This recipe for ground beef and rice is an easy weekday go-to when you want something satisfying but with minimal effort. Aside from the savoury ground beef and rice, it has lots of flavourful spices, veggies and black beans. Talk about delicious!

Ground beef and rice in a pan garnished with chopped tomatoes and green onion.

Just like this recipe for ground chicken and rice, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this one-pan ground beef and rice recipe lately … and for good reason! It’s super easy to prepare, tastes so freaking scrumptious and it’s made in one pan for fuss-free cleanup (yay for less dishes to wash!).

This recipe tastes really yummy, but what I especially enjoy about it is that you can totally garnish to taste with your favourite toppings. I like to use chopped tomatoes and green onion, but the options are pretty much endless (don’t worry, I got you, there are some topping ideas below). I tend to stick towards toppings that I would often put on tacos because it goes really well with the seasoning in the dish.

How fun would it be to make a little garnish station and let everyone top their bowl how they like it?

Ingredients

Olive oil
Ground beef: I used lean ground beef. If you use a fattier version, just drain the beef of excess grease after it has cooked.
Veggies: Yellow onion, garlic and corn.
Rice: I used white basmati rice. Make sure you rinse your rice well before cooking to remove all that excess surface starch (which means fluffier rice).
Canned Black Beans: Rinse and drain before using.
Salsa: Chunky salsa works great in this recipe. Use your favourite variety.
Butter: Helps add a little richness to the dish.
Seasoning: Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper all add tons of flavour.
Beef broth: I used a reduced sodium variety.

How To Make It

Here is an overview of how to make this one-pan ground beef and rice recipe (full details are in the recipe card below):

In a large sauté pan, cook the ground beef in a little olive oil.
Add the onion and garlic, and then cook until the onion has softened.
Add the rice, black beans, corn, salsa, butter and seasoning. Give it a nice stir, then pour in the beef broth and stir again.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the liquid has absorbed and the rice is cooked. Then turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes before fluffing the rice.

Collage of steps to make a one-pan ground beef and rice recipe.

How To Serve It

I usually serve this one-pan ground beef and rice recipe on its own with some toppings, like chopped tomatoes and green onion. Other yummy toppings are:

Guacamole or diced avocado
Chopped cilantro
Pickled red onion
Sliced fresh or pickled jalapeno peppers
Shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
Sour cream
Hot sauce

If you want to mix things up, try serving the ground beef and rice in flour tortillas as a burrito or enjoy as tacos with hard taco shells. Alternatively, serve it with lettuce leaves (like Boston lettuce) as lettuce wraps or with tortilla chips for scooping.

Heck, I’ve even enjoyed this ground beef and rice skillet with a fried egg for breakfast (such a hearty meal).

Ground beef and rice in a black bowl with a spoon.

Tips and Variations

The rice: I used white basmati rice, which takes about 15 to 20 minutes to cook. You can use another variety if you prefer, just pick something with a similar cook time. Jasmine or white rice are yummy options.
Add more veg: Add more colour and flavour to this ground beef and rice recipe by mixing in some diced bell pepper when you add the corn.
Add more spice: When adding the salsa, mix in a can of diced green chilies, a splash or two of your favourite hot sauce or some minced chipotles in adobo sauce. And, of course, the variety of salsa you use will impact how spicy this ground beef skillet is.
Mix up the protein: Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey, ground chicken or your favourite plant-based beef crumbles. If using another protein in this skillet, you may want to use chicken or veggie broth instead of beef broth.
Try another bean: Instead of canned black beans try canned pinto beans.

Hand holding a spoon, scooping up some rice and ground beef from a bowl.

More Yummy Ground Beef Recipes

If you make this easy one-pan ground beef and rice recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!