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31 Recipes To Cook in May 2025.
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Skillet Mexican Beef and Rice: Taco-seasoned ground beef cooked with rice, red bell peppers, chunky tomato salsa, sweet yellow corn, and black beans—all in one skillet, then topped with melty cheese and baked until bubbly. Finish it off with a dollop of yogurt, avocado tossed with lime juice, and lots of fresh cilantro. It’s flavorful and so easy to make. A one-skillet dinner everyone in the family will love!
With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, I’ve been leaning into Mexican-inspired dishes more than ever. They’re always some of the most fun—and most delicious—to make.
I grew up on my dad’s tacos (and occasionally his cheesy chorizo bake), so these kinds of meals bring back all the best memories. And now that I’m doing the cooking, it’s exciting to experiment with new recipes built on those same comforting flavors.
This beef and rice skillet isn’t fancy or over-the-top—it’s simple, satisfying, and something I’ve made on repeat. It’s the kind of dish you can throw together on a busy weeknight but still feel good about serving.
Best of all, it’s truly a one-pan meal. You don’t need anything fancy—just your favorite skillet, a handful of pantry staples, and a few fresh toppings to bring it all together.
My oldest brother absolutely loves this one. It has all his favorites: protein-rich beef, just the right amount of spice, rice, veggies, sweet corn, and that irresistible cheesy top. Add avocado and yogurt, and dinner’s done.
The Quick Details for Success
Ingredients
- ground beef – or use ground chicken
- a yellow onion
- red bell peppers
- taco seasoning
- dry rice
- chunky red salsa – I love the Whole Foods 365 salsa. I usually buy the spicy
- fresh or frozen corn
- black beans
- mixed Mexican cheeses – I love a spicy cheddar, colby jack, and pepper jack blend
Ingredients – for topping
- plain Greek yogurt – sour cream is good too
- shredded lettuce
- chopped cilantro and scallions
- cubed or sliced avocado
- lime zest and lime juice
Special Tools
You’ll need a large oven-safe skillet. I recommend using a 11-inch cast iron skillet.
Step 1: Cook the beef
Start by cooking the ground beef (or chicken, if you prefer) with the onions, bell peppers, and taco seasoning. After about 10 minutes, the meat should be mostly cooked through and the seasoning will fill your kitchen with the best aroma.
I like to make my own taco seasoning using chili powder, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. So simple and so good!
Step 2: Add the rice
Stir the uncooked rice into the beef and let it toast for a minute or two.
Then mix in the salsa, corn, and black beans. Add water, cover the skillet, and let everything simmer over low heat. You want the rice to be mostly cooked but still a bit firm.
Step 3: Add cheese and bake
Once the rice is nearly done and there’s still a little liquid in the skillet, remove it from the heat and sprinkle on a generous mix of shredded cheese. I like spicy cheddar, pepper jack, and colby jack.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. The rice will finish cooking, and the top will get a little crispy—so delish!
Step 4: Top it off!
Like chili or tortilla soup, this dish isn’t complete without toppings.
I add a dollop of yogurt, avocado slices, a sprinkle of lime zest and juice, chopped cilantro, scallions, and a pinch of flaked sea salt. Serve with tortilla chips on the side for scooping—it’s the perfect final touch!
Looking for other easy dinners? Here are my favorites:
One Pan Chipotle Honey Chicken and Rice
One Pan Lemon Pepper Yogurt Chicken and Rice
One Skillet Louisiana Style Chicken and Rice
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf
Spicy Sesame Chicken and Ginger Rice
Lastly, if you make this Skillet Mexican Beef and Rice, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Skillet Mexican Beef and Rice
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 597 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or chicken
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup long grain rice
- 2 cups chunky red salsa
- 1 can (14 ounce) black beans, drained
- 2 cups spinach (optional)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheeses (cheddar/pepperjack/colby jack)
For Serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.2. In a large oven-safe skillet, cook the beef or chicken, onion, bell pepper, and taco seasoning, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Cook 10 minutes until the beef is browned. Add the rice. Stir in the salsa, the beans, spinach, if using, and the corn. Add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. 3. Place the lid on the skillet and turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Allow the rice to cook for 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked into the rice, but not all of it.4. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle the cheese over the beef/rice. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.5. Serve topped as desired with yogurt, avocado, cilantro, scallions, and lime. Enjoy!
Notes
Taco Seasoning: Mix 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, and 2 teaspoons salt.
This post was originally published on May 1, 2025
Another wonderful recipe! Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Hey there,
Thanks for giving this recipe a whirl, I’m so glad it turned out nicely! Stay warm!
I made this exactly as written except I added an extra 1/4 cup of rice and extra water to account for it. This recipe was amazing. I cooked the rice for about 15 with lid on after it came to a boil because that was the instructions on my rice package called for. This cooked to perfection. The liquid evaporated. I read other comments about it being too much liquid but I did not find that at all. I wonder if other salsas are more watery. Anyways, it also would have been fine with the 3/4 cups of rice but I always add a bit extra. Will make this again with how easy, delicious and healthy it is!
Hey Laura,
I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out!
This turned out so good! I will definitely be making this again, thank you!
Hey Alexa,
Awesome!☃️ I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it!
Great recipe! Easy, tasty, perfect fall meal in a pan. You can spice up or turn the heat down depending on family taste. Did not add the spinach, but will give it a go next time.
Loved it.
Hey Colleen,
Awesome! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your comment!
Have a great weekend!
Easy weekday meal that comes together quickly! I would definitely make it again maybe with ground turkey or chicken to be healthier. Would be great would cilantro lime crema sauce on it too, next time I will make some.
Hey Tiara,
So kind of you to try this recipe and leave feedback—glad it was a hit!
This recipe is delicious and loved by all members of my family, including a toddler and five year old. I was worried it would be too watery so I only used 1 cup of water and it turned out perfect, so that’s how I always make it. I also used a sweet Habanero Mango salsa (from Sprouts Market) for half the salsa. It adds a great sweet flavor that really shines with some lime added before serving.
Thank you SO much Laura! I am so glad you are loving this one skillet recipe! Have a great day! xT
Absolutely delicious! Easy dinner,( add the spinach), I would serve this happily to friends ❤️
Thank you SO much Tracy! So glad you loved this one skillet recipe! Have an amazing week! xT
This was delicious and easy! I made my rice separately after reading the comments and added it cooked to the mixture and it was perfect. My toddler ate it and loved it. Definitely gonna be in my rotation.
Hey Sarah,
Yay! Thank you so much for trying this dish and your comment, I’m so glad to hear it was a hit! Have the best week!
My family loved this recipe! Easy weeknight meal. The kids helped cook. I’m going to try and freeze the leftovers for another time. 🤞🏻
Hey Natalie,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe. Love to hear it turned out nicely for you! Have a nice day!
This was fine, but I wouldn’t make it again. I would describe this as a thick taco chili and not a taco rice skillet, you can barely tell there’s any rice in it. It also took almost 30 minutes on the stove top for the rice to cook/soak up the liquid and I still had a good amount of liquid left at that point. I think the proportions are just off, this also completely filled my 12-in cast iron so more than 4 servings for sure.
Hi Whit,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
Great weeknight dinner. Fast, easy, and tasty! My husband and three boys love this.
Hey Jennifer,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was a hit! xx