Queso Taco Rice (Print Version)

Ground beef and taco rice cooked together with Rotel tomatoes, topped with warm queso cheese dip and fresh pico de gallo.

# Ingredients:

01 - 1 pound ground beef

02 - 1 (6 ounce) taco rice packet

03 - Water as specified on the rice packet

04 - 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, drained

05 - Warm queso cheese dip (desired amount)

06 - 1 cup fresh pico de gallo

01 - Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it cooks, until no pink remains.

02 - Carefully drain the excess grease from the skillet. You want just enough fat left to cook with the rest of the ingredients.

03 - Add the taco rice packet to the skillet along with the exact amount of water specified on the package instructions.

04 - Stir in the drained Rotel tomatoes with green chiles and mix everything together until well combined.

05 - Cook according to the rice packet directions until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, usually about 15-20 minutes.

06 - Pour your desired amount of warm queso cheese dip over the top of the rice and beef mixture.

07 - Finish with a generous spoonful of fresh pico de gallo on top.

08 - Serve hot and enjoy this delicious one-skillet meal!

01 - This is the ultimate weeknight dinner - it's ready in under 30 minutes and uses mostly convenience items.

02 - The Rotel tomatoes add great flavor and help cook the rice, so don't skip draining them or you'll have mushy rice.

03 - Using a skillet that has a lid or cover makes cooking the rice easier - you can trap in the steam.

04 - Fresh pico de gallo makes all the difference - it adds freshness to balance the cheesy queso and cooked beef.

05 - You can warm your queso in the microwave while the rice cooks so it's ready to pour when the rice is done.

06 - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The queso may need to be reheated separately when serving.