This one pot Spanish rice with ground beef recipe is a complete stovetop meal made in a Dutch oven. It’s hearty, high in protein, easy to portion for fat loss or muscle gain, and everything cooks together in one pot, which means better flavor and minimal cleanup. If you like simple, quick recipes, ideal for meal prep that use ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, this one checks all the boxes.
A One Pot Twist On A Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle Classic
This recipe is a one-pot evolution of a long-time favorite in the Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle community. Over the years, I made small ingredient tweaks and refined the seasoning, but the biggest change here is the method.
This version was rebuilt specifically to work as a stovetop, one-pot meal, instead of cooking components separately and combining them later. (The original required making the rice in a rice cooker). The flavor profile is the same, but the process is simpler and more efficient.
Why This Recipe Uses White Rice (Not Brown)
Because this is a stovetop one-pot recipe, white rice is the right choice.
White rice cooks fully in about 20 minutes and absorbs liquid at the same pace as the rest of the ingredients. That timing is what makes a true one-pot meal work.
Brown rice takes much longer to cook and requires more liquid. In stovetop one-pot recipes, that usually means mushy vegetables, overcooked meat, or constantly adjusting liquid and cook time
Brown rice can work when it’s cooked separately (as in my original recipe with the rice cooker), but for a one-pot method like this, white rice is simply the better choice for the job.
One Pot Method And Why A Dutch Oven Works Best
Cooking everything in one pot does more than save you from extra dishwashing. It improves flavor.
Browning the ground beef first builds a deeper base. When the rice cooks, it absorbs the seasoned broth, tomato, and beef flavor instead of sitting underneath it. Everything finishes together, evenly and consistently.
A Dutch oven works best because it heats evenly, browns meat well, and holds a steady simmer with the lid on
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, a heavy stainless-steel pot with a tight-fitting lid will work. A deep sauté pan with a lid can also work.
That said, a Dutch oven is a staple in the Burn the Fat kitchen. It’s one of the most versatile pieces of cookware you can own, and I use mine constantly.
Ingredient Choices That Keep Flavor High And Calories Reasonable
I use extra-lean ground beef (95–96%) to keep protein high and fat reasonable. Onion and green bell pepper add volume, texture, and satiety for very few calories.
Diced tomatoes give structure and color, while tomato paste deepens the flavor. Worcestershire sauce adds richness and umami without turning this into a “Mexican-style” dish.
For herbs, I like thyme. Oregano works too, but thyme blends especially well with the tomato and Worcestershire combination. Garlic powder keeps things simple, but fresh garlic works just as well if you prefer it.
Portion Size, Rice Amount, And Calorie Control
One cup of uncooked white rice cooks up to about three cups once prepared. That’s plenty for a balanced meal, but you can easily adjust it based on your goals.
If you want to keep calories lower, reduce the rice to 2/3 cup uncooked and use about 1 1/3 cups of broth. The rice-to-liquid ratio stays roughly 2:1.
If you’re highly active, training hard, or in a muscle-building phase, keeping the full cup of rice makes sense. Another option is to keep the recipe exactly as written and simply eat a larger portion.
This batch is listed as 4 servings, but lighter eaters can easily stretch it to 5. (Maybe even 6 – this is a big batch, which is why it’s great for meal prep.
Beef Vs Turkey (Both Work Well)
Ground turkey works very well in this recipe and is a solid option if you’re prioritizing the lowest possible calories.
That said, ground beef has a richer flavor and blends especially well with the tomato and Worcestershire. If you enjoy beef and it fits your calorie budget, it’s my preferred choice here.
Either way, if you want the lowest calories and highest protein, then use the leanest option you can find.
Want To Turn This Into One Pot Mexican Rice And Ground Beef?
If you prefer a more Mexican-style beef and rice dish, you can get there with a simple seasoning swap, no need to change the cooking method.
For a Mexican-style version, drop the thyme and Worcestershire sauce and replace them with chili-based spices. Good options include cumin, chili powder, paprika and oregano. Add cayenne, chipotle powder, or a diced jalapeno if you want heat.
