This Beef Taco Rice Skillet is an easy one-pan dinner loaded with seasoned ground beef, tender rice, red and green bell peppers, fresh corn and black beans. Everything cooks together in the same skillet, allowing the rice to soak up all of that taco flavor. Finish with plenty of melted cheese and your favorite taco toppings for a simple weeknight meal the entire family will love.
Why You Will Love This Beef Taco Rice Recipe
- Easy One-Pan Dinner: The beef, vegetables and rice all cook in the same skillet for easy prep and cleanup.
- Homemade Taco Flavor: A simple homemade taco seasoning gives you control over the flavor and spice level.
- Loaded with Good Stuff: Fresh corn, black beans and two kinds of bell peppers make this much more than just beef and rice.
- Easy to Customize: Change the cheese, adjust the heat or pile on your favorite taco toppings.
- Great for Leftovers: Beef Taco Rice reheats beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or an easy lunch the next day.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Ground Beef: Substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter variation.
- Homemade Taco Seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought taco seasoning instead.
- Long-Grain White Rice: Jasmine rice can also be used. Cooking time and liquid requirements may vary with other types of rice.
- Fresh Corn: Substitute frozen corn, without thawing first. Well-drained canned corn will also work.
- Black Beans: Pinto beans are a great substitute.
- Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles: Use regular diced tomatoes and add diced green chiles or jalapeños separately.
- Beef Stock: Chicken stock can be substituted.
- Cheese: Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack or cheddar cheese all work well.
- Bell Peppers: Use any combination of red, green, yellow or orange bell peppers. Add jalapeño peppers for a little spice.
How to Prepare Beef Taco Rice
- Combine all of the seasonings together for the taco seasoning in a small bowl.
- Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Cook, breaking apart the beef as it browns, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- Season the ground beef with two tablespoons of the taco seasoning. Stir to coat.
- Add the onion, garlic, diced red and green bell peppers. Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste. Cook for another minute.
- Add the rinsed rice. Stir well to coat the rice in the seasoned beef mixture.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with green chiles and beef stock. Add the salt, fresh corn and black beans. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover.
- Simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, without removing the lid, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the taco rice to rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice gently. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley. Serve with lime wedges and your favorite taco toppings.
How to Serve and Store
- Serve this Beef Taco Rice straight from the skillet with sour cream, avocado, pico de gallo, sliced jalapeños, shredded lettuce, extra cheese, crushed tortilla chips and fresh lime wedges. It can also be tucked into warm flour tortillas for burritos or served over shredded lettuce for a taco-style bowl.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm gently in a covered skillet with a splash of beef stock or water to loosen the rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Replace the homemade taco seasoning with approximately 2 tablespoons of your favorite packaged taco seasoning. Keep in mind that store-bought blends can contain considerably more salt, so you may want to reduce or omit the additional salt until you taste the finished dish.
If the liquid has been absorbed but the rice is still slightly firm, add about 1/4 cup additional beef stock or water. Cover and continue cooking over low heat for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Yes. Add cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to the taco seasoning, use Pepper Jack cheese or add diced jalapeños to the skillet with the bell peppers.
You can, but brown rice requires considerably more cooking time and may require additional liquid. For the easiest and most consistent results, long-grain white rice works best in this recipe.
More Taco Recipes to Love
This easy Beef Taco Rice combines seasoned ground beef, tender rice, bell peppers, fresh corn, black beans and tomatoes in one skillet. Homemade taco seasoning adds plenty of flavor, while melted cheese finishes the dish. Serve with lime wedges and your favorite taco toppings for an easy, filling weeknight dinner.
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Beef Taco Rice Skillet
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Description
This Easy Beef Taco Rice is prepared with seasoned ground beef, peppers, corn, black beans, tender rice and melted cheese, all made in one skillet.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, preferably 80/20
- 1/2 medium white onion, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning (recipe below)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels
- 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend or Monterey Jack cheese
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Combine all of the seasonings together for the taco seasoning in a small bowl.
- Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Cook, breaking apart the beef as it browns, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- Season the ground beef with two tablespoons of the taco seasoning. Stir to coat.
- Add the onion, garlic, diced red and green bell peppers. Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato paste. Cook for another minute.
- Add the rinsed rice. Stir well to coat the rice in the seasoned beef mixture.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with green chiles and beef stock. Add the salt, fresh corn and black beans. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover.
- Simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, without removing the lid, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the taco rice to rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice gently. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley. Serve with lime wedges and your favorite taco toppings.
- ENJOY!
Equipment
Notes
- Rinse the rice thoroughly before adding it to the skillet to remove excess starch and prevent it from becoming overly sticky.
- Use a skillet with a tight-fitting lid to trap the steam and allow the rice to cook evenly.
- Avoid lifting the lid while the rice is simmering. Keeping it covered helps maintain the proper temperature and moisture.
- Allow the Beef Taco Rice to rest, covered, for 5 minutes after cooking so the rice can absorb any remaining moisture.
- For a spicier taco rice, add cayenne pepper to the taco seasoning or use hot diced tomatoes with green chiles.
- You will not use all of the homemade taco seasoning for this recipe. Store the remaining seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for later use.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Meal Prep
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American/Mexican
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WELCOME! My name is Melissa Latin aka. Charlotte Fashion Plate. Happy to meet you! I am more than just recipes. I love fashion and style too! Most importantly, I love my Family (my Hubby and my Fur Babies). My Husband (aka my “Kitchen Bitch”) means the world to me. He’s pretty damn cool too. Not only is he one of the nicest guys you will ever meet, he also has had a lengthy career in professional hockey. Not only winning two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early ’90’s, but most recently winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers, amongst many other accolades. If you live in Charlotte and play hockey, or have a family member who plays, be sure to contact him!
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