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Five-Ingredient Salsa Beef and Rice Bake
Melissa Hart

Five-Ingredient Salsa Beef and Rice Bake

This is the casserole for a night when chopping an onion feels ambitious. Use a thick, chunky salsa so the rice gets seasoned without turning soupy, and don't peek while it bakes or the trapped steam escapes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 85% lean ground beef
  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 1 1/2 cups chunky tomato salsa
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until it reaches 160°F, then drain the excess fat.
  3. Stir the rice, salsa, broth, salt, pepper and browned beef together in the baking dish until the rice is evenly distributed.
  4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes without lifting the foil.
  5. Remove the foil, stir once from the edges toward the center and scatter the cheddar over the top.
  6. Bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and the cheese is bubbling, then rest for 5 minutes before serving.