Cheesy Beef Rice Skillet

Lean ground beef makes a healthy appearance in this delicious Mexican skillet dish! Ground beef is combined with fiber-rich brown rice, plenty of tomatoes, chilies and bell pepper. This cheesy skillet is sure to please any crowd!

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. Thanks for supporting brands that make Zen & Spice possible! 

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo deliciously with this cheesy rice skillet! I am a huge fan of anything covered in cheese, and this rice skillet is just that. Sprouts Farmers Market asked me to create a nutritious Mexican-style meal for the holiday this week! We don’t eat much Mexican-style food at home (beans hurt my stomach), but we do eat a lot of rice, ground beef, and of course lots of cheese. So I thought I’d do a skillet dish for this challenge!

This dish will be sure to please a crowd: lean ground beef, whole grain brown rice, bell peppers, tomatoes, green chilies, all simmered and topped with cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese, along with avocado, sour cream and fresh cilantro. 

Any fellow cilantro lovers out there? I’m one of those who covers their food in cilantro. YUM! It’s weird, because when I was little, I hated the smell of cilantro and couldn’t even go near it. Now I love it. Our taste buds do change over time. :) 

I have a pot on my balcony and it’s actually growing this year! Last year it died after about a month. I think the trick is to not water it that much and keep it in the shade. 

I’m actually going to be demo’ing this recipe along with a couple other Mexican style recipes tomorrow night, at a brand new Sprouts location in Dallas (Lake Highlands)! If you’re local and want to come sample some delicious recipes, click here to learn more about the event. 

Here’s the recipe for Cheesy Beef Rice Skillet! 

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Cheesy Beef Rice Skillet

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked brown rice
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 Tbsp salted butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 14.5oz cans of Sprouts diced tomatoes don't drain
• 2 4oz cans of Sprouts green chilies drained
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
• avocado, cilantro and sour cream for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook the brown rice according to package instructions. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the beef until cooked through. Drain and set aside in a glass dish. 
   

3. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the butter. Add the yellow onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent.
   

4. Add the tomatoes, green chilies, salt and pepper. Stir the beef back in. 
   

5. Fold in the cooked rice, cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese. 
   

6. Stir until the cheese is melted, then serve with avocado slices, cilantro and green onions. 

Emily Weeks, RDN, LD

Hi! I’m Emily, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef. I firmly believe that cooking is the simplest and most important step we can take to improve our minds and bodies and build healthier communities. Join me and let’s bring food back to the kitchen!