You don’t need all of these. Even a simple combination of cumin and chili powder will shift the flavor profile immediately.
If you want a quick shortcut, you can use a taco seasoning packet instead. Just keep in mind that seasoning blends vary widely by brand and often contain a lot of salt, so start light and adjust to taste.
The rest of the recipe stays the same.
Meal Prep, Leftovers, And Reheating
This really is a great meal prep recipe. The ingredients listed above make a big pot of food. If you split it up into four servings, it’s only around 400 calories, and they’re very generous portions.
If you wanted to do some serious meal prep, you could probably scale up the portions, assuming you have a Dutch oven or other large cookware.
This recipe holds up extremely well for leftovers. It’s one of those meals that tastes just as good or better the next day. It stores well in the fridge, reheats evenly, and keeps its texture (no turning dry or mush) for at least three, and even four days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different vegetables or more vegetables?
Yes. This recipe is very flexible. I’m also a fan of scaling up vegetable servings (more onions or pepper) because that reduces calorie density while increasing the food volume. This way you feel fuller on fewer calories.
You can also add more veggies. My favorite addition to this recipe is mushrooms. They add volume and flavor for very few calories. Zucchini would definitely be a good alternate, as would carrots, and maybe peas, though you’d probably want to add them near the end.
Can I substitute ground turkey?
Absolutely. Ground turkey works well here and is a good choice if you want to shave off a few calories. Beef simply has a richer flavor, especially with the tomato and Worcestershire combination.
Can I make this without Worcestershire sauce?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. To my tastebuds, Worcestershire is like the secret ingredient – it adds a tangy, deep and savory (umami) flavor that’s hard to replace with any other single ingredient.
Can you freeze Spanish rice with beef?
I’m sure you can, but to be honest, I can’t confirm because I never tried. When I meal prep this, all the portions are usually devoured within three days after sitting in my fridge.
If you try it and freeze it, please post in the comments and let me know how long you had it frozen and how it turned out after thawing and reheating. (I’m guessing it will still be great).
Enjoy!
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Beefy Spanish Rice
A Tom Venuto classic high protein meal prep. Recipe from Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle Blog (www.BurnTheFatBlog.com)
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Spanish
Keyword: ground beef recipes, ground turkey recipes, mexican rice, spanish rice
Prep Time: 7m
Cook Time: 15m
Brown rice cooking time: 40m
Servings: 4
– rice cooker
– dutch oven
– 2/3 cup brown rice (120g)
– 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
– 20 oz 96% lean ground beef (567g)
– 5.7 oz green bell pepper (one large) (164g)
– 5.6 oz onion (160g)
– 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (411g)
– 2 Tbsp tomato paste
– 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
– 2 tsp thyme (or to taste)
– 1 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
– 1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
– 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
– 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional)
1) Start your rice in the rice cooker, allowing extra time when using brown rice
2) Chop the onions and green peppers.
3) Add olive oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook on medium high about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly
4) Add ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally (about 4-5 minutes).
5) Add can of diced tomato, tomato paste, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and garlic powder. Optional: add fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder. Stir to combine. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6) Turn heat to medium-low, add rice and stir.
7) Taste test and adjust seasonings to your liking. Add tabasco if you want some heat.
8) Let the rice-beef-vegetable mixture simmer for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally, then serve.
serving_size 1.75 calories 367 carbohydrates 36.4 protein 32.5 fat 8.9
About Tom Venuto
Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilding and fat loss expert. He is also a recipe creator specializing in fat-burning, muscle-building cooking. Tom is a former competitive bodybuilder and today works as a full-time fitness coach, writer, blogger, and author. His book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is an international bestseller, first as an ebook and now as a hardcover and audiobook. The Body Fat Solution, Tom’s book about emotional eating and long-term weight maintenance, was an Oprah Magazine and Men’s Fitness Magazine pick. Tom is also the founder of Burn The Fat Inner Circle – a fitness support community with over 59,000 members worldwide since 2006. Click here for membership details
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