One-Pan Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef and Rice
Make this magical One-Pan Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef and Rice! A comforting skillet meal with savory ground beef, fluffy rice, and a rich, homemade cheddar-Parmesan cheese sauce.
Ingredients
(Based on 1x column, with metric conversions to US customary)
Beef & Rice Skillet:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon butter (from 3 tbsp / 45g total)
- ▢ 1 small onion, diced
- ▢ 1 pound (approx. 450g) ground beef
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ▢ 1 cup (approx. 200g) long-grain white rice, uncooked
- ▢ 3 cups (720ml) low-sodium beef broth
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ▢ Salt and black pepper, to taste
Garlic Butter Cheese Sauce:
- ▢ 2 tablespoons butter (remaining from 3 tbsp / 45g total)
- ▢ ½ cup (120ml) milk (whole or 2% recommended)
- ▢ 1 cup (approx. 120g) shredded cheddar cheese
- ▢ ½ cup (approx. 50g) grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish:
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Sauté Onion, Brown Beef, and Add Garlic:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet (with a lid) over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet with the onions. Cook, breaking the beef apart with a spoon or spatula, until it is fully browned and no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet carefully.
- Add the minced garlic to the beef and onion mixture. Cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant.
2. Toast Rice, Add Broth, and Simmer:
- Stir the uncooked long-grain rice into the skillet with the beef mixture. Toast the rice for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains are well coated in the pan drippings and may appear slightly translucent.
- Pour in the beef broth. Add the Italian seasoning, and season with salt and black pepper to your taste. Stir everything well to combine.
- Bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet tightly with a lid, and let it simmer for 18-20 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid during this time.
- After 18-20 minutes, the rice should be tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed.
3. Make the Garlic Butter Cheese Sauce:
- While the rice is simmering (or just after it finishes), prepare the cheese sauce.
- In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. (The original recipe doesn’t mention adding garlic to the cheese sauce butter, but given the recipe name, it’s a great addition. To follow the spirit, add 1 minced garlic clove to the melting butter and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant if desired).
- Pour in the milk and warm it gently with the butter.
- Add the shredded cheddar cheese and grated Parmesan cheese to the warm milk and butter.
- Stir constantly over low heat until the cheeses are completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Do not let the sauce boil.
4. Combine Cheese Sauce with Skillet:
- Pour the prepared warm cheese sauce into the skillet with the cooked beef and rice mixture.
- Stir everything thoroughly but gently to combine, ensuring the creamy cheese sauce coats all the beef and rice.
5. Final Simmer and Serve:
- Cook the combined mixture, uncovered, for another 2-3 minutes over low heat to allow the flavors to meld together perfectly.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
- Serve the Cheesy Garlic Butter Beef and Rice hot, directly from the skillet or portioned into bowls. Enjoy this magical comfort meal!