- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 500 g
- 3 cloves
- 200 g
- 480 ml
- 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 150 g
- 15 g
Process
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Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced yellow onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 6 minutes until no pink remains. Do not drain the fat unless there is more than 2 tablespoons.
Stir in the minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Push the beef mixture to one side, add the tomato paste to the empty spot, and fry it for 1 minute until it darkens slightly, then stir it into the beef.
Add the rinsed long-grain white rice and soy sauce, and stir to coat the grains in the fat and tomato paste for 1 minute.
Pour in the beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes without stirring.
Scatter the frozen peas over the top, cover again, and cook for 5 more minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and let the skillet rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, taste for salt, and garnish with chopped flat-leaf parsley before serving.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is stirring the rice while it simmers, which releases starch and makes the dish gluey. Leave it undisturbed once covered.
- Use a skillet with a tight-fitting lid. If yours does not seal well, add 60 ml extra beef broth and check at 12 minutes.
- Rinsing the rice until the water runs clear removes surface starch and is what keeps the grains separate in this one-pan method.
- If the rice is still firm after 15 minutes but the liquid is gone, add 60 ml hot beef broth, cover, and cook 3 more minutes.
Substitutions
- ground beef→ground turkey or ground chicken (cook to 74°C internal temperature)
- long-grain white rice→basmati rice (same quantity, same liquid)
- beef broth→vegetable broth for a lighter flavor
- frozen peas→frozen corn or diced zucchini added with the broth
Storage & reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, portion into freezer-safe containers and keep for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of beef broth or water, or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts until steaming hot (74°C). Do not reheat more than once.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why is my ground beef and rice skillet mushy?
Mushy rice almost always means too much liquid or too much stirring. Measure the beef broth exactly at 480 ml, keep the lid on, and do not stir once the rice starts simmering. Rinsing the rice before adding it also removes excess starch that causes stickiness.
Can I use instant rice instead of long-grain white rice?
Yes, but the timing changes completely. Add the instant rice only after the beef mixture has simmered, then stir it in with 240 ml hot beef broth, cover, and let it stand off the heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Cooking instant rice for 15 minutes will turn it to paste.
How do I know when the ground beef is fully cooked?
The beef should show no pink color and reach 71°C on an instant-read thermometer before you add the broth. Break up any large clumps as it cooks so the pieces brown evenly rather than steaming in their own juices.
Can I make this ground beef skillet ahead of time?
You can cook the beef, onion, garlic, and bell pepper up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them in an airtight container. When you are ready to eat, return the mixture to the skillet, add the rice and broth, and simmer as written. This keeps the rice fresh and prevents it from drying out on reheat.
Why did my rice burn on the bottom of the pan?
The heat was too high during the covered simmer. Once the broth boils, reduce the heat to low and use a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to spread the heat evenly. If you smell toasting, move the pan off the heat immediately and let it sit covered for 5 minutes.
Can I add cheese to this recipe?
Yes. After the 5-minute rest, sprinkle 100 g of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack over the top, cover, and let it melt for 2 minutes off the heat. Add the cheese after cooking, not before, so the rice does not become heavy and wet.
Is this ground beef and rice skillet gluten-free?
It is gluten-free only if you use a gluten-free soy sauce such as tamari, because standard soy sauce contains wheat. The beef broth must also be gluten-free, as some brands add wheat-based flavorings. Check both labels before serving to anyone with celiac disease.
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