Cheesy Beef, Broccoli & Rice Skillet with Creamy Melted Cheese

Seasoned beef

• 1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80% to 85% lean
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Tomato garlic rice

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1½ cups (300 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
• 1¾ cups (420 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Broccoli

• 12 oz (340 g) broccoli florets, cut into large 2-inch (5 cm) florets

Creamy melted cheese top

• 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened, spooned on in dollops
• 1½ cups (170 g) shredded sharp cheddar, from a block

To finish

• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Brown the beefHeat the oil in a deep 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and break the meat into chunky crumbles. Cook 6 to 7 minutes until deeply browned with no pink. Move the beef to a bowl and spoon off all but 1 tbsp of the fat.Chunky, deeply browned crumbles with no pink, and brown bits stuck to the pan.⏱ 7 min timer, brown beef
2. Toast the garlic and tomato pasteReduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and tomato paste to the same skillet and stir 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits, until the paste turns a deeper brick red and smells sweet.A dark orange-red paste with the browned bits dissolved into it.
3. Simmer the riceStir in the rice for 30 seconds, then add the diced tomatoes with their juice, the broth, Italian seasoning and salt. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.Tender rice in an orange tomato sauce, with most of the liquid absorbed.⏱ 15 min timer, covered
4. Add the beef and steam the broccoliHeat the oven broiler to high with a rack 6 inches (15 cm) below it. Stir the beef into the rice, then nestle the broccoli florets on top and press them in slightly. Cover and cook on low 5 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender.Vivid green florets that pierce easily but still hold their shape, with beef visible through the rice.⏱ 5 min timer, steam broccoli
5. Add the cheese and broilSpoon the cream cheese on top in 8 dollops, spacing them around the broccoli, and scatter the cheddar over everything. Broil 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the cream cheese softens into glossy pools and the cheddar melts into orange streaks.Glossy white pools of melted cream cheese streaked with orange cheddar, and broccoli with a few lightly browned edges.⏱ 3 min timer, broil
6. Rest, garnish and serveLet the skillet stand 3 minutes so the cheese settles, then sprinkle with the parsley. Spoon from the bottom so each serving gets rice, beef, broccoli and a pool of cheese.Parsley sprinkled over the cheese, and the rice underneath creamy, not soupy.

• Rinse the rice. Removing surface starch keeps the grains separate instead of gluey under the cheese.
• Keep the lid on while the rice cooks. Lifting it lets out steam and gives you uneven grains.
• Brown the beef in chunky crumbles, not tiny bits. Let it sit for a minute between stirs, so it browns instead of steaming. The chunks show in the finished dish like the photo.
• Use large florets and add them on top, not stirred in. They steam above the rice and stay bright green instead of turning olive and mushy.
• Soften the cream cheese for 20 minutes at room temperature, so it spoons into neat dollops and melts into glossy pools.
• Shred cheddar from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch and can melt unevenly.
• Watch the broiler. Two to three minutes softens the cream cheese and melts the cheddar. Longer browns it heavily and dries the broccoli.
• Oven-safe skillet: if your lid or handle is not broiler-safe, cover the cheese on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes instead. It melts, but with less browning.
• Fix the thickness: if the rice is dry, stir in 2 to 3 tbsp broth before adding the cheese.
• Scaling: The servings buttons change the ingredient list. Step text keeps the original 6-serving amounts. For 12 servings, use a Dutch oven for the rice and bake the broccoli and cheese on a sheet pan.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving. Contains dairy.

Easy swaps

Ground turkey or chicken: use 1½ lb (680 g) with an extra 1 tbsp oil. Cook to 165°F (74°C).

Frozen broccoli: use 12 oz (340 g) of frozen florets, added straight from the freezer, and steam 6 to 7 minutes.

Cheese: use shredded mozzarella in place of the cream cheese for a stretchier top, though it won’t pool into smooth dollops.

Cheesier: use a cheddar and Monterey Jack blend.

Spicy: add ¼ tsp cayenne to the beef, or use pepper jack.

Add onion: cook ½ cup (75 g) of diced onion with the beef. It isn’t visible in the photo.

Dairy-free: use dairy-free cream cheese and shreds.

Make ahead: brown the beef and cut the broccoli up to a day ahead. Cook the rice fresh for the best texture.

Storage and reheating

Fridge: cool within 2 hours, then store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat: add a splash of broth, cover and microwave in 1-minute bursts, or warm in a skillet over low heat, until it reaches 165°F (74°C).

Freezer: freeze for up to 2 months. The broccoli will soften after thawing.