Cheesy Queso Ground Beef Rice One-Pan Dinner (Print version)

A creamy one-pan beef and rice dinner with queso, tomatoes with green chiles, and a melty cheese finish.

# Ingredients:

For the skillet

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
03 - 1 cup (150 g) diced yellow onion
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
06 - 1 3/4 cups (415 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 1 can (10 oz / 283 g) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
08 - 1 cup (145 g) frozen corn
09 - 2 cups (320 g) instant white rice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the queso finish

12 - 1 cup (240 g) salsa con queso or white queso dip
13 - 1 1/2 cups (170 g) shredded cheddar jack cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
15 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
16 - Sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, or sliced jalapenos for serving, optional

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the olive oil in a large lidded skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion, then cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the beef, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Stir in the garlic and taco seasoning. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until the garlic smells fragrant and the spices coat the beef.
03 - Add the broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, corn, instant rice, salt, and pepper. Stir until the rice is evenly moistened, bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 6-7 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
04 - Remove the pan from the heat and keep it covered for 3 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a spoon so it does not clump.
05 - Add the salsa con queso and stir until the beef and rice are creamy and evenly coated. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
06 - Sprinkle the shredded cheddar jack over the top. Cover for 1-2 minutes, just until melted. Finish with cilantro and lime wedges before serving.

# Good to know:

01 - Use instant rice for the listed cook time. Regular rice should be cooked separately.
02 - Best served hot while the queso is creamy.
03 - Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Back