Steak Queso Rice (Printable)
Tender steak, creamy queso, and seasoned rice come together in this satisfying Tex-Mex dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 small onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
→ Rice
07 - 1 cup long grain white rice
08 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Cheese Sauce
09 - 1 cup prepared queso dip (store-bought or homemade)
10 - 1/4 cup whole milk (for thinning queso, as needed)
→ Spices & Oils
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15–18 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Season sliced steak with cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add steak to the hot pan and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until browned and just cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño (if using) until soft and fragrant, about 4–5 minutes.
04 - Add the cooked rice to the skillet with the sautéed vegetables. Toss to combine and heat through. Adjust seasoning if needed.
05 - In a small saucepan over low heat, gently warm the queso dip. If it's too thick, whisk in a little milk until smooth and pourable.
06 - Divide the rice-vegetable mixture among plates. Top with sliced steak. Drizzle generously with warm queso. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
# Tips from dashanddishes:
01 -
- The queso drizzle turns a simple rice bowl into something that feels downright indulgent without much effort.
- It scales easily for a crowd or shrinks down to a single hungry person situation with zero recipe math.
02 -
- Crowding the steak in the pan causes it to steam instead of sear, so cook it in two batches if your skillet is not wide enough.
- Queso thickens fast off the heat, so have everything else plated and ready before you warm it.
03 -
- A thirty minute soak in lime juice and minced garlic before seasoning transforms already good steak into something genuinely memorable.
- Warming the queso in a double boiler instead of directly over heat gives you a silky texture with zero risk of burning.