Description
A comforting, easy weeknight dinner made entirely on the stovetop. This one-pan meal combines ground beef, tender rice, and melted cheddar cheese for a savory, creamy dish with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 preferred)
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 cup frozen peas, corn, or diced carrots
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Measure out the rice, broth, and cheese.
- Heat butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in the uncooked rice, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toast the rice in the beef mixture for 1 minute.
- Pour in the beef broth, stirring to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15-18 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Check rice for tenderness. If needed, add a splash of broth and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat and let rest covered for 2 minutes.
- Remove lid and stir in half of the shredded cheese until melted.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover, and let sit for 1-2 minutes until melted and bubbly.
- Stir gently to combine and serve hot.
Notes
Do not lift the lid while the rice is simmering to maintain steam. Shred your own cheese for better melting; pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents. Brown rice is not recommended as it requires longer cooking times. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 35
Keywords: one-pan dinner, cheesy beef rice, stovetop casserole, easy weeknight meal, ground beef recipes, comfort food, gluten-free dinner