Easy Cheesy Beef, Bean & Rice Skillet
This easy and cheesy beef, bean, and rice skillet is a simple and delicious one pan dinner made with familiar ingredients and warm spices for a super easy weeknight dinner!
This is one of those skillet dinners I reach for when the day already feels full and I don’t want to overthink dinner. Everything cooks in one pan, and it uses ingredients I almost always have on hand (yay for no extra trips to the grocery store!). It’s the kind of dinner that just works on days like that.
This skillet meal can was also included in one of my weekly meal plans. You can download and follow along here:👉🏻 https://christinesnotebook.com/full-week-of-dinners-meal-plan/
Main Ingredients & Swaps
- Ground beef: One pound goes a long way here since it gets stretched with rice and beans, and it makes the meal filling enough that you don’t really need anything on the side.
- Spices: The mix of chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika adds warmth and flavor without being overpowering. Smoked paprika is especially nice here because it adds depth without heat.
- Green chiles or salsa: These add a lot of flavor with very little effort. I give you two options, because I don’t like for people to be tied to a recipe ingredient when there are other ways to make the dish! You need a 4oz can of green chilis or 1/4 cup of salsa.
- Diced tomatoes: The tomatoes add moisture and a little acidity, which helps balance the richness of the beef and cheese. They also help the rice cook evenly.
- Black beans: Beans add texture and make the dish feel more substantial. They also help stretch the meal and make it more filling (plus extra fiber!) without needing extra ingredients.
- Corn: I like the bit of sweetness corn brings because it balances the savory spices and beef.
- Rice: The rice cooks right in the skillet and soaks up all the flavor as it simmers. It turns this into a complete, one pan meal without any extra steps. I use white basmati rice, jasmine would also work.
- Chicken stock: I use stock instead of water because it adds another layer of flavor and helps the rice cook evenly. Homemade or store bought both work well.
- Shredded cheese: This gets stirred in at the end and pulls everything together. It adds creaminess and makes the whole dish feel comforting and finished.
How I Make It
Start by browning the ground beef with the diced onion in a large skillet. I like to use this Caraway Saute Pan because it is non-stick and non-toxic. I let the onion soften while the beef cooks so the flavor builds right away.
Once the beef is mostly cooked, add the garlic and all the spices. Stir everything together and let the spices cook briefly to build flavor. Next, I stir in the green chiles or salsa, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, rice, and chicken stock. I mix everything well, cover the pan, and let it simmer.
I let it cook for about 18 to 20 minutes, just until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. At the end, I turn off the heat, top it with cheese, and cover the pan again. I let it sit for a couple of minutes so everything melts together before serving.
I like to top this with a simple cilantro, avocado, and lime crema. I blend together 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, the juice of a lime and 1/2 an avocado.
👇🏻 You can follow along with me in the video below, where I walk through the whole recipe step by step.
Cheesy Beef, Bean & Rice Skillet
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook until the beef is browned and the onion is soft.
- Add the garlic and spices and cook for about one minute, stirring often.
- Stir in the green chiles, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, rice, and chicken stock.
- Cover and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the cheese, then cover and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
- Blend together all the ingredients in a small blender or food processor and add extra water to thin to desired consistency.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. I only share products I truly use and love.
This is now in my regular recipe rotation! The skillet itself is so quick and simple. It can easily be modified based on your preferences or what’s in your pantry (I substituted black beans with kidney). I also used plain sour cream instead of making the Crema since I didn’t have most of the ingredients for that on hand. Highly recommend making this one!!