One-Skillet Ground Beef and Rice

Name: One-Skillet Ground Beef and Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb (450g) ground beef, 80/20; 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained; 1 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tablespoon olive oil; Fresh parsley or green onions for garnish

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

This dish browns ground beef in a skillet, builds a quick tomato base with onion, pepper, and garlic, then simmers uncooked rice right in the same pan until it's tender. The whole thing is ready in about 35 minutes with one pan to wash.

Jump to Recipe

Ground beef and rice is the kind of dinner that earns its keep by refusing to create a second pot. The beef gets browned hard enough to build a crust before onion and green bell pepper go in, then garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, tomato paste, rice, diced tomatoes, and beef broth all join the same skillet. It is simple food, but the order gives it more depth than dumping everything together and hoping the lid performs a miracle. Let the beef sit undisturbed for the first couple of minutes so it actually browns instead of steaming gray, and cook it to 160°F. Toasting the tomato paste and uncooked rice briefly afterward deepens the tomato flavor and coats the grains in the seasoned fat. Once the broth and tomatoes go in, cover the skillet and leave it alone for 18 minutes. This is not an interactive phase. Lifting the lid every three minutes because you just want to check releases the steam the rice is using to become dinner.

Give it another five minutes covered off the heat, then fluff and finish with parsley or green onions. The rice comes out savory and tomato-rich, the beef stays distributed through every bite, and the whole meal leaves exactly one serious pan in the sink. That is the sort of efficiency worth respecting.

Prep10 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total35 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

1 lb (450g) ground beef, 80/20
1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh parsley or green onions for garnish

Instructions

1Heat a large, deep skillet (12-inch) over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and let it get hot — about 30 seconds.
2Add the ground beef in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for 2 full minutes to develop a brown crust. Break it up and continue cooking until no pink remains, about 5 to 6 minutes total. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of fat.
3Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.
4Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5Add the tomato paste and stir it into the beef mixture. Cook for 1 minute — this cooks out the raw paste flavor and deepens the color.
6Add the uncooked rice and stir to coat it in the beef and spice mixture. Toast the rice for about 1 minute.
7Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their liquid) and the beef broth. Stir everything together and bring to a boil.
8Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 18 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
9After 18 minutes, remove from heat and let sit, still covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the rice to finish absorbing any remaining liquid.
10Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork, taste and adjust salt, and garnish with fresh parsley or sliced green onions before serving.
Note Cook ground beef until it reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

550Calories

26 gProtein

48 gCarbohydrates

27 gTotal Fat

9 gSaturated Fat

3 gFiber

5 gTotal Sugars

750 mgSodium

80 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Use a skillet with a tight-fitting lid — loose lids let steam escape and your rice will be crunchy in a way that is not a good texture experience for anyone at the table.
The 80/20 fat ratio matters here. Leaner beef won't give you enough rendered fat to properly sauté the aromatics, and the flavor will be flat. You're draining most of it anyway, so don't skip it.
If your rice is still a little firm after the full rest, add two tablespoons of warm water, replace the lid, and let it sit another 5 minutes. The skillet knows what it did.

Substitutions

ground beef → ground turkey or ground chicken Use 93/7 for turkey; add an extra tablespoon of olive oil since it's leaner and will stick otherwise

long-grain white rice → parboiled (converted) rice Parboiled rice is more forgiving if you're nervous about underdone rice — it cooks consistently and won't turn mushy

long-grain white rice → cauliflower rice Add after the broth is mostly absorbed, stir in for the last 3-4 minutes only — it does not need 18 minutes and will become a paste

beef broth → chicken broth or water with 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Chicken broth works fine; plain water will be noticeably less flavorful but functional in a pinch

green bell pepper → red or yellow bell pepper, or zucchini Red bell pepper is sweeter and works beautifully; zucchini adds moisture so reduce broth by 2 tablespoons

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low with a splash of broth or water to loosen the rice, or microwave covered with a damp paper towel for 2 minutes, stirring halfway. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Make Ahead

The beef and vegetable mixture (through step 5, before adding rice) can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, reheat the mixture in the skillet over medium heat, add the rice and liquids, and proceed from step 6. The finished dish reheats well and is arguably better on day two.

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