This cheesy taco rice skillet is perfect for busy weeknights when you need dinner on the table fast. Plus, it’s not only quick to make, but budget-friendly, and clean up is a breeze because everything is cooked in one pan, making it ideal for no-fuss family dinners.
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Taco Tuesday is a fun tradition in so many homes, including ours. Every Tuesday without fail, we have some type of tacos, whether it’s taco salad, soft tacos with chicken or ground beef, crunchy tacos, or taco pizza. I think you get the idea that we love tacos in my family.
So, I’m always looking for new ways to switch things up but still keep that delicious taco flavor that we can’t seem to get enough of. Which is how this cheesy taco rice skillet came to be. This simple one-pot skillet meal is made with taco-seasoned ground beef, rice, Rotel diced tomatoes, salsa, and melted cheddar cheese for a hearty dinner your whole family will enjoy.
Related: 45 Easy Taco Night Recipes
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Taco Rice Skillet
- It’s perfect for busy weeknights, because it’s a no-fuss one-pot meal that can be on the table in just 30 minutes.
- Made with simple ingredients that you probably have in your pantry, making it the perfect budget-friendly family meal.
- Easy clean-up, since everything is cooked in one pan, there are fewer dishes to clean up, and who doesn’t love that?
- Kid-friendly, with mild flavors and lots of cheese, even picky eaters love this one-skillet meal.
- It’s customizable, as you can add beans, corn, extra spice, and your favorite toppings.
Looking for more easy dinner ideas?
- Easy Layered Nacho Casserole
- Easy Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)
- Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe
- Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos
- Easy 3 Meat French Bread Pizza
Cheesy Taco Rice Skillet
Ingredients for Cheesy Taco Rice
This easy one-pan cheesy taco rice is great for family dinners on busy weeknights because it’s not only inexpensive, but it’s made with simple ingredients and loved by everyone (even picky eaters!).
You will need:
- ground beef
- taco seasoning
- uncooked long grain white rice
- beef broth
- Rotel diced tomatoes
- salsa
- cheddar cheese
How to Make This Delicious Cheesy Taco Rice Skillet
- In a large skillet, cook your ground beef until no longer pink and cooked through. Drain any excess grease.
- Add in your packet of taco seasoning and water. Cook according to package instructions.
- Stir in the rice, Rotel (with the juices), beef broth, and salsa. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Remove from the heat, and stir in the cheese until melted.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving to thicken up, and then add your favorite toppings.
Variations:
- To make this extra spicy, you can use the spicier version of Rotel. You can also switch out the cheddar cheese for pepper jack cheese.
- Add some black beans for some extra protein.
- Mix in some corn, bell peppers, onions, or jalapenos.
- If you want it healthier, swap out the ground beef for ground turkey and use low-fat cheese.
Helpful Tips:
- After adding the liquids and rice to the ground beef, only stir once to combine, then after it comes to a boil, cover and let it cook.
- Keep the heat low while simmering so that the rice will cook more evenly.
- If after 20 minutes, the rice still isn’t cooked through, you can add a splash of beef broth or water and continue cooking.
- Use a brick of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself, as it melts better than the packaged shredded cheese.
- You can add salt at the end if you feel it needs a little bit more flavor, but usually, since the beef broth can be salty, it’s not needed.
Storage:
- Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You May Like:
- Easy and Cheap Ground Beef Recipes for Families
- 27 Hearty One-Pot Ground Beef Recipes
- 18 Best Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
- 25 Frugal Crockpot Ground Beef Recipes
- 27 Tasty Air Fryer Ground Beef Recipes
Cheesy Taco Rice Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 cup long grain white rice uncooked
- 10 ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies undrained
- 14 ounce can beef broth
- ¼ cup salsa
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook your ground beef until no longer pink and cooked through. Drain any excess grease.
- Add in your packet of taco seasoning and water. Cook according to package instructions.
- Stir in the rice, Rotel (with the juices), beef broth, and salsa. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Remove from the heat, and stir in the cheese until melted.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving to thicken up, and then add your favorite toppings.
Notes
Variations:
- To make this extra spicy, you can use the spicier version of Rotel. You can also switch out the cheddar cheese for pepper jack cheese.
- Add some black beans for some extra protein.
- Mix in some corn, bell peppers, onions, or jalapenos.
- If you want it healthier, swap out the ground beef for ground turkey and use low-fat cheese.
Helpful Tips:
- After adding the liquids and rice to the ground beef, only stir once to combine, then after it comes to a boil, cover and let it cook.
- Keep the heat low while simmering so that the rice will cook more evenly.
- If after 20 minutes, the rice still isn't cooked through, you can add a splash of beef broth or water and continue cooking.
- Use a brick of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself, as it melts better than the packaged shredded cheese.
- You can add salt at the end if you feel it needs a little bit more flavor, but usually, since the beef broth can be salty, it's not needed.
Storage:
- Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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