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TikTok Viral Swim Queso Beef and Rice

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A close-up of a skillet filled with rice and meat, topped with creamy white sauce and drizzled with hot sauce. A large spatula lifts a serving from the skillet. A kitchen counter is visible in the background.

You guys already know how much I love my TikTok Viral Queso Swim Chicken and Rice, so naturally I started thinking… okay, what else can we make SWIM?

Same ridiculously easy theory, completely different dinner. And this time, we’re taking the whole thing to the STOVETOP.

This is a true throw-and-go meal. We’re browning seasoned ground beef, tossing in Mexican rice, salsa and chicken stock, covering it up and letting the stove do basically all the work. Then, because apparently beef and rice wasn’t already good enough, we melt cheese over the top and absolutely drown the whole thing in warm queso.

And let me tell you—it is freaking DELICIOUS. And yes, I passed out!

Melissa Jo

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It’s cheesy, beefy, saucy, a little spicy if you want it to be, and the rice soaks up all that taco-seasoned goodness while it cooks. I like to throw a little sriracha over the queso and eat it straight out of a bowl with tortilla chips.

Basically, it’s giving burrito bowl. It’s giving queso dip. It’s giving I am absolutely not going to Chipotle tonight because this is better!

And the best part? One pan and about 30 minutes.

Dinner. DONE!!!

A hand holds a package of organic grass-fed ground beef above a portion of raw ground beef on a counter, with a white tiled wall in the background.
Add the ground beef to a large high-sided skillet over medium heat and begin breaking it apart!
A hand holds a packet of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix above a pan of cooked ground beef on a stove, ready to add flavor.
Sprinkle taco seasoning over the beef once it has started browning but still has a little pink remaining!
Two measuring cups with broth and water sit behind two Knorr Rice Sides Mexican Rice packets on a wooden kitchen counter, with white cabinets and drawers in the background.
A hand pours uncooked rice from a box into a skillet with browned ground meat and seasonings, mixing the ingredients together while cooking on a stovetop.
Continue cooking the seasoned ground beef until completely browned and cooked through and add both packets of dry Knorr Mexican Rice directly to the seasoned beef.
A blue frying pan on a stove with browned ground meat and uncooked rice. A hand pours liquid from a measuring cup above the pan. White subway tile backsplash is visible.
Stir the rice into the ground beef and let it toast for about 1 minute and pour the chicken stock and salsa into the skillet and stir everything together!
Beef and shredded potatoes cooking in a pan as two measuring cups pour broth over the mixture on a stovetop.
A jar of Herdez Salsa Casera Mild sits on a wooden countertop in a kitchen, displaying the label in both English and Spanish.
Chopped tomatoes are being poured into a skillet containing cooked rice, ground meat, and broth, creating a hearty mixture on a stovetop.
A large skillet filled with cheesy ground beef and rice casserole sits on a kitchen counter, melted cheese covering the top.
add your fresh shredded cheese right on top to get all bubbly and melty!!
A creamy sauce is being poured over a skillet filled with rice, ground meat, cheese, and vegetables. The mixture is partially melted and still cooking in the pan.
Pour over your Queso on top and make that baby SWIM!!
A hand with dark nails holds a chip dipped in cheesy rice, ground meat, and tomato salsa from a skillet full of the same mixture.
A woman in a brown polka dot dress stands in a kitchen, smiling and holding a pot lid. In front of her, theres a large baked pasta dish on the table.
MAKE IT!!

Melissa Jo’s Tips!

  • Use low-sodium chicken stock. The taco seasoning, Mexican rice, cheese and queso already bring plenty of salt and seasoning, so low-sodium stock helps keep everything balanced.
  • Make sure your pan has a good lid. We need to trap that steam so the rice cooks properly. If your lid doesn’t fit tightly, put a piece of aluminum foil over the skillet first and then place the lid on top.
  • Don’t keep lifting the lid. Let the rice cook! Every time you lift the lid, you’re letting that steam escape.
  • Using fattier ground beef is completely fine. Just cook it as directed and mop up the excess grease with a paper towel before adding your Mexican rice.
  • Freshly shredded cheese melts best. I used mozzarella and Colby Jack, but use what you’ve got.
  • Don’t overthink the cheese. Monterey Jack, cheddar, Mexican blend or Pepper Jack would all be delicious.
  • Choose a salsa you actually like. Mild, medium, hot, chunky, restaurant-style—this recipe is going to take on the flavor of whatever salsa you use.
  • Do NOT skip the queso. This is what officially takes us into SWIM territory.
  • Add sriracha if you like heat. It’s completely optional, but that little spicy drizzle over the creamy queso is freaking delicious

🤔 Common Questions

How Spicy Is Swim Beef and Rice?

That is totally up to you! For a milder version, use mild taco seasoning, mild salsa and skip the sriracha. For a little more heat, use medium or hot salsa and add the sriracha drizzle at the end. And if you really want to turn things up, Pepper Jack cheese would be amazing in here too.

What Kind of Queso Should I Use?

Use your favorite! A good white queso is delicious here, but a classic yellow queso works too. The most important thing is to warm the queso separately before drizzling it over the finished rice. You want that queso hot, creamy and ready to SWIM.

