Cheeseburger Rice

Name: Cheeseburger Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef; ½ cup diced yellow onion; 2 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth; 1 cup uncooked white long grain rice, rinsed; 8 ounce can tomato sauce; 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika; 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes ((optional)); 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ((divided use)); 1 Tablespoon dried parsley ((optional, for garnish))

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One Pan Cheeseburger Rice is a fun, yummy dish that is made in one pan for easy clean up. Tons of cheeseburger flavor but made as a quick skillet dinner!

A Fast, 35 Minute Dinner

If you enjoyed my Taco Rice recipe, then I bet you will enjoy this One Pan Cheeseburger Rice. This is such a simple meal and has flavors that everyone seems to enjoy. This Cheeseburger Rice is a one pan dish that is made from ground beef, onions, rice, seasonings, and cheese. I think this one might be a favorite of some of those picky eaters too!

A utensil dumping a serving of Cheeseburger Rice on the plate.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What to serve with Cheeseburger Rice?

This is meant to be a whole meal but you can definitely serve it with some of your favorite sides. This already has protein and carbs so I will always lean toward serving with a vegetable or a salad.

What else can I add to this one pan meal?

If you really want to go for more cheeseburger flavor, you could add a little mustard and diced pickles to this (to taste), or top it all off with a little lettuce and diced tomatoes. Super easy to customize depending on how you want to serve it.

How else can I serve this One Pan Cheeseburger Rice?

I think this would even be delicious in a wrap. Top with lettuce and tomatoes and more cheese and wrap it up. You could scoop some on top of or serve with a salad too.

How do you rinse rice and why is it important to do?

Rinsing the rice helps remove excess surface starch, which can cause the rice to become sticky or gummy as it cooks. Since this Cheeseburger Rice is cooked all in one pan with broth and sauce, rinsing the rice allows the grains to stay more separate and fluffy instead of clumping together.
Place the uncooked rice in a fine-mesh sieve or bowl and rinse it under cold running water. Gently stir the rice with your hand while rinsing, then drain. Continue rinsing until the water runs mostly clear instead of cloudy. This usually takes about 20-30 seconds.

What happens if I skip rinsing the rice?

The dish will still work, but the rice may turn out softer and more starchy, especially when using long-grain white rice. Rinsing isn’t required, but it does help improve the overall texture and keeps the rice from feeling heavy or gummy.

Can I make Cheeseburger Rice ahead of time?

Yep, this dinner heats up very well. Just add a bit of water when reheating.

How do I store leftover rice?

You can keep this in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Just add a bit of water when reheating.

A scoop of Cheeseburger Rice being scooped from the dish.

Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)

lean ground beef – I use lean ground beef to keep from having much grease to drain but use what you have. Just make sure to get rid of any excess grease.
yellow onion – Try using a sweet onion or even a shallot instead of onion.
Worcestershire sauce – You can skip this if you don’t have any, but it adds richness to the recipe.
Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes – The combination of these seasonings creates a nice, subtle flavor that is neither spicy nor overpowering. Instead of the individual seasonings, you could use about 2 Tablespoons of your favorite Hamburger Seasoning (more or less, to taste).
Chicken broth or beef broth – if you want this to be beefier, try using beef broth. I went with the low sodium to control the salt content. The broth adds flavor to the mix but you could use water.
White rice – White rice is best in this dish, as brown rice can take 35 plus minutes and more liquid to cook (this recipe has not been tested with brown rice so can’t give advice on that) Minute Rice (instant rice) could be used
Tomato sauce – This will provide a nice base and richness to the dish and mimics that sort of ketchup flavor you get with a burger (it can be left out if preferred)
Cheddar cheese – Who doesn’t love cheese? You can use any cheese, but I love cheddar to keep the cheeseburger theme. Cheddar is my favorite, but you can use Monterey Jack or even pepper jack if you want to add some spice.
Dried parsley – This can be sprinkled on top for a bit of color.

Lean ground beef, yellow onion, chicken or beef broth, white long-grain rice, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, shredded cheddar cheese, and dried parsley.

How To Make Cheeseburger Rice:

In a large skillet, brown and crumble ground beef. Drain any excess grease and put back into the skillet. Add in the broth, rice, tomato sauce, and seasonings.

Ground beef and onions in a skillet and then broth, rice, tomato sauce, and seasonings being added to the skillet.

Bring to a boil on high heat. Lower the heat to low. Stir one last time. Cover with the lid and cook for about 15 minutes (or until the rice is cooked) Do not remove the lid while the rice is cooking. When ready, fluff mixture with a fork.

Stir in 1 cup of cheese. While stirring, scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any rice that might have stuck to it. Test to see if any salt is needed. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese to the top.