Made in one pan, this Tex-Mex ground beef skillet is a great recipe for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. It’s high in protein, full of flavor, and something the whole family can enjoy.
If you’re looking for a new family-friendly weeknight dinner idea, look no further than this Tex-Mex-inspired ground beef skillet recipe. Not only is it nutritious and delicious, but it’s quick and easy to make, perfect for nights when you need something on the table quickly.
While the recipe calls for ground beef, you can use any ground meat you like, or make a version of my turkey taco skillet if you want something leaner and lighter, but similar in flavor.
Why You’ll Love It
- Made in One Pan – This one-pan meal recipe keeps prep and cleanup time to a minimum.
- High in Protein – The combination of plant and animal protein gives each serving over 43 grams of protein.
- Keeps Well – This ground beef skillet keeps well in the fridge for days and freezer for months, making it a great make-ahead meal.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Ground Beef – To add some protein. I used lean ground beef to keep the fat and calorie content down, but you can use regular ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken if preferred.
- Onion – To add flavor. The recipe calls for a whole onion, but you can use onion powder if needed. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Bell Peppers – To add some veggies and micronutrients. The recipe calls for red and green peppers, but you can use any colors you like.
- Spices – A combination of chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and salt. You can use a pre-made taco seasoning if preferred; see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Beef Broth – To cook the rice. The recipe calls for beef broth, but vegetable broth or water will also work well.
- Rice – To add some complex carbohydrates. The recipe calls for uncooked white rice, but you can use cooked rice or brown rice if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Black Beans – To increase the protein content with some plant-based protein and add some fiber.
- Tomatoes – To thicken the mixture and add more nutrients and flavor. The recipe calls for diced tomatoes, but crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce will also work. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Frozen Corn – To add some color and more fiber. The recipe calls for frozen corn, but frozen peas or canned corn will also work. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Shredded Cheese – To add some more protein and fat. I used Havarti cheese, but you can use any type you like.
- Olive Oil – To add some healthy fats.
- Salt and Pepper – To season.
Dietary Adaptions
To Make it Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free beef broth.
To Make it Dairy-Free: Omit the shredded cheese.
Red’s Nutrition Tip
While sometimes thought of as an “unhealthy” choice, lean ground beef is a great high-protein, low-calorie food, as well as a great source of iron.
Serving Suggestion
This Tex-Mex-inspired ground beef and rice skillet is a well-balanced meal complete with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat. You can enjoy it as is or adapt it to meet your personal calorie or macro needs, for example:
- To make it lower in fat, use extra-lean ground beef, or ground chicken, or ground turkey instead.
- To make it low carb, swap the white rice for cauliflower rice. Omit the beef broth and skip step #6.
- To add more vegetables, serve it with a side of steamed vegetables or green salad.
- To add some flavor, add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and/or top the skillet with avocado, hot sauce, and/or sour cream.
Storage + Reheating
To Refrigerate: Allow the ground beef skillet to cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Once cooled, transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Once thawed, the mixture can be reheated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
More Ground Beef Recipes:
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Tex-Mex Ground Beef Skillet
This one-pan Tex-Mex ground beef skillet is ready in 30 minutes and is full of protein and fiber. Serve it as is or with a side of tortilla chips, avocado, salsa, and sour cream for an extra tasty feast.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes -
Cook Time: 35 minutes
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Total Time: 45 minutes
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Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Category: Dinner
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Method: Stovetop
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup white rice
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, strained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup shredded cheese, such as Havarti or Monterey Jack cheese
To Serve (optional):
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Tortilla chips
- Lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large skillet or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, then add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon or spatula, and cook for 4-5 minutes until no longer pink and partially cooked.
- Add the diced onion and bell peppers, stir to combine with the beef mixture, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and salt, stir to combine with the ground meat mixture, and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add the beef broth to the pan, using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any tasty bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the rice, diced tomatoes, black beans, and frozen corn, and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the temperature to medium heat, and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Remove the pan from the heat, top the ground beef mixture with shredded cheese, and transfer the oven to bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven and top with chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately with tortilla chips and lime wedges on the side. Any leftovers can be cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
To Use Onion Powder: Swap the onion for 1 teaspoon of onion powder in step #4.
To Use Taco Seasoning: Omit the chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and salt, and use 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning in step #4 instead.
To Use Water: Swap the beef broth for 1 1/2 cups of water in step #5.
To Use Cooked Rice: Omit the beef broth and uncooked rice, and add 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice in step #5, and skip step #6.
To Use Brown Rice: Swap the white rice for 1/2 cup of uncooked brown rice and increase the cooking time to 40-45 minutes in step #6 .
To Use Canned Corn: Swap the frozen corn for 1 cup of drained and rinsed canned corn in step #5.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 536 calories
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Fat: 12 grams
- Carbohydrates: 46 grams
- Fiber: 12 grams
- Protein: 43 grams
Delicious and easy to prepare one-pot meal with ingredients I usually have on hand.
Thanks for sharing, Barb!
Tastes great and easy to prepare!
Happy to liked it! 🙂
Delicious and satisfying! I omitted the corn (food sensitive) and the green pepper. I didn’t have smoke paprika, I used chipotle powder instead. Yum!!
Thank you so much for sharing, Linda!
This was absolutely delicious! I used a local made taco seasoning,so good! This recipe is definitely a keeper.
I’m happy you liked Elaine, thanks for sharing!
Delicious. Easy to put together!
On repeat!
I find your recipes interesting. I don’t use them a lot but when I do I am always happy to with the end result. Always look forward to the weekly menu planner. Sometimes would be great to have some variety as recipes repetitive.
Thank you Stephanie.
Thanks, Lynne!
Sorry forgot to rate them at 5🙂
Thanks, Bary!
Very delicious and easy to prepare. My husband said I can make this meal anytime.He liked it a lot.
Thank you so much for sharing, Theresa!
This was delicious! Definitely an easy go to recipe for a weeknight meal. I love how versatile it is, we used chips with it and for leftovers wrapped some up in a tortilla!
Oh, love the idea of adding it to a tortilla!
Made this exactly to the recipe. Easy to make. So tasty. Yummy!! Will be on repeat in our house. Thanks heaps. Necia
Thanks, Necia, I’m happy you liked it. 🙂
Easy and flavorful!
This turned out great! Tasty, plentiful and froze well.