Transform ground beef from unexciting to HELLO! with a bold and aromatic tomato sauce and briny pops of green olives with this Tex-Mex Ground Beef Skillet recipe.
Not sure what to do with your rice hoard? Solution: Smother it with Tex-Mex Ground Beef. It’s an easy, flavorful meal, and the leftovers are the bomb.
It also answers the question of what the hell do I do with ground beef that isn’t 1) a hamburger, 2) meatballs or 3) tacos. While those entrees are great dinner options, they tend to suck the most well-intentioned and creative cook into a ground beef rut. The one where you stare cluelessly at a package of ground beef, not wanting to repeat the uninspired rotation of recipe stand-bys you usually rely on due to A) sheer laziness, B) hanger, C) impaired brain function after a long day.
This is an easy weeknight meal that comes together quickly and utilizes a lot of pantry staples. It’s a great way to use up leftover rice. If you’re making rice, prioritize the rice first and by the time the Tex-Mex Ground Beef is ready, it’ll be done! Multi-task for the win!
This Tex-Mex Ground Beef Skillet pairs well with Instant Pot Basmati Rice and Instant Pot Spanish Rice. And if you want to add a condiment to the mix, this Cucumber Pico de Gallo adds freshness.
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How do you make Tex-Mex Ground Beef?
If you're going to transform ground beef from unexciting to HELLO! you are going to need the following ingredients. This is one unforgettably flavorful ground beef skillet recipe that you can easily adapt to suit your tastes and whatever you have on hand.
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- garlic cloves
- yellow onion
- green bell pepper
- ground beef
- diced tomatoes in a can*
- red wine vinegar
- dried oregano
- ground cumin
- cayenne pepper (optional)
- dried rice OR 3 cups leftover cooked rice**
- salt and black pepper, to taste
See recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Instructions
- Start preparing the rice first, according to the package instructions. Or, if you’re using leftover rice, see recipe card on how to get crispy rice.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Break the ground beef up into small chunks with a spoon.
- Cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently until the meat is fully browned.
- Add petite diced tomatoes with their juices, sliced green olives, oregano, cumin, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and cayenne pepper (optional).
- Continue cooking, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat for around 6 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced.
- Reduce heat to low. Add in the remaining tablespoon of red wine vinegar, add a few pinches of salt and black pepper, and stir.
- Taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Serve immediately over rice and enjoy!
Get ready to liven up your socially distant dinnertime with a steaming hot pan of Tex-Mex flavors. This Tex-Mex Ground Beef Skillet recipe was adapted from Good Housekeeping’s Quick Sauteed Cuban Beef.
Substitutions
This ground beef skillet recipe is amenable to substitutions. Here are a few you can make while still keeping the flavors in the realm of Tex-Mex.
- Replace green olives with black ones, equal amounts.
- Red, white, or yellow onion is just fine here.
- You can use poblano or jalapeno instead of green bell pepper if you'd like a spicier outcome. Or feel free to use red, yellow, or orange bell pepper instead of green.
- Even though beef is in the name of this skillet recipe, I see no reason why you can't make it with ground chicken, ground pork, or even ground turkey.
Variations
The obvious variation here is to make this ground beef skillet SPICY. Here are some suggestions to add some heat.
- Use jalapenos, thai chilis, or a bit of habanero to add fire! Add a modest amount to start as fresh peppers can be unpredictable!
- Use canned diced jalapenos or green chilis.
- Sprinkle in some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot Hungarian paprika.
- Add your favorite hot sauce to the mix.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in a lidded container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
My preferred reheating method is to reheat on the stovetop (but you can of course use your trusty microwave). Add leftovers to a frying pan over medium heat and cover. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring once or twice until heated through.
If you like this ground beef skillet recipe, you might also like:
Tex-Mex Ground Beef Skillet
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes*
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup dried rice OR 3 cups leftover cooked rice**
Instructions
- Start preparing the rice first, according to the package instructions. Or, if you’re using leftover rice, see notes on how to get crispy rice***.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Break the ground beef up into small chunks with a spoon. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is fully browned.
- Add petite diced tomatoes with their juices, sliced green olives, oregano, cumin, 2 tablespoons of the red wine vinegar, and cayenne pepper (optional).
- Continue cooking, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat for around 6 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced.
- Reduce heat to low. Add in the remaining tablespoon of red wine vinegar, add a few pinches of salt and black pepper, and stir.
- Taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately over rice and enjoy!
Notes
**I used brown Jasmine rice cooked the day before in the Instant Pot.
***My favorite way to reheat leftover rice is in a large, well-oiled pan over medium heat. I pat the rice down in an even layer, cover, and let the bottom get nice and crusty. This takes around 7-10 minutes, or until you’re happy with the crustiness achieved.
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