground beef to an oiled skillet and cook until the meat is browned. Add the taco seasoning, tomatoes, salsa, water, rice, and some black pepper.
Cover the skillet and allow the mixture to simmer until the rice is tender and cooked through. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the corn and sprinkle with cheese.
Garnish with cilantro and any additional toppings just before serving.
Can I Use Ground Turkey Instead?
I don’t see why not! This Mexican ground beef and rice recipe can easily be made with ground pork, chicken, or turkey instead.
Should I Use White or Brown Rice?
I used long grain white rice since it cooks in under 30 minutes, but you can use any rice you’d like. Just keep in mind that brown rice will take longer to become tender.
Tips for Making Mexican Ground Beef and Rice
I used no salt-added tomatoes, medium heat salsa, and medium reduced-sodium taco seasoning. Go as mild or hot as you like.
Once the rice has been added to the skillet, resist the urge to remove the lid to see if the rice is cooked through. The more you remove the lid, the longer it’ll take for everything to cook.
Note that this cheesy ground beef and rice casserole freezes incredibly well. Let frozen leftovers thaw before reheating.
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One Pot Cheesy Mexican Beef and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- one pound ground beef, I used 85% lean
- one small/medium sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small
- one 1-ounce packet taco seasoning, I used medium, reduced sodium
- one 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, I used no salt-added
- ¾ cup red salsa, I used medium Herdez
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup long-grain rice, uncooked (I used white)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ¾ cup corn, I used frozen, straight from freezer
- 1 ½ to 2 cups finely shredded Mexican cheese blend, or your favorite cheese blend
- 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- avocado, guacamole, sour cream, etc. for garnishing, optional
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add the olive oil, ground beef, onion, and heat over medium-high heat to cook. Break up the beef as it cooks and stir onions intermittently to ensure even cooking.
- After beef has cooked through and onions are tender, evenly sprinkle the taco seasoning, add the tomatoes, salsa, water, rice, black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Turn the heat to medium, cover, and allow mixture to simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes or until rice is tender and cooked through. Resist the temptation to lift the lid and stir often. Just let it simmer for at least 20 minutes before doing a quick lid lift to check and also do a quick stir at that point. Re-cover and allow to simmer until rice is done.
- Add the corn and stir to combine.
- Evenly sprinkle with the cheese, cover, and allow cheese to melt and corn to warm through, about 2 minutes.
- Evenly sprinkle with cilantro, any optional garnishes, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Extra will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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