13 Easy Ground Beef and Rice Recipes

Ground beef and rice are a weeknight dream team: inexpensive, filling, and endlessly adaptable. With a pound of beef, some rice, and a few pantry staples, you can put a satisfying dinner on the table in well under an hour. Here are 13 easy ideas to keep dinner interesting all week long.

Quick Skillet Meals

  1. One-Skillet Beef and Rice: Brown the beef, stir in rice, broth, and seasoning, then simmer until tender - dinner in one pan.
  2. Cheesy Taco Beef and Rice: Add taco seasoning, tomatoes, and a handful of cheese for a Tex-Mex twist.
  3. Teriyaki Beef Rice Bowl: Toss browned beef in teriyaki sauce and serve over rice with quick-steamed vegetables.
  4. Beef Fried Rice: Use day-old rice, scramble in an egg, and stir-fry with peas, carrots, and soy sauce.

Comforting Casseroles

  1. Beef and Rice Casserole: Layer seasoned beef, rice, and a creamy sauce, top with cheese, and bake until bubbly.
  2. Stuffed Pepper Casserole: All the flavor of stuffed peppers - beef, rice, tomatoes, and peppers - in an easy bake.
  3. Cheeseburger Rice Bake: A kid-favorite casserole that tastes like a cheeseburger in a bowl.

Globally Inspired Dinners

  1. Mediterranean Beef and Rice: Season with cumin and cinnamon, fold in herbs, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
  2. Mexican Beef and Rice: Simmer beef and rice with salsa, beans, and corn for a one-pot fiesta.
  3. Korean-Style Beef Bowls: Sweet-savory ground beef over rice, topped with sesame and green onion.
  4. Curried Beef and Rice: A warming, fragrant skillet with curry powder and peas.

Stuffed and Wrapped

  1. Classic Stuffed Peppers: Fill bell peppers with beef and rice, top with sauce and cheese, and bake.
  2. Cabbage Roll Skillet: All the cozy flavor of cabbage rolls, deconstructed into a simple one-pan meal.

Tips for the Best Beef and Rice

Brown the beef well for deeper flavor, and drain excess fat. Use long-grain white rice for fluffy results, or swap in brown rice for extra fiber (it needs a little more liquid and time). For safe handling of ground beef, follow the USDA safe cooking-temperature chart.

Hungry for more weeknight ideas? Browse our full recipe collection.