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Cheesy Taco Rice Skillet

Cheesy taco rice skillet with taco-seasoned ground beef and fluffy rice in a smoky tomato sauce, finished with melted cheddar across the top. One-pan dinner method for weeknights—bubbly, golden cheese and saucy Mexican rice skillet flavor in about 35 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes
  • 2 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1 sour cream for serving
  • 1 jalapeños for serving
  • 1 cilantro for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the taco beef
  1. Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and diced onion, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat, then stir in minced garlic and taco seasoning and cook 1 minute.
Cook the taco rice
  1. Stir in long-grain white rice, beef broth, salsa, and Rotel diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
  2. Cook covered over low heat for 18–20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, then remove the lid.
Melt the cheese and serve
  1. Fluff the rice with a fork, then top with shredded Mexican cheese blend. Cover and cook 2 minutes until the cheese melts into a bubbly golden layer.
  2. Serve immediately with sour cream, jalapeños, and cilantro on top.

Notes

For best fluffy rice, keep the skillet covered during the 18–20 minutes so the steam cooks the grains evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water. Freezing is not recommended because the rice can soften after thawing. For a lighter swap, use lean ground beef and a reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend while keeping the same cooking times.