Spanish Rice with Ground Beef

This easy one-pot Spanish Rice with Ground Beef is an excellent side dish choice or add your favorite toppings for an economical, family-friendly meal.

A skillet filled with Spanish Rice with Ground Beef.

This recipe exceeded all of my expectations. The ingredient list is simple, the one-pot method is fast and easy, and the result is seriously delicious.

Uncooked rice cooks in a skillet with all of the other ingredients, absorbing great flavor from a seasoned tomato sauce. Lean ground beef adds substance and frozen corn adds a touch of sweet flavor and texture. Friends, it’s wonderful!

A spoon scoops rice from a small white bowl.

I had a small bowl for lunch with a little shredded cheese and sour cream and scooped it up with tortilla chips. I originally thought it would just be a side dish but quickly realized that it is plenty hearty enough to be a really economical main dish as well. Win, win!

Ingredients

All of the ingredients for this one-pot Spanish Rice with Ground Beef are kitchen staples that you can easily stock.

Ingredients for Spanish Rice with Ground Beef with text overlay.
  • I highly recommend mixing up a batch of Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix for the best flavor. The packaged mixes you find at the store don’t hold a candle to a freshly made spice blend.
  • Rotel Tomatoes work really well in this recipe. They are seasoned and include green chiles which helps to add more great flavor. I usually go with the Original variety but you will also find Mild and Hot. Go with the heat level you like.
  • There is no need to thaw the frozen corn used in this recipe. In fact, it’s better if you don’t. The heat from the nearly finished recipe is all it needs to thaw and cook to the perfect texture.

Instructions

Ground beef, onion and bell pepper in a skillet.
  • Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to break it up, until browned and crumbly. Drain or blot excess grease if necessary.
  • Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion and bell pepper have softened slightly.
Rice and other ingredients are added to a skillet.
  • Add the uncooked rice.
  • Add the Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning and stir to combine well.
Beef broth and frozen corn are added to a skillet.
  • Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 25 minutes.
  • Remove the cover and stir the mixture well. Stir in the frozen corn, cover the skillet and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
One Pot Spanish Rice in a skillet with a spoon.
  • Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and you are ready to serve!

How to Serve Spanish Rice with Ground Beef

This is an awesome side dish to go along with any Mexican entrée like my Green Chile Chicken Smothered Burritos, Shredded Mexican Beef, or Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas.

To make it a meal, roll it into tortillas or serve it in bowls with a variety of toppings like chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions, chopped avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

A spoon scoops Spanish Rice from a skillet.

More Easy Side Dish Options:

A skillet filled with Spanish Rice with Ground Beef.
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Spanish Rice with Ground Beef

This easy one-pot Spanish Rice with Ground Beef is an excellent side dish choice or add your favorite toppings for an economical, family-friendly meal.

Course Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 342kcal

  • ½ pound lean ground beef
  • ¾ cup diced green bell pepper from one bell pepper
  • ¾ cup diced white or yellow onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1  cup uncooked long grain white rice
  • 10 ounces Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies Original or Hot
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
  • 2 cups low sodium beef broth
  • ½ cup frozen corn don’t thaw
  • chopped cilantro optional

Optional Toppings

  • shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, chopped avocados, sliced green onions, sour cream, salsa

  • Place a deep 12-inch skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add ground beef and cook, stirring to break it up, until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Drain or blot excess grease if necessary. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion and bell pepper have softened slightly. Add the uncooked rice, Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning mix and stir to combine well. Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

  • Remove the cover and stir the mixture well. Stir in the frozen corn, cover the skillet and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.

  • Stir well and garnish with cilantro, if desired. Serve with any Mexican entrée, rolled in tortillas, or just add toppings and make it a meal!

  • I highly recommend mixing up a batch of Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix for the best flavor. The packaged mixes you find at the store don’t hold a candle to a freshly made spice blend.
  • Rotel Tomatoes work really well in this recipe. They are seasoned and include green chiles which helps to add more great flavor. I usually go with the Original variety but you will also find Mild and Hot. Go with the heat level you like.
  • There is no need to thaw the frozen corn used in this recipe. In fact, it’s better if you don’t. The heat from the nearly finished recipe is all it needs to thaw and cook to the perfect texture.
Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 618mg | Potassium: 949mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg

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