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Easy One-Pot Ground Beef and Rice Skillet (Best 30-Minute Dinner)

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A quick and easy one-pot meal featuring ground beef, rice, and diced tomatoes, perfect for busy weeknights. This comforting skillet dinner comes together in about 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 or 85/15)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
  • Optional garnishes: fresh parsley, chopped; grated Parmesan cheese; lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil. Place your large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it heat up until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
  2. Brown the beef. Add the ground beef to the hot skillet. Use your wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces. Let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, then start stirring. Continue cooking until the beef is browned all over and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes total. If there’s a lot of excess fat (more than 2 tablespoons), carefully spoon some out, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan.
  3. Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the skillet with the beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
  4. Add the rice and spices. Sprinkle the uncooked rice over the beef and onion mixture. Add the paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together for about 1 minute, coating the rice in the pan juices and spices.
  5. Pour in the liquids. Add the undrained can of diced tomatoes and the beef broth to the skillet. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  6. Bring to a boil. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a full boil. This usually takes 2-3 minutes.
  7. Simmer and cover. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer gently. Do not lift the lid during cooking. Let it cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
  8. Check for doneness. After 18 minutes, remove the lid carefully. The rice should be tender and the liquid should be mostly absorbed. If the rice is still a bit firm or there’s too much liquid, cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If the rice is done but there’s still some liquid, let it sit uncovered for 2 minutes to absorb.
  9. Fluff and rest. Remove the skillet from the heat. Use a fork to fluff the rice gently, incorporating the beef and tomatoes. Let it rest, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes.
  10. Taste and adjust. Give the dish a taste. Add more salt or pepper if needed. If you want a little brightness, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if you’re using them.

Notes

Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking to ensure fluffy rice. For brown rice, increase cooking time to 40-45 minutes and add an extra 1/2 cup of broth. The dish tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with plant-based meat or lentils and use vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: one-pot meal, ground beef, rice skillet, 30-minute dinner, weeknight dinner, easy dinner, comfort food, ground beef and rice

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/easy-one-pot-ground-beef-and-rice-skillet-best-30-minute-dinner/