Salsa Beef and Rice
Chili-scented beef, simmered in a savory, chunky blend of tomato sauce and salsa. You choose the salsa, you choose the flavor profile. Top with cheese, serve over rice and dinner is ready in about 20 minutes.
This is the ultimate fridge/pantry-raid meal. You need beef, rice, chili powder, cumin, tomato sauce, salsa, and cheese. It’s also completely customizable because – since you choose the salsa, you can make it mild, medium, or hot. I chose medium-heat salsa with chunks of tomatoes, bell pepper, and onions. You could also choose a salsa that contains corn, beans, and/or other ingredients and completely change the meal.
Here’s how you make this easy salsa beef and rice
- Cook rice (any kind you want).
- While the rice cooks, brown some ground beef in a pan.
- Add chili powder and cumin.
- Add tomato sauce and salsa and simmer for a few minutes.
- Spoon the beef over the rice and top with cheese.
- If you want, garnish with cilantro and green onions. Easy breezy.
This meal is healthy and gluten-free. I made this salsa beef with 93% lean ground beef, so it’s ultra-healthy. If you choose fattier ground beef, simply drain/discard the fat after you brown the meat in the pan.
And for folks dodging gluten, you will love this easy meal solution. And if you’re watching carbs, you can choose a different low-carb grain (quinoa, wild rice, bulgur), or serve the beef in lettuce leaves. Low carb tortillas would be an awesome idea too.
Can you make this salsa beef with poultry? Sure thing! But then you’d have to change the name. LOL! Which is also fine with me. Ground chicken and ground turkey would both work well here.
This salsa beef with rice is a complete meal, but you could add a veggie if you want. I served our salsa beef with steamed broccoli and dinner was complete. You could also serve a mixed green salad, or heat up some frozen veggies and call it a day. Since there are vegetables in the salsa, don’t overthink your side dishes here. You don’t really need them.
Salsa Beef and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice of choice, I chose long grain white rice
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup salsa of choice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or Mexican cheese blend, or cheese of choice
- Chopped fresh cilantro for serving, optional
- Chopped green onions for serving, optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package directions.
- Meanwhile, brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant.
- Add the tomato sauce and salsa and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Spoon the beef mixture over the rice and top with cheese, cilantro, and green onions (if using).