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Texas Rice

Texas rice is an easy one-pot Tex-Mex ground beef and rice skillet with Rotel, green chiles, and tender long-grain rice. Bold smoky chili spices simmer with beef broth and tomato sauce, then cheddar melts over the top for a cheesy finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion small, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 green onions for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the ground beef with the diced onion. Drain excess fat, then stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Simmer the rice
  1. Stir in the long-grain white rice, Rotel tomatoes, diced green chiles, beef broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the rice is tender.
Finish with melted cheese
  1. Fluff the rice with a fork to loosen the grains. Top with shredded cheddar, cover for 2 minutes, and cook until the cheese melts.
Serve
  1. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t lift the lid during the 20-minute covered simmer—steam helps the rice cook evenly. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of broth or water. Freezing is yes for up to 2 months, though the rice may soften. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheddar while keeping the same amounts of beef broth and tomato sauce for flavor balance.