Homemade Ground Beef and Rice Skillet

Here is my favorite ground beef and rice skillet recipe, with simple ingredients like ground beef, veggies, rice, and melted cheddar cheese, all cooked together in one pan.

This skillet dinner is a huge hit with my kids on busy weeknights. I love that everything cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup for me. Plus, it’s ready in about 30 minutes, so we can actually sit down and eat together as a family.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For this skillet recipe, I’d recommend using 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef, which means it contains 80% or 85% lean meat and 20% or 15% fat. This ratio gives you enough fat to keep the dish flavorful and moist without making it too greasy. If you prefer a leaner option, 90/10 will work too, though you might want to drain less of the fat after browning to keep things from drying out. Whatever you choose, make sure to break up the meat into small crumbles as it cooks so it mixes well with the rice and absorbs all those good flavors from the tomatoes and seasonings.

Options for Substitutions

This one-pan meal is super forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Ground beef: Ground turkey, chicken, or pork all work great here. You can even use plant-based ground meat if you prefer. Just note that leaner meats might need a bit more oil to prevent sticking.
• Rice: Long-grain white rice is what I used, but you can substitute with brown rice – just add an extra 1/2 cup of stock and increase cooking time by about 15 minutes. Jasmine or basmati rice work too without any adjustments.
• Green pepper: Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers are all fair game. You could also try poblano peppers for a mild kick or leave them out if you’re not a pepper fan.
• Beef stock: Chicken stock or vegetable stock work just fine. If you’re using chicken stock with ground beef, the flavor will still be plenty rich.
• Cheddar cheese: Monterey Jack, Colby, or a Mexican cheese blend all melt nicely. For a lighter option, try mozzarella or skip the cheese altogether.
• Tomato paste: In a pinch, you can use ketchup (about 3 tablespoons) or just add an extra 1/4 cup of diced tomatoes instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with this skillet is not breaking up the ground beef into small enough pieces while browning, which leads to large clumps instead of evenly cooked crumbles – use a wooden spoon or spatula to really break it apart as it cooks.

Another common error is lifting the lid during the simmering stage to check on the rice, but this releases steam and can result in undercooked, crunchy rice that needs extra liquid and time to fix.

Make sure your skillet has a tight-fitting lid and resist the urge to stir the rice while it’s cooking, as this can make it gummy and sticky rather than fluffy.

If you find there’s still liquid in the pan after 25 minutes, remove the lid and let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes until the moisture evaporates, which will give you perfectly tender rice without a watery bottom.

What to Serve With Ground Beef and Rice Skillet?

This ground beef and rice skillet is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with a simple side salad to add some freshness to the plate. A basic mixed greens salad with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette works perfectly and takes just a few minutes to throw together. If you want something warm on the side, some garlic bread or buttery dinner rolls are great for scooping up any extra sauce from the skillet. You could also serve it with roasted vegetables like zucchini or broccoli if you’re looking to add more veggies to the meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: This skillet keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better the next day, which makes it perfect for meal prep or leftovers throughout the week.

Freeze: You can freeze this for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. I like to portion it out into individual servings so I can grab just what I need. Just know that the rice texture might be a bit softer after freezing, but it still tastes great.

Reheat: Warm it up in the microwave with a splash of beef stock or water to keep it from drying out, or heat it on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If you froze it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first for best results.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1900-2100
• Protein: 85-100 g
• Fat: 85-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 170-190 g

Ingredients

For the skillet:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 green pepper (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 14.5 oz tomatoes (diced)
• 1.75 cups beef stock (I use Pacific Foods organic beef broth)
• 1 cup rice (uncooked long-grain white rice)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf

For the topping:

• 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place

• 1 onion
• 1 green pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1 cup cheddar cheese

Dice the onion and green pepper into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, and chop the fresh parsley.

Shred the cheddar cheese and measure out the uncooked rice, beef stock, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.

Having everything prepped and measured ensures smooth cooking without interruptions.

Step 2: Brown the Ground Beef

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add the ground beef and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks, until it’s browned and no longer pink.

This initial browning creates a flavorful base through the Maillard reaction, which develops deeper, richer flavors in the final dish.

Step 3: Build the Aromatic Base

• diced onion from Step 1
• diced green pepper from Step 1
• minced garlic from Step 1
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Stir the diced onion, green pepper, and minced garlic into the browned beef along with the salt and black pepper.

Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.

I like to cook the vegetables until they just start to caramelize at the edges—this adds subtle sweetness and depth that complements the savory beef.

Step 4: Create the Rice Cooking Liquid

• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 14.5 oz tomatoes
• 1.75 cups beef stock
• 1 cup rice
• 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf

Stir the tomato paste into the vegetable mixture and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor.

Add the diced tomatoes, beef stock, uncooked rice, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf, stirring well to combine.

The tomato paste blooms in the heat, adding concentrated umami flavor throughout the dish.

Step 5: Simmer Until Rice is Tender

• mixture from Step 4

Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the liquid is completely absorbed and the rice is tender.

I recommend checking at the 20-minute mark—if there’s still liquid but the rice is tender, let it sit covered off heat for a few minutes to finish absorbing.

Do not stir during cooking, as this helps the rice cook evenly and prevents mushiness.

Step 6: Melt in the Cheese and Finish

• shredded cheddar cheese from Step 1
• chopped fresh parsley from Step 1

Remove the skillet from heat and remove the bay leaf.

Stir the mixture gently, then add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until just combined.

Cover the skillet for 2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt completely from residual heat.

Top with the chopped fresh parsley and serve directly from the skillet for a family-style presentation.

Homemade Ground Beef and Rice Skillet

Delicious Homemade Ground Beef and Rice Skillet recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 2000 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the skillet::

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 green pepper (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 14.5 oz tomatoes (diced)
• 1.75 cups beef stock (I use Pacific Foods organic beef broth)
• 1 cup rice (uncooked long-grain white rice)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf

For the topping::

• 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

Instructions

 

• Dice the onion and green pepper into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, and chop the fresh parsley. Shred the cheddar cheese and measure out the uncooked rice, beef stock, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Having everything prepped and measured ensures smooth cooking without interruptions.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ground beef and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks, until it's browned and no longer pink. This initial browning creates a flavorful base through the Maillard reaction, which develops deeper, richer flavors in the final dish.
• Stir the diced onion, green pepper, and minced garlic into the browned beef along with the salt and black pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and become fragrant. I like to cook the vegetables until they just start to caramelize at the edges—this adds subtle sweetness and depth that complements the savory beef.
• Stir the tomato paste into the vegetable mixture and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor. Add the diced tomatoes, beef stock, uncooked rice, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf, stirring well to combine. The tomato paste blooms in the heat, adding concentrated umami flavor throughout the dish.
• Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the liquid is completely absorbed and the rice is tender. I recommend checking at the 20-minute mark—if there's still liquid but the rice is tender, let it sit covered off heat for a few minutes to finish absorbing. Do not stir during cooking, as this helps the rice cook evenly and prevents mushiness.
• Remove the skillet from heat and remove the bay leaf. Stir the mixture gently, then add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until just combined. Cover the skillet for 2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt completely from residual heat. Top with the chopped fresh parsley and serve directly from the skillet for a family-style presentation.