Can I use a different ground beef?

Absolutely. I use 90/10 because it gives you enough fat to brown the meat without leaving tons of grease behind. If you’re using 80/20 or another fattier ground beef, simply mop up the excess grease after the beef is cooked and before adding the rice.

Can I use a different cheese?

Yes! I used mozzarella and Colby Jack, but Monterey Jack, cheddar, Pepper Jack or a Mexican-style cheese blend would all work beautifully.
Use whatever melts well and whatever is already sitting in your refrigerator.

Can I use beef stock instead of chicken stock?

You can. Beef stock will give you a slightly richer, beefier flavor.
I prefer chicken stock here because it lets the Mexican rice, salsa and taco seasoning shine without making the finished dish too heavy.

Melissa Jo

TikTok Viral Swim Queso Beef and Rice

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This ridiculously easy one-pan dinner combines taco-seasoned ground beef, Mexican rice, salsa and chicken stock, then finishes everything with melted cheese and warm queso. It's cheesy, beefy, perfect for scooping with tortilla chips and ready in about 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: dinner, dip, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 267

Ingredients
  

Method
 

Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef
  1. Grab a large, high-sided skillet or sauté pan with a fitted lid and place it over medium heat.
  2. Add 1 pound of 90/10 ground beef directly to the pan. You do not need to add oil here. The beef has enough fat to brown beautifully all by itself.
  3. Using a wooden spoon or meat chopper, begin breaking up the beef as it cooks.
  4. Once the beef has started browning but you can still see a little pink, sprinkle the entire packet of taco seasoning right over the meat.
  5. Keep cooking and breaking everything apart so that taco seasoning can toast right along with the beef.
  6. Continue cooking until the ground beef is browned and cooked through.
  7. Once the beef is cooked through, carefully use a paper towel to mop up the excess grease before you add the rice.
  8. You don’t need to remove every single drop because fat equals flavor, my friends. We just don’t want our rice swimming in grease when it’s supposed to be swimming in QUESO.
Step 2: Add the Mexican Rice
  1. Add both packets of Knorr Mexican Rice directly into the skillet with the seasoned beef.
  2. Stir the dry rice into the meat and let everything cook together for about 1 minute.
  3. I like giving the rice that quick little toast in the pan before adding the liquid. It gets coated in all that taco-seasoned goodness before we move on.
Step 3: Add the Stock and Salsa
  1. Pour in:
    3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
    1 1/2 cups salsa
    Give everything a really good stir, making sure the rice is evenly distributed throughout the pan.
    Keep the heat around medium and bring everything up to a boil.
Step 4: Cover and Cook the Rice
  1. As soon as the mixture reaches a boil, cover the skillet tightly with the fitted lid.
    Immediately reduce the heat to LOW.
    Let everything cook covered for about 18 minutes.
    And don't keep taking the lid off!
    That trapped steam is what cooks the rice, so we want to leave that baby alone and let it do its thing.
Step 5: Add the Cheese
  1. After about 18 minutes, remove the lid and sprinkle:
    1/4 cup freshly shredded mozzarella
    1/4 cup freshly shredded Colby Jack
    right over the top!
    You can absolutely use only one cheese if that's what you have. This is not the recipe where we're going to make our lives complicated.
    Put the lid back on and continue cooking on LOW for up to another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the rice is perfectly tender.
Step 6: Make It SWIM
  1. While that cheese is melting, warm up your favorite queso.
    Once the rice is tender, remove the lid and drizzle that warm queso ALLLLLL over the top.
    And I mean generously!!! We're not calling this Swim Beef and Rice and then putting two sad little teaspoons of queso on top!
    If you like a little heat, drizzle some sriracha over the queso too.
    That part is optional, but OH MY GOSH is it good!
Step 7: Serve It Up
  1. Scoop your cheesy beef and rice into bowls and serve it while everything is hot and melty.
    You can absolutely eat it with a fork, but personally?
    Give me the tortilla chips!!!
    Scoop up that beef, rice and queso and make sure you get a little bit of everything in every bite.
    MAKE IT!!

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Nutrition

Serving: 6peopleCalories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 19gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 588mgPotassium: 484mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 414IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 2mg

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👝 How to Store Leftovers

Let your leftover Swim Beef and Rice cool before transferring it into an airtight container.

Store it in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.

If possible, store any extra queso separately so you can warm it up and drizzle it fresh over the leftovers.

Reheating

Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot.

The rice can absorb more liquid while it sits in the refrigerator, so if your leftovers seem a little dry, add a small splash of chicken stock before reheating.

Then warm up some extra queso and drizzle it over the top.

Because if we’re eating leftovers, we’re still making them SWIM.


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Recipe Creator & Cookbook Author

I'm Melissa Jo — the recipe creator, Amazon Live host, and everyday food lover behind Melissa Jo Real Recipes. I learned to cook the old-fashioned way, watching my Italian grandmother and my mama work their magic in the kitchen, and now I share easy, saucy, no-fuss meals for real life alongside the authentic Italian family recipes I grew up on. Grab a stick of butter and let's make something delicious together.

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