A hearty, cheesy one-skillet meal of seasoned meat, tender rice, black beans and corn with melted cheddar; brightened with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Weeknight One-Skillet: Cheesy Taco Rice That Pulls Dinner Together
Browned turkey, tender rice, black beans and corn meld under melted cheddar for a fast, filling skillet dinner finished with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Some weeknights you want something cozy and complete without a sink full of dishes — enter this one-skillet taco rice. You start a pot of long-grain rice and, while it simmers, build the rest of the meal in a single 12-inch skillet: browned ground turkey seasoned with taco spice, softened onion and garlic, canned tomatoes, black beans and frozen corn. It’s the kind of recipe that takes pantry staples and turns them into comfort in about 35 minutes.
The little sequencing tricks make all the difference: cook the rice first so it’s fluffy and separate, then brown the meat and let the onion soften in the same pan so every bite has savory depth. Drain and rinse the beans and tomatoes so the skillet doesn’t get watery, fold in the cooked rice, then blanket everything with shredded cheddar until it’s gooey and inviting.
Flavor and texture are where this dish sings — the warmth and smokiness from the taco seasoning, the pop and sweetness of corn, the creamy chew of beans and the glue-like richness of melted cheese. A handful of chopped cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime at the end lift the whole skillet, cutting through the richness with bright, citrusy notes.
It’s easy to customize and easy to stash: swap ground turkey for beef or chicken, use leftover rice to shave off time, and refrigerate leftovers for quick lunches. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the rice, and add fresh cilantro and lime just before serving to keep the flavors lively.
Ingredients
How to Make Weeknight Cheesy Taco Rice Skillet
- Start the rice: bring 2 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small pot, add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes until water is absorbed; fluff with a fork and set aside.
- While the rice cooks, drain and rinse the black beans and drain the diced tomatoes; finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high; add the ground turkey, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes.
- Push the meat to one side, add the chopped onion to the empty side of the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes until softened, then stir in the garlic and taco seasoning and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, corn and black beans; reduce heat to medium and cook 2–3 minutes until everything is heated through and any excess liquid from the tomatoes has mostly evaporated.
- Add the cooked rice to the skillet and mix thoroughly with the turkey and vegetables until evenly combined; press the mixture into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly over the rice mixture, cover the skillet with a lid, and let sit 2–3 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Remove the lid, gently fold the melted cheese through the rice, adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper if needed, then stir in chopped cilantro and squeeze the lime over the top before serving.
Recipe Card
Weeknight Cheesy Taco Rice Skillet
A hearty, cheesy one-skillet meal of seasoned meat, tender rice, black beans and corn with melted cheddar; brightened with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start the rice: bring 2 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small pot, add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes until water is absorbed; fluff with a fork and set aside.
- While the rice cooks, drain and rinse the black beans and drain the diced tomatoes; finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high; add the ground turkey, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes.
- Push the meat to one side, add the chopped onion to the empty side of the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes until softened, then stir in the garlic and taco seasoning and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, corn and black beans; reduce heat to medium and cook 2–3 minutes until everything is heated through and any excess liquid from the tomatoes has mostly evaporated.
- Add the cooked rice to the skillet and mix thoroughly with the turkey and vegetables until evenly combined; press the mixture into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly over the rice mixture, cover the skillet with a lid, and let sit 2–3 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Remove the lid, gently fold the melted cheese through the rice, adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper if needed, then stir in chopped cilantro and squeeze the lime over the top before serving.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 61
- Saturated Fat
- 6.5
- Sodium
- 1000
- Fiber
- 8
- Unsaturated Fat
- 11.2
- Protein
- 38
- Fat
- 18
- Cholesterol
- 110
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 610
- Sugar
- 5