This Instant Pot Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice has been a huge hit in my home. It requires very few ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes. You can eat it as a casserole or use it to stuff tortillas and make some delicious burritos. Either way, it’s bound to be a new favorite in your home.
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An Easy Family-Friendly Meal
In trying to make super easy recipes that are fast and require basic ingredients, I came up with this cheesy ground beef and rice casserole. Rice and ground beef are cooked together in your pressure cooker and then covered in delicious melted cheese.
This recipe is very flavorful and requires no prep. It’ll be a perfect weeknight meal for those crazy nights when you just want to get dinner on the table fast. We love using the Mealthy CrispLid to melt some extra cheese on it after cooking it. This recipe makes a big batch, so you can use the leftovers for burritos to change things up.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice
To make this cheesy ground beef and rice casserole you’ll need some long grain rice, like jasmine rice, and two pounds of ground beef. I like to use 90/10 so it doesn’t have to be drained. You will need two cans of Rotel and some chicken stock. I use chicken stock because store-bought chicken stock is a lot more flavorful than store-bought beef stock. You will also need a little bit of oil. I like using avocado oil.
You’ll also need some salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and dry minced onions. You are welcome to use freshly chopped onions, but in the spirit of keeping things easy, I use dry minced onions. You would use one medium-sized yellow onion instead. Finally, you will need some shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Any other melty cheese will work as well.
Essential Items
Here are some essential prep tools, utensils, and appliances I used to make this recipe.
Featured Items
Here is a list of the products featured in this post or products similar to those featured in this post:
- Instant Pot
- bamboo spurtle set
- Wooden Utensils
- Oil Dispenser
- Stackable Measuring Cups
- 2-Cup Liquid Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoons
- Large Liquid Measuring Cup
- CrispLid
12 Must-Have Instant Pot Cookbooks
If you’re looking for a cookbook with easy and reliable Instant Pot recipes, then check out my list of approved Instant Pot Cookbooks.
How to Make Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
I have made this recipe using my Mealthy MultiPot 2.0 and my Instant Pot Duo. It came out perfectly in both of them. One is a 6qt and one is an 8qt. You will start by setting your pot to sauté and adjusting it to the more setting. Once the pot is hot, you can add your oil. Let the oil heat up and then add your ground beef. Brown your beef and break it up into small pieces.
Once the ground beef is browned, add all the spices and mix them well. Continue cooking the beef for several minutes. Cancel out of Saute and add your chicken stock. Deglaze the pot by scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Make sure to get any bits that may be stuck at the bottom. Now it’s time to add your rice. Layer the rice on top of the ground beef and gently push it down until it’s mostly covered with liquid. Don’t mix. Next, layer the cans of Rotel on top. Do not mix.
Close your pot and if you’re using the Instant Pot, set the vent to Sealing. If using the Mealthy, you just close the lid, as it is self-sealing. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. If using the MultiPot, you need to select natural release. You will allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release when the cooking time is up. After that, you can release the rest of the pressure, and when the pin drops you can open it.
Add 3 cups of the shredded cheese and mix until it’s all melted. You can stop here and eat it like this or you can use your CrispLid or the oven to melt more cheese on top. If using the CrispLid, unplug your pot, and set the CrsipLid for 2 minutes at 450 degrees. If doing it in the oven, you can bake for a couple of minutes at low-broil until the extra cheese melts. Serve and enjoy immediately. My family loves to eat it with a biscuit on the side.
I hope you love this Instant Pot Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice as much as my family does. Please let me know in the comments when you try it. Also, feel free to make suggestions about recipes that you’d like to see on this blog in the comments below.
If you’d like more recipes like this, check out my Easy Instant Pot Ground Beef Recipes or my Instant Pot Rice Recipes posts. If this Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice is the type of meal you love, then here are some more recipes that you may enjoy:
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Instant Pot Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice
SEASONED GROUND BEEF, LONG-GRAIN RICE, ROTEL, AND CHEDDAR CHEESE
Essential Equipment
Ingredients
for the Meat
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other vegetable oil
- 2 pounds ground beef 90/10
- 4 tablespoons dried minced onion may substitute 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder may substitute for 4 minced garlic cloves
for the Rice
- 2 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 2 cups long grain white rice rinsed until water runs clear
- 2 cans Rotel Original
to add After Cooking
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, may substitute with any melty cheese
optional Toppings
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded, may substitute with any melty cheese
- sour cream
- cilantro
Instructions
prepare the Ground Beef
- Set to Sauté: Set the Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’, use the ‘Adjust’ button to set the heat level to ‘More’, and allow the pot to heat up.
- Cook the Ground Beef: As soon as the digital display reads ‘Hot’, add the oil to the pot and allow it to heat up. Add the ground beef and cook it, breaking it apart into smaller and smaller pieces as it cooks. Continue until the meat is cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Season the Ground Beef: Mix the dry minced onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, and garlic powder into the meat and cook for an additional 2 minutes tossing occasionally.
- Cancel Sauté: Cancel out of the Sauté function.
add the Stock & Rice
- Add the chicken stock to the meat and, using a wooden spoon or spatula, deglaze the bottom of the liner. Layer the rice on top of the ground beef and gently push it down into the stock so that it is submerged and damp. Add the Rotel evenly over the rice, do not mix it in.
set the Cook Time
- 5-Minute Cook Time: Close the Instant Pot and set the pressure release valve to ‘Sealing’ and then set the pot to cook on ‘Manual’ / ‘Pressure Cook’, ‘High Pressure’ for 5 minutes.
