Description
This Cheesy Queso Ground Beef and Rice recipe is a simple, comforting one-pan dish featuring browned ground beef, seasoned rice cooked in flavorful broth, and plenty of cheese for a creamy, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Rice and Liquids
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups minute rice
- 10.5 oz Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
Seasonings and Cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 cup salsa con queso
- 2 cups shredded nacho cheese
Instructions
- Brown the beef and onion: Drop the lean ground beef into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and stir well. Continue cooking and crumbling the ground beef until it is fully browned.
- Add garlic: Add the minced garlic, stir well, and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add liquids and rice: Pour in the chicken broth and add the minute rice. Gently stir until all rice is submerged in the liquid.
- Cook the rice: Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the skillet with a lid, and reduce the heat to low. Leave the rice to cook for 5 minutes.
- Mix in tomatoes and seasonings: After 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir well. Add the Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir to combine.
- Simmer until liquid evaporates: Increase heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no liquid remains at the bottom of the skillet.
- Add queso and cheese: Stir in the salsa con queso, then add the shredded nacho cheese. Stir just until the cheese melts completely.
- Serve: Scoop the cheesy beef and rice onto plates and enjoy a comforting, flavorful meal.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef to reduce fat content and prevent excess grease.
- Minute rice cooks quickly but can be substituted with regular rice; adjust cooking time accordingly.
- If you prefer spicier dishes, add jalapeños or chili powder with the Rotel tomatoes.
- Salsa con queso adds creaminess; if unavailable, substitute with cream cheese or queso dip.
- Covering the skillet during rice cooking is essential to properly steam the rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
