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Busy nights don’t have to mean boring meals! This Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet is a quick and easy recipe, ready in just 30 minutes—perfect for those hectic evenings. With only 10 minutes of prep and the rest of the magic happening in one pan, you can have a bold, flavorful dinner on the table fast.
When those weeknights get crazy, having a simple yet satisfying meal like this Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet can save the day. It’s one of my go-to recipes because it’s so easy to pull together, and the best part? Everything cooks in a single skillet, which means fewer dishes to clean up later—a total win, right?
This dish is packed with vibrant flavors, combining seasoned ground beef, rice, and a tasty mix of Mexican-inspired spices. It’s hearty, filling, and perfect for family dinners. Plus, it’s flexible! You can swap in ground turkey, add extra veggies, or spice it up with your favorite hot sauce—whatever works for you. I love meals that not only taste amazing but can be easily adapted to what you have on hand.
Whether you’re a busy parent or someone who just needs a quick meal that hits the spot, this skillet dinner is exactly what you need for a fuss-free, flavorful evening. So let’s get started—you’ll have dinner ready before you know it!
Why you’ll love this Mexican Beef n’ Rice Skillet
- Easy 30 minute meal – Dinner on the table in a half hour is always a win!
- All in one meal – One pot Mexican ground beef and rice meal, you really cannot go wrong here!
- Family friendly – Simle ingredients combined to make a dish the whole family will love!
Mexican Beef Skillet ingredients
- Ground Beef – Makes this meal easy, economical and family friendly. I like to buy in bulk and freeze in 1 to 1.5 pound servings.
- Onion – If you have fresh onion on hand go ahead an dice it up and use what’s in the fridge. If not frozen from the grocery store works great. You can also buy it already diced in your produce section. Don’t have onion no fear add ½ teaspoon on onion powder or omit all together.
- Taco seasoning – Use your favorite brand to add flavors you enjoy in this dish.
- Garlic powder – A little extra garlic to the mix for extra yum!
- Rice – I usually use a long or medium grain rice. Put it in uncooked.
- Corn – A frozen or canned corn works great. Fresh is always a big plus. I love a fire roasted corn to give more flavor.
- Diced tomatoes and green chilis – Depending on your families heat preferrence you can use a mild blend or just add in diced tomatoes to bring the heat down a bit!
- Beef broth – Broth is another flavor booster in the recipe. You can also use chicken or vegetable broth.
- Cheese – Your favorite cheeses like cheddar, a mexican blend or colby jack work nice here.
How to make Mexican Beef and Rice
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
This really is the easiest meal to cook! Don’t you just love that!
Step 1 | Brown Ground Beef
All you have to do is brown your ground beef and saute the onion. Then drain off the fat.
Stir in the seasonings, tomatoes, rice, corn, and broth.
Step 2 | Add Seasonings, Rice, & Veggies
Step 3 | Bring to Boil, Cover, and Simmer
Bring to a boil then cover with a lid and let simmer.
Step 4 | Top with Cheese & Melt
When it’s done and the rice is tender, sprinkle with cheese and cover to let the cheese melt. Serve and watch them gobble it up!
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Beef and Rice Skillet Variations
- You can use ground turkey or chicken in place of beef. I would add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to the pan to saute.
- Add in drained and rinsed black beans or pinto beans in addition to or in place of the corn.
- Sustitute the rice with cauliflower rice for a lower carb option.
- Sub in brown rice for a little heathier grain option.
Tips
- A seasoned cast iron or nonstick pan works well to keep the rice from sticking.
- Don’t skip the browning step. This gives the meat and onions a lot of flavor that really makes this dish delicious.
- Cook until rice is tender. Start with a boil and lower to simmer. Each stovetop heat runs slightly differently. If all your liquid cooks out and rice isn’t tender then add a little more broth or water and cover and cook a little longer.
- Spiciness levels. I make this for my family of mostly adults or teens. If you are making for kids that don’t like any spice change out the tomatoes & green chilis for diced tomatoes and maybe go for a mild taco seasoning.
