What Can I Cook With Ground Beef and Rice?

Ground beef and rice is a full meal for the price of a coffee: a one-pot skillet, a burrito bowl, stuffed peppers, beef fried rice, or a rice-and-beef soup. Twenty-five minutes from raw to plated.

Beef renders fat; rice absorbs it. Cooking rice in the beef's rendered fat before adding liquid coats each grain and stops it clumping, while carrying the meaty flavour into every bite.

Dishes you can make

• One-pot beef and rice skillet — Brown, remove, toast rice in the fat, add liquid, return the beef, cover 18 minutes.
• Beef burrito bowl — Lime rice under, spiced beef over, something pickled on top.
• Stuffed peppers — Use par-cooked rice — fully cooked rice goes mushy through the bake.
• Beef fried rice — Cold rice only. Beef browned first and set aside so it doesn't steam.
• Beef and rice soup — Rice in the last 15 minutes, or serve it in the bowl and pour broth over.

Tips that actually matter

• Brown the beef in a single layer without stirring for the first three minutes.
• 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups liquid in a covered skillet; 2:1 only when boiling openly.
• Let it rest 5 minutes off the heat with the lid on — the rice finishes evenly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use leftover cooked rice?

Yes, and for fried rice you should. For skillet dishes add it at the end with a splash of liquid, just to heat through.

What seasoning works best?

Cumin, paprika and garlic take it Latin; soy, ginger and sesame take it East Asian; cinnamon and allspice take it Middle Eastern. Same base.

How do I make it leaner?

Use 90/10 beef, drain the fat, and add a tablespoon of oil back so the rice still toasts.

Related guides

• ground beef and pasta
• chicken and rice
• rice and beans

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