Description
Cheesy Queso Ground Beef and Rice is a flavorful and comforting one-pan meal featuring lean ground beef, seasoned rice, and a creamy blend of salsa con queso and shredded nacho cheese. This easy skillet recipe combines juicy tomatoes, aromatic spices, and melty cheese for a delicious dinner that cooks in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups minute rice
- 10.5 oz Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 cup salsa con queso
- 2 cups shredded nacho cheese
Instructions
- Brown the beef and onions: Drop the lean ground beef into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions to the skillet and stir well. Continue cooking and crumbling the ground beef until it is fully browned and cooked through.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add liquid and rice: Pour in the chicken broth and add the minute rice to the skillet. Gently stir until all of the rice is submerged in the liquid.
- Simmer rice: Bring the liquid to a boil, place a lid on the skillet, then reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for 5 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Stir and season: After 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir well. Add the Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir to combine.
- Cook off excess liquid: Increase the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no liquid remains in the bottom of the skillet.
- Add cheeses: Stir in the salsa con queso until evenly combined. Then add the shredded nacho cheese and stir just until it is melted and creamy.
- Serve: Scoop the cheesy ground beef and rice into plates or bowls and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef for a healthier option and to reduce grease.
- If you want a spicier dish, choose a hot variety of Rotel or add a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Minute rice cooks quickly, but you can substitute with regular white rice; just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with plant-based crumble and use vegetable broth.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
