American
Tomato Rice Beef Bake
Ground beef, onion, and rice bake in crushed tomato and broth until the grains are tender and the liquid is mostly gone. Cheddar is scattered on for the last minutes so it melts on top instead of vanishing into the rice.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- The beef is cooked through until no pink shows before the rice and tomato go in.
- One cup of rice has a measured amount of tomato and broth, so the pan is not left to guess its liquid.
- Paprika and Worcestershire sit in the meat, which keeps the tomato from tasting flat.
- Cheddar stays on top because it is added after the rice is already tender.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375°F. Warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the diced onion until soft, about 4 minutes.
- 2
Add the garlic and ground beef with the salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook, breaking the meat apart, until no pink remains and the beef reaches 160°F, about 8 minutes. Drain extra fat.
- 3
Stir in the dry rice, crushed tomatoes, broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer for 1 minute.
- 4
Scrape everything into a 2-quart baking dish and cover tightly with a lid or foil.
- 5
Bake until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 38 to 42 minutes. If a grain in the center is still firm, add 0.25 cup water, cover, and bake 8 minutes more.
- 6
Uncover, sprinkle the cheddar over the top, and bake until the cheese melts, 8 to 10 minutes. Rest 5 minutes.
Pro tips
- Stir the rice into the hot tomato mixture so every grain is wet before it goes into the oven.
- Foil should not touch the surface, or the top rice stays sticky and pale.
- Cheese only for the last stretch keeps a distinct layer you can see when you scoop.
Easy substitutions
- Ground beef
- Ground turkey, cooked until no pink remains
- Cheddar
- Colby in the same amount
- Beef broth
- Chicken broth in the same amount
Storage and reheating
Storage
Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat covered at 350°F until hot, about 25 minutes, with a spoon of water if the rice has stiffened.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 612
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 43 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Moderate · Oven · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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