This mexican beef and rice skillet recipe is an easy dinner my whole family loves. I make it with simple ingredients of seasoned ground beef, hearty beans and rice and topped with melty cheesy. My favorite part is it’s ready to eat in about 30 minutes!
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Skillet Mexican Beef and Rice
Making skillet beef and rice recipes is a one-stop shop kind of meal! With just 15 minutes of prep time and some basic ingredients, this dish comes together quickly.
It’s a complete and hearty meal, and much like this Mexican mac and cheese, Mexican chicken casserole, and easy crockpot Mexican casserole, where all your favorite Mexican flavors meet for a delicious skillet dinner. Even the rice cooks perfectly without the need to cook it separately!
When you’re craving Mexican food, this recipe is perfect! Keep it simple, load it with toppings, make it spicy, or keep it mild; the options are endless.
Mexican Beef and Rice Ingredients Notes
The complete list of ingredients with amounts are listed in the full recipe card below.
- Onion and garlic: Dice up a yellow onion (I like it because it’s mild and slightly sweet) and mince your garlic cloves. Use fresh or jarred minced garlic. You can substitute a tablespoon of garlic powder if you don’t have any fresh cloves.
- Bell peppers: Red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper are my favorite but if you prefer you can use green bell pepper, you can certainly use it instead.
- Seasoning: I use my homemade taco seasoning that I love making in bulk with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder. You can use a store bought packet if that’s what you have.
- Ground beef: I use lean to extra lean ground beef. Usually 90% lean or higher. You can use whatever you prefer; just be sure to drain the excess grease.
- Tomatoes, corn, and black beans: Diced Roma tomatoes, canned corn, and drained and rinsed black beans. You can use and equal amount frozen corn or swap the black beans for pinto beans too.
- White rice, uncooked: Rinse it to get rid of the excess starches and add it right into the skillet, uncooked.
- Beef broth: It’ll get absorbed into the rice as it cooks, giving it tons of flavor.
- Mexican style shredded cheese: I sprinkle a bagged Mexican blend over top, it melts over everything, so there’s cheesiness in every bite. Swap the Mexican cheese blend with sharp cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack or even a Mexican cheese like cotija or queso fresco.
Substitutions You Can Make
1. This dish also works with ground chicken and ground turkey. If using chicken or turkey, I suggest switching to chicken broth.
2. Add some spice by using jarred jalapeños as a topping or adding cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the ground beef mixture.
3. Brown rice can be used instead of white rice, but keep in mind it will take longer to cook and you’ll need a little extra broth.
How to Make this Ground Beef and Rice Recipe
This recipe will come together in a few steps with simple ingredients. It couldn’t be any easier!
Step 1: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the diced onion and bell peppers until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic to cook for another minute.
Step 2: Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink; break it up into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess fat as needed, either in a colander in the sink or using a paper towel to absorb the oil.
Step 3: Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix and add in the diced tomatoes, corn kernels, uncooked rice, and broth. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Bring the beef and rice mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway.
Step 5: Once the rice is cooked, stir in the beans and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Put the lid back on for a few minutes until the cheese melts.
Topping Ideas
You can use whatever your favorite toppings are and then some. Set out bowls for everyone to serve themselves!
- Guacamole
- Diced or sliced avocado
- Shredded lettuce
- Salsa
- Hot sauce
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Jalapeños
- Sliced green onions
- Sliced black olives
- Corn chips
Tips
Use a large enough skillet to hold everything!
I don’t recommend cooking the rice first. If you do, or you have leftover rice you want to throw in there, add it towards the end and skip the broth.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze it for up to a month in a freezer safe container. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating. I like to also freeze individual servings for a quick dinner on busy nights.
Reheat: This is done easily in the microwave in a microwave safe plate for 1 minute or so or in a skillet on the stove top over medium heat until heated through
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Easy One-Pot Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound ground beef 90% lean or higher
- 1 ½ tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- 10 ounces canned corn
- ¾ cup white rice uncooked
- 2 cups beef broth
- 15 ounces black beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups Mexican style shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add the olive oil, diced onion, and both diced bell peppers and saute over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or they begin to soften.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper
- Add the minced garlic and salt and cook for an additional minute.3 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt
- Then add the ground beef and brown until not longer pink, breaking it up and crumbling.1 pound ground beef
- Add the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, corn, rice and beef broth and stir until combined.1 ½ tablespoon taco seasoning, 2 Roma tomatoes, 10 ounces canned corn, ¾ cup white rice, 2 cups beef broth
- Bring to a small boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
- Cook for 20 minutes, stirring at 10 minutes.
- Once rice is cooked, add the drained and rinsed beans and stir.15 ounces black beans
- Top with the shredded cheese and place the lid back on for about 3 minutes until cheese melts.1 ½ cups Mexican style shredded cheese
- Top with any and all of your favorite toppings like guacamole or diced avocado, lettuce, sour cream, cilantro, sliced green onion, sliced black olives, tortilla chips
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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