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30-Minute Cheesy Ground Beef & Rice Bake

Seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, corn, and instant rice simmered in one oven-safe skillet, then broiled under a blanket of bubbly cheddar — 30 minutes, about 32g protein per serving (estimated).
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb ground beef 90% lean
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1.75 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup instant white rice uncooked
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced, for serving
  • Sour cream for serving

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet with lid (12-inch cast iron or stainless)
  • Wooden spoon or spatula

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains, about 7–8 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Meanwhile, position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high.
  2. Stir in the onion and bell pepper; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute more, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and everything smells fragrant.
  3. Pour in the tomato sauce and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the instant rice and the frozen corn. Bring to a lively simmer.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir once halfway through so nothing sticks.
  5. Uncover and sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil 2–3 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned in spots. Watch it closely — broilers move fast.
  6. Let the bake rest 3 minutes so the rice finishes absorbing the sauce. Scatter with green onions and serve straight from the skillet with sour cream.

Notes

Food safety: ground beef must reach 165°F internally — the long simmer guarantees it. Instant rice keeps this at 30 minutes; long-grain rice needs ~45. Broil 2–3 minutes, watched closely. Leftovers 4 days refrigerated / 3 months frozen; reheat to 165°F. Protein ~32g/serving estimated from USDA FoodData Central; not lab-tested.