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Steak & Queso Rice

Steak & queso rice is a one-skillet dinner with tender sliced steak fanned over creamy queso-covered long-grain rice. You’ll get charred steak edges, saucy queso pooling over rice, and lime-bright finishing touches.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
rest 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 840
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 lb steak flank or skirt, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 onion medium, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2.5 cup beef broth
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup corn
  • 2 cup white queso dip
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear and rest the steak
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned steak for 4-5 minutes per side until medium-rare, then transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes.
  2. Slice the rested steak thinly. Arrange the steak slices so they’re ready to top the rice.
Cook the rice
  1. In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and long-grain white rice, then toast for 2 minutes while stirring.
  2. Pour in the beef broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes.
Finish with vegetables and queso
  1. Stir in the diced red bell pepper and corn, then cook for another 2-3 minutes until tender. Keep the skillet covered only if the liquid starts to reduce too quickly.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the white queso dip until melted. Top with sliced steak, garnish with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For the best texture, let the steak rest so the juices stay in the slices before topping the rice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen the queso. Freezing is not recommended because the rice and queso can separate when thawed. Dietary swap: use chicken broth and a reduced-fat queso dip to lower saturated fat while keeping the creamy finish.