Texas Hash With Rice
Add Preferred SourceThis classic Texas Hash is hearty, cozy, and packed with bold Southwestern flavor. It’s the kind of one-pan dinner that fills your kitchen with amazing smells and puts a comforting, satisfying meal on the table without a lot of fuss. Easy, meaty and delish, what’s not to love?
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This is one of those old-school recipes that never goes out of style. It’s budget-friendly, great for feeding a crowd, and even better as leftovers. Whether you’re making it for a busy weeknight or a casual family dinner, Texas Hash always delivers.
I love that it cooks so easily, and it all starts with 1 pound of ground beef. You can also adjust the spice if you like it fiery! I learned this recipe when living in Austin, Texas, and really, there are just about a million variations of it. This is the one my family loves best :).
Ingredients
- Ground beef – I use 80/20 ground beef so the dish stays flavorful without turning greasy.
- Diced onion – Yellow or white onion works. Red onion is too sweet for this dish.
- Green bell pepper – Any color bell pepper works, but green is traditional for Texas hash.
- Jalapeño – Remove seeds for mild heat, or leave some in if you want more spice.
- Diced tomatoes with juice – Don’t drain the tomatoes. The liquid cooks the rice.
- Long-grain rice – Long-grain rice is essential. Short-grain or medium-grain rice turns gummy and sticky.
- Chili powder – Fresh chili powder has so much more flavor!
- Chipotle powder – Adds smoky heat. Skip it if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds depth without overpowering the dish.
- Minced garlic – Fresh garlic only. Jarlic won’t give the same clean flavor and can turn bitter.
- Salt – I use Kosher salt. Taste before adding all of it—the tomatoes already add salt.
- Black pepper – Freshly cracked black pepper has the best flavor.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – I recommend shredding your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that make it gritty and prevent smooth melting.
- Fresh cilantro – Fresh cilantro only. Dried cilantro has no flavor. If you hate cilantro, skip it or use fresh parsley.
How To Make Texas Hash with Rice
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Heat a large, heavy-duty cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break it up using a meat chopper tool, which makes quick work of getting fine, even crumbles.
Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño to the skillet and continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off any excess grease using a fat separator cup or by carefully spooning it out, keeping just enough for flavor.
Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice, uncooked rice, chili powder, chipotle powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a high-heat silicone spoonula so every grain of rice is coated.
Cover the skillet tightly with an oven-safe lid. If your skillet does not have one, seal it well with heavy-duty foil using a foil crimping tool or by folding the edges tightly. Transfer the covered skillet to a preheated 375°F oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 5 minutes. This helps the rice finish steaming and sets everything up nicely. Fluff the rice gently using a rice paddle, which keeps the grains from breaking. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top, if using, and let it melt from the residual heat. Finish with fresh cilantro and serve hot.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Long-grain rice is key for the right texture. Short-grain rice can turn gummy.
- Letting the dish rest before fluffing makes a big difference in texture.
- For extra flavor, try mixing in a spoonful of tomato paste with the tomatoes.
Make It A Meal
Serve Texas Hash with a crisp salad or an easy veg like Cracker Barrel Baby Carrots, warm cornbread, or buttered dinner rolls, and finish the meal with a simple dessert like Pecan Shortbread Cookies or Caramel Apple Sheet Cake for a comforting, homestyle dinner.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Texas Hash
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- ½ jalapeño diced
- 14.5 ounces can diced tomatoes with juice
- ½ cup long-grain rice uncooked
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese optional
- fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef with the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño in a large 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in the tomatoes, rice, chili powder, chipotle powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly combined
- Cover the skillet with an oven-safe lid or tightly with foil.
- Bake at 375°F for 35 to 45 minutes until rice is tender.
- Fluff the rice gently, then sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese if using.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Long-grain rice is key for the right texture. Short-grain rice can turn gummy.
- Letting the dish rest before fluffing makes a big difference in texture.
- For extra flavor, try mixing in a spoonful of tomato paste with the tomatoes.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