What to serve with this Beef and Rice Skillet
This dish really is a meal all on its own, but if you want something to go along a nice green salad is perfect. It pairs well with chips salsa, queso, or pico de gallo.
Here are a few of my family’s favorite ways to eat this!
How to Store this Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
Fridge:
Once cooled, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days.
This Mexican ground beef recipe makes delicious leftovers. It reheats well in the microwave, just pop it in for a minute or so.
To Freeze:
If freezing, I would recommend preparing as directed but leaving off the cheese. Let cool and then transfer to a freezer-safe dish and seal with an airtight lid or wrap with foil and freezer safe wrap. It will freeze for up to 2 to 3 months!
When it’s time to reheat, add the cheese and bake in a preheated 350° oven until bubbly and warmed through, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
It means to cook the meat until no more pink is visible. I like to take a step further and make sure the meat had a few crispy edges. This gives the ground beef tons of flavor!
If using canned corn you will need to drain the corn, but rinsing isn’t necessary. You don’t need the extra liquid in this recipe.
Absolutely yes! You may need to cook brown rice a little longer though.
I suggest you top the Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet with avocado, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, shredded lettuce, chopped green onions, cilantro, sour cream, or guacamole.
Sliced jalapenos (fresh or jarred), pickled onions, taco or hot sauce, or diced raw onion all would be additional great toppings to use. Feel free to mix it up or omit things you don’t like. I also think crumbled or tortilla strips would be delicious on top too!
More Mexican Recipes
- Skillet Beef Queso
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Green Chile Enchiladas
- Beef Barbacoa
- Charro Beans
- or Chile Rellenos from Norine’s Nest
Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, lean
- ⅓ cup onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ounce package taco seasoning
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 cup corn or fire roasted corn, drained
- 10 ounce can dices tomatoes and green chilis, (do not drain)
- 2 cups mexican blend or cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling while cooking until done, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, if needed.
- Add in taco seasoning, garlic powder, rice, corn, diced tomatoes and green chilis, and beef broth and stir until combined.
- Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until rice is tender about 20 minutes.
- Top with shredded cheese and cover until melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Garnish with your favorite taco toppings if desired.
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Notes
- A seasoned cast iron or nonstick pan works well to keep the rice from sticking.
- Don’t skip the browning step. This gives the meat and onions a lot of flavor that really makes this dish delicious.
- Cook until rice is tender. Start with a boil and lower to simmer. Each stovetop heat runs slightly differently. If all your liquid cooks out and rice isn’t tender then add a little more broth or water and cover and cook a little longer.
- Spiciness levels. I make this for my family of mostly adults or teens. If you are making for kids that don’t like any spice change out the tomatoes & green chilis for diced tomatoes and maybe go for a mild taco seasoning.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
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What a delicious and easy recipe for the weeknight! Thank you for this awesome, quick option!
This recipe is a total win! Loving that it only takes 30 minutes!
Thank you so much Jess!
Love the combination of ingredients in this recipe. So delicious.
Thank you so much!
This is one of the best Mexican dishes I’ve made! I served it for dinner with tortilla chips and we ate it like a dip. FANTASTIC!
Thank you, Beth! I like the way you think! With chips = YUM!
This mexican beef and rice skillet turned out so well, the husband and kids both loved it! And the leftovers are perfect for lunches!
Thank you, Ali!
This was amazing! Flavor was incredible and I loved the opportunity to cook in my cast iron skillet. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you, Ned! I love cooking in my cast iron too!
This was a HUGE HIT with my family! Thanks!!
My family loved this and I loved how easy it was.
One pot recipes are my absolute favorite! Served for dinner and already looking forward to the leftovers for lunch (very little and I have dibs!). Hearty and flavorful. This will be a regular at our house!
We loved this recipe, I asked my high schooler to start browning the beef and onion while I got everything else ready, so flavorful! We ate it “bowl style” our fave and loved that it was a one pan meal!