Description
A quick, one-pot weeknight meal featuring ground beef, rice, bell peppers, and cheese. It’s budget-friendly, kid-approved, and ready in about 30 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) 80/20 lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium bell peppers (red and green mix), diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup long-grain white rice (Jasmine or Basmati)
- 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup (100g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2–3 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice the onion and bell peppers, and mince the garlic.
- Brown the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Sauté aromatics: Add diced onion and bell peppers to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 1 minute to toast spices.
- Add rice and broth: Stir in uncooked rice and toast for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Ensure liquid barely covers the rice.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15-18 minutes without lifting the lid. Check for tenderness.
- Add cheese: Remove from heat. Sprinkle cheese over the top, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes to melt. Stir gently until creamy.
- Serve: Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not stir the rice while it simmers to prevent gumminess. Toasting the rice before adding liquid helps keep grains separate. Use low-sodium broth to control saltiness. This dish does not freeze well due to rice and cheese texture changes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: one-pot meal, ground beef, rice skillet, weeknight dinner, easy recipes, family meals, budget-friendly, comfort food