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Italian Ground Beef and Rice Skillet

Italian ground beef and rice skillet is a one-pan comfort meal with tender long-grain rice simmered in a tomato-herb sauce and finished with melty mozzarella. Brown the beef, simmer everything until the liquid is absorbed, then melt cheese on top for bubbly edges.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Rest 5 minutes
Total Time 43 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef base
  • 1 lb ground beef 85/15
  • 1 yellow onion medium, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
Rice and sauce
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
Cheese topping
  • 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)
Garnish
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ground beef and cook 5–6 minutes, breaking it apart, until fully browned. Drain excess fat.
Sauté the aromatics
  1. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add rice and liquids
  1. Add the long-grain white rice, beef broth, diced tomatoes (undrained), tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper, then stir well to combine.
Simmer covered
  1. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20–22 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Cook until the rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
Add cheese
  1. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top, then cover and cook 3–4 minutes more until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling at the edges.
Rest and serve
  1. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot straight from the skillet.

Notes

For best texture, resist stirring too often while the skillet simmers—one halfway check is enough to keep the rice cooking evenly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not ideal because the rice can soften further after thawing. For a lower-fat option, use 90/10 or lean ground beef (or substitute ground turkey) while keeping the cheese amounts the same.