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.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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!
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!
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
All of the ingredients for this one-pot Spanish Rice with Ground Beef are kitchen staples that you can easily stock.
- 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.
How to Make Spanish Rice with Ground Beef
- Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion and bell pepper have softened slightly.
- 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 uncooked rice.
- Add the Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning and stir to combine well.
- 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.
Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and you are ready to serve!
Serving Suggestions
This is an awesome side dish to go along with any Mexican entrée like my Green Chile Chicken Smothered Burritos, Mexican Shredded 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.
More Easy Side Dishes You’ll Love
Sign up for my free newsletter for all the latest recipes and join me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more cooking inspiration!
Spanish Rice with Ground Beef
Video
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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!
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
I cannot wait to try this! I wanted to make this as a gift for my father for xmas… we recently lost my mom and she used to make spanish rice… I haven’t been able to find her recipe but this sounds really familiar (fingers crossed)… anyway I was wondering if this dish can be frozen? Thank you for offering what I am certain will be an amazing recipe 😉
Hi there! Yes, this dish freezes well, but the rice will soften a bit after thawing. Cool it completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently with a splash of broth or water if needed.
The Spanish don’t use a lot of these ingredients…I think you mean to say Mexican rice.
So delicious, so easy and so quick to make. This is probably the best Spanish Rice recipe I have ever tried!
This has been my go to recipe for a year. It is also forgiving if I have to substitute. No pepper on hand, it’s still good. I also often use a pound of ground beef if that is what I have.