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Easy Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Skillet: 30-Minute Dinner

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A quick and easy one-pan dinner featuring seasoned ground beef, tender rice, and melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for busy weeknights, this comforting skillet meal comes together in just 30 minutes with simple pantry staples.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 works great for flavor, but you can use lean ground beef if you prefer. Drain excess fat if needed.)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
  • 2 cups beef broth, low-sodium
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then adjust)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (sharp cheddar gives the best flavor)
  • Optional: Fresh parsley or green onions for garnish

Instructions

  1. Brown the beef. Heat the olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it apart with your wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and no longer pink. If there’s a lot of excess fat, carefully drain it off, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan for flavor.
  2. Sauté the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes translucent and starts to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add the rice and seasonings. Sprinkle the uncooked rice evenly over the beef and onion mixture. Add the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together for about a minute, letting the rice toast slightly in the pan.
  4. Pour in the broth and tomatoes. Add the beef broth and drained diced tomatoes. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  5. Simmer until the rice is tender. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with the lid, and let it simmer for 18-20 minutes. Resist the urge to lift the lid and peek—you need that steam to cook the rice properly. The liquid should be mostly absorbed and the rice should be tender when it’s done.
  6. Add the cheese. Remove the lid and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Cover the skillet again and let it sit for 2-3 minutes off the heat. The residual heat will melt the cheese into a beautiful, gooey blanket.
  7. Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or chopped green onions if you’re using them. Serve hot straight from the skillet.

Notes

If the rice isn’t quite tender after 20 minutes and there’s still liquid in the pan, add a splash more broth or water, cover, and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Different stovetops and pan sizes can affect cooking time, so trust your eyes and your taste buds. For best results, shred your own cheese—pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make it grainy.

Nutrition

Keywords: ground beef, rice, cheese, skillet, 30-minute dinner, weeknight dinner, comfort food, one-pan meal

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