Taco Skillet
Taco Skillet is an easy one pan dinner, made with simple pantry staples and is on the table in less than 30 minutes! If you’re short on time, this is what you want to make.
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My favorite type of meal to cook:
- One pan for super easy clean up and the least amount of dishes to wash
- Little to no prep- that means no chopping, no slicing, no searing; basically no work ahead of time
- Quick! Something that’s ready to eat in less than 30 minutes
- Delicious! A meal that is satisfying, will fill up the family, and is reasonably healthy
This Taco Skillet checks all of those boxes! This dish will be your new weeknight hero.
It’s a one-pan meal loaded with taco seasoned ground beef, rice, black beans, and salsa, all simmered together and topped with melty cheese. Serve it straight from the skillet with tortilla chips, wrapped in warm tortillas, or spooned into a bowl. It’s everything you love about tacos—just faster and easier, with way less cleanup! 🙌
As with traditional taco- the toppings are the best part! Pile your taco skillet with avocado, sour cream, jalapeños, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, all of your favorites.
What You’ll Need
Find the full, printable recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of this post. Read on for more details and tips!
On the recipe card below, click “print recipe” and from there you can print out the page or screenshot it to save to your phone’s photo album.
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- A Large Skillet- I love this one
- 1/2 pound ground beef– I tried this with a full pound of ground beef and I thought the beef overwhelmed the other ingredients. I found 1/2 pound is perfect. If you want to use a full pound, I suggest doubling the other ingredients.
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 can Rotel (undrained) or substitute 1 cup of salsa
- 1 cup instant rice-this gets it on the table so quickly!
- 1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)- you don’t need too much stock because there will be liquid from the beef, vegetables and Rotel
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed- Pinto beans would be great, too
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Your favorite toppings
How To Make It
Cook the beef:
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the diced onion and bell pepper until the meat is no longer pink and veggies are softened. Drain excess grease, if needed.
Add seasoning and rice:
Stir in taco seasoning and the rice and let it cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Build the skillet:
Add Rotel (with juices), chicken stock, and black beans. Stir well to combine.
Simmer:
Cover the skillet and simmer over low heat for 7 minutes, or until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
Add cheese:
Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. Cover again for 2–3 minutes until melted.
Serve it up:
Top with sour cream, cilantro, or crushed tortilla chips if you’d like.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @StephGigliotti on social media and #StephRealLife. I would absolutely love to see your finished dish! Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section.
✅Tips
- Use lean ground beef (like 90/10) to avoid excess grease, or drain off any fat after browning.
- Don’t skip the seasoning! A packet of taco seasoning or a homemade blend makes all the difference.
- Add extra veggies – bell peppers, zucchini, or diced tomatoes add nutrition and flavor.
- Spice it up with a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce if you like heat.
- Make it creamy by stirring in a few tablespoons of cream cheese or sour cream at the end.
- Top it off with shredded cheese, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, or a squeeze of lime.
❄️Freezer-Friendly Instructions
This Taco Skillet is perfect for prepping ahead! Here’s how to freeze it:
- Cool completely. Let the skillet mixture cool to room temperature before storing.
- Portion into containers. Use freezer-safe containers, like these Souper Cubes Containers for easy reheating or Ziploc bags (lay flat for easier storage).
- Label and freeze. Store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Reheat and serve. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a skillet over medium heat or microwave until hot. Add a splash of water or broth if it needs loosening.
Great for taco night, meal prep lunches, or a quick dinner straight from the freezer!
More One Pan Meals
- Stuffed Shells
- Marry Me Chicken with Orzo
- Old Fashioned American Goulash
- Chicken a la King
- Sausage and Peppers Pasta
- Chicken Tot Pie
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Taco Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
Method
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the diced onion and bell pepper until the meat is no longer pink and veggies are softened. Drain excess grease, if needed.
- Stir in taco seasoning and the rice and let it cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
- Add Rotel (with juices), chicken stock, and black beans. Stir well to combine.
- Cover the skillet and simmer over low heat for 7 minutes, or until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
- Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. Cover again for 2–3 minutes until melted.
- Serve it up: Top with sour cream, cilantro, or crushed tortilla chips if you’d like.
This was the easiest recipe and so good with tortilla chips
yay!