- 10-Minute NPR: Once the cooking time has completed, allow for a 10 minute NPR (natural pressure release). Release any remaining pressure after the ten minute NPR has completed.
add the Cheese
- Once all the pressure has been released, open the pot and then mix in the cheese. Continue mixing until the cheese fully melts.
for a Cheesy Topping
- CrispLid Method: To make the melty cheesy topping, first turn off and unplug your pressure cooker. Next, spread 1 cup of shredded cheese evenly over the top of the casserole. Place the CrispLid on top of the pressure cooker, set it to 450° F, and cook until bubbling and melty. About 2 to 3 minutes.
- Baking Dish Method: Transfer the casserole to a baking dish. Spread 1 cup of cheese evenly over the top of the casserole. Set on the middle rack of an oven under ‘Lo Broil’ and cook until bubbling and melty, about 2 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition Facts
Notes
Deglaze the liner: If you do not deglaze the bottom of the liner after cooking the ground beef, the pot may not come to pressure which will prevent the rice from fully cooking. So, once you’ve added the chicken stock to the pot after cooking the ground beef, fully deglaze the liner by scraping off any bits stuck to the bottom.
I made this tonight in my 8 qt instant pot. It was delicious!
Hi Karla! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by the blog!
Delicious! Used long grain brown rice for this. High pressure for 12 min and 10 min npr- rice was uncooked. I brought it back up to pressure for another 10 min then, quick release and it was perfect. So I guess the brown rice does need the full 22 minutes.
HI Susan! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Definitely brown rice takes longer and should be cooked for the full time required. I appreciate you stopping by and sharing your results!
I made this for supper tonight and it was really good. I added more chicken broth than what it called for because it didn’t seem like enough liquid for the rice to cook, but the rice cooked beautifully. I could probably have added more liquid than what I did, but I’ll add more when it’s reheated. I halved the recipe and used tomatoes with lime and cilantro instead of the tomatoes with green chilies. My husband wants the tomatoes with the green chilies next time. Definitely making this again! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Kristin! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! I appreciate you stopping by and sharing your results!
What if all I have is salted chicken broth? Will that work?
Hi Erica! You can definitely use salted chicken broth. I would reduce the salt by half a teaspoon. Hope this helps!
I read the comments before trying this recipe, so I added a 1/2 tsp of Chipotle powder, made sure the rice was submerged thoroughly, and bumped the cook time to 7 minutes (6 qt. Instant Pot). It had a nice amount of heat and the rice was nicely cooked. I also added about a cup of corn before the Ro-tel. It was a hit – everyone had seconds (5 adults and we still have leftovers), so this is definitely a keeper.
Next time I make it, I think I’ll swap out 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder for garlic pepper.
Hi Joann! Thanks for trying the recipe, I’m really glad you and your family enjoyed it! After speaking to several other bloggers, we think the pot didn’t come to pressure for the people whose rice wasn’t cooked. This would’ve happened because it wasn’t deglazed. Thanks again for stopping by and commenting with your results!
Rice did not cook all the way, and I’d also add more flavor. I followed the recipe but it turned out bland
Hi! Thanks for your comment. Do you mind telling me what model and size Instant Pot you made this in? I’m trying to figure out why the rice isn’t cooking for a few of you. White rice should definitely cook fully with the 5 minute cook time plus the 10-minute natural release so I’m trying to get to the bottom of it. Thank you!
Hi, Valerie. I have a 6 Qt instant pot duo
I made this in my mini instapot. About 1/2 the amount of ingredients. Worked out fine. Had to cook it about 20 vs,the 10 in the recipe. Rice was not soft but not crunchy either. Will make again, you bet.
Hi Cindy! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Cindy! What model IP mini do you have?
Hello. Thank you for the recipe. Just wanted to let you know that it takes longer than 5 minutes to make long grain white rice. Cooked it pressurized for 5 minutes plus 10 minutes natural release and the rice is still raw. Did not turn out very well.
Hi Dina! The rice should have definitely cooked in that time. White rice (long grain) by itself takes around 3 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. It could be that your pot did not come to pressure and that’s why the rice did not cook.
I have a 6 quart insta pot viva and I used jasmine rice ,followed the recipe and the rice was perfect, I did make sure I deglazed and it didnt take much more than 5 minutes to start pressure cooking. Great Recipe, I will be making this often, thank you.
Hi Judith! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! I appreciate you stopping by!
Agree with you. Had to cook longer.
Hi Dina! Would you mind telling me what size and model IP you cooked this in?
Hello! This looks great! Can we use brown rice? And how would the recipe change? Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Jolynn! I still haven’t made this with brown rice but it does take longer to cook. I make brown rice in the IP by cooking for 22 minutes and allow for a 10 minute natural release. You may be able to get away with a bit less time. Keep me posted if you try it!
I only have parBoiled rice. Can that be used instead of white rice?
Hi Amanda! Parboiled rice is partially cooked, so the time may be slightly different. I haven’t tried it though, so I couldn’t give you an exact time adjustment. Let me know if you try it!
What about brown rice? How much stock should i use and how many mins cooking time?
Hi Kenj! I haven’t made it with brown rice but brown rice definitely takes longer to cook. I cook my brown rice for 22 minutes and a 10 minute NPR. You may be able to get away with a bit less time. Let me know if you try it!
i just made this with parboiled rice only thing i did was add extra stock 1 cup and it turned out great!! just alot of it and its only me and my husband so might try to cut it down next time
Hi Lisa! So happy you enjoyed it! I appreciate you commenting with your results!