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Steak & Queso Rice

Steak & queso rice is a one-skillet dinner where tender sliced steak sits over creamy queso-covered long-grain rice. Sear the steak, toast the rice in the same pan, and simmer until fluffy, then melt in queso for rich, spoonable sauce with charred-edged flavor.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
rest time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 940
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the steak
  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the seasoned steak for 4-5 minutes per side until medium-rare, then remove it to a plate.
  2. Rest the steak for 5 minutes, then slice it thinly so it fans easily over the rice.
Cook the rice in the same skillet
  1. In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until softened and lightly sizzling.
  2. Add the minced garlic and long-grain white rice, then toast for 2 minutes, stirring, until the rice looks slightly glossy and fragrant.
  3. Pour in the beef broth and bring everything to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Melt queso and finish
  1. Stir in the diced red bell pepper and corn, then cook for another 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the white queso dip until melted into a creamy sauce.
  3. Top the queso rice with the sliced steak and garnish with fresh cilantro, then serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For the most tender steak slices, use flank or skirt and slice across the grain after the 5-minute rest. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; rewarm gently with a splash of broth or water to loosen the queso. Freezing isn’t recommended because the queso texture can become grainy. For a lighter option, swap the white queso dip for a reduced-fat queso-style dip and keep the simmer gentle.