Zucchini Beef Skillet

Name: Zucchini Beef Skillet
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 small green pepper, chopped; 2 teaspoons chili powder; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 3 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch cubes; 2 large tomatoes, chopped; 1/4 cup water; 1 cup uncooked instant rice; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

This is a speedy summer recipe that uses up those abundant garden goodies: zucchini, tomatoes and green peppers. —Becky Calder, Kingston, Missouri

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup water
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

In a large skillet, cook and crumble beef with onion and pepper over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain.
Stir in seasonings, vegetables, water and rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until rice is tender, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat; let stand until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Facts

2 cups: 470 calories, 24g fat (11g saturated fat), 98mg cholesterol, 749mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 4g fiber), 32g protein.

Originally published as Zucchini Beef Skillet in Simple & Delicious June/July 2017

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Linda

May 30, 2019

Your instructions need revision. I cooked ground beef, drained and removed from skillet. Had I left in, it would have been overcooked and dry. I cooked onions separately and then added other ingredients. Zucchini, no matter how thin it’s sliced needs time to cook. I added ground beef after zucchini was al dente butnext time I would add Instant rice later. I will make again but change the instructions and add more spice.
Kristin

Dec 2, 2018

i enjoyed this. I made it largely as is, but subbed for what I had on hand. I used ground turkey for beef (I usually do), frozen beggies fo one of the zucchini, and canned diecd tomatoes w/green chili for the fresh tomatoes. i omitted the water since I used the juice from the can. I also tried a little cajun seasoning but I was worried about the saltiness, so I also added curry powder and that was great. I put the cheese on top as directed and that tasted better than I thought. I usually don't use cheese in savory dishes, but it turned out quick
Carroll

May 23, 2018

Since Instant Pot and similar devices are so prevalent please add or modify changes needed of the iPot.
30yearcook

May 23, 2018

Super quick and easy. Family liked it. I did add the Cajun seasoning as suggested by other commenters. I also had to add more water.
abbasgael

Sep 1, 2017

A little on the bland side. I had to dump a bunch of salsa in it, and then it was pretty good.
VictoriaElaine

Aug 10, 2017

This was delicious and only took about 30 minutes to throw together. The only change I made was to add a teaspoon of creole season for a little more flavor.
AllisonO

Jul 5, 2017

A fantastic way to use up summer produce! You definitely get your veggies with this scrumptious meal. It reminded my husband of a simple meal his mom used to make in the summers to stretch whatever meat they had on hand. It prompted a nice walk down memory lane, so kudos for that alone!The only changes I made to the original recipe were to cook the rice separately as I didn't have instant rice in my pantry (definitely led to the zucchini and beef mixture being much more watery than if I'd used the instant rice in the same pot--if I do this again, I'll cut the water in half or eliminate it altogether), and using a yellow summer squash in place of one of the zucchini called for since I only had two of those. We also added Cajun-Creole seasoning to the final dish for some extra flavor (the basic recipe turns out slightly on the bland side without a little something extra) and eliminated the cheese due to dietary restrictions. When I make this again, I might swap bulk Italian sausage for the ground beef.