Queso Taco Rice – Taqcat.com

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

2. Drain the Grease: Carefully drain the excess grease from the skillet. You want just enough fat left to cook with the rest of the ingredients.

3. Add Rice and Water: Add the taco rice packet to the skillet along with the exact amount of water specified on the package instructions.

4. Add Rotel: Stir in the drained Rotel tomatoes with green chiles and mix everything together until well combined.

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

6. Top with Queso: Pour your desired amount of warm queso cheese dip over the top of the rice and beef mixture.

7. Add Pico de Gallo: Finish with a generous spoonful of fresh pico de gallo on top.

8. Serve: Serve hot and enjoy this delicious one-skillet meal!

This is the ultimate weeknight dinner – it’s ready in under 30 minutes and uses mostly convenience items.
The Rotel tomatoes add great flavor and help cook the rice, so don’t skip draining them or you’ll have mushy rice.
Using a skillet that has a lid or cover makes cooking the rice easier – you can trap in the steam.
Fresh pico de gallo makes all the difference – it adds freshness to balance the cheesy queso and cooked beef.
You can warm your queso in the microwave while the rice cooks so it’s ready to pour when the rice is done.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The queso may need to be reheated separately when serving.