If you love everything about a classic bacon cheeseburger but don’t feel like firing up the grill or juggling buns, this bacon cheeseburger rice is about to become your new favorite dinner. It takes every element you’d pile onto a loaded burger — juicy ground beef, crispy bacon, melty cheddar, diced tomato, tangy pickles — and folds them into a comforting bowl of rice instead.
I started making this dish on nights when I wanted burger flavor without the mess of a grill or the extra trip to buy buns, and it quickly became one of those “add it to the regular rotation” meals. Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup, and the ingredient list reads like the toppings bar at your favorite burger joint.
What really makes this recipe sing is the beef broth simmered right into the rice — it infuses every grain with savory flavor instead of leaving you with plain white rice sitting under all the toppings. Then the bacon, cheese, tomatoes, and pickles get layered in at the end so every bite tastes like a deconstructed cheeseburger.
This is the kind of dinner that satisfies the pickiest eaters in the house while still feeling a little bit indulgent, and it comes together with ingredients you probably already have sitting in the fridge and pantry.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All the flavor of a bacon cheeseburger without needing buns, a grill, or a pile of dishes.
- One-pot cooking means minimal cleanup and an easy weeknight dinner.
- Ready in about 35 minutes, most of which is hands-off simmering time.
- Kid-friendly and crowd-pleasing — it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love cheeseburger flavors.
- Easy to customize with different cheeses, toppings, or a lighter protein swap.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef works best here since you want enough fat to keep things flavorful without ending up with a greasy pot. If you only have a fattier ground beef on hand, just drain off the excess grease after browning it before moving on to the next step. Long-grain white rice is the best choice for texture, since it cooks up light and fluffy rather than sticky — jasmine or basmati rice both work well as substitutes if that’s what you have.
For the bacon, cooking it separately until crisp and adding it at the end keeps it from turning soggy as the rice simmers. If you’re short on time, a good-quality pre-cooked bacon crisped up in a skillet for a couple of minutes is a fine shortcut. Beef broth is what really sets this apart from a plain ground beef and rice skillet, since it infuses the grains with savory flavor as they cook — low-sodium broth is a good idea if you’re also adding a lot of salty toppings like bacon and pickles.
Diced dill pickles might feel like an unusual addition if you’ve never tried a “cheeseburger” style rice dish before, but they bring exactly the tangy, briny bite you’d get from biting into a loaded burger. If pickles aren’t your thing, you can leave them out or serve them on the side so everyone can customize their own bowl. Sharp cheddar cheese melts beautifully into the warm rice and gives that classic cheeseburger flavor, though a Colby-Jack blend works nicely too if you want something a little milder.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the bacon until crispy. Fry in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, then transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside, leaving a small amount of the drippings in the pan. Tip: Save a tablespoon of the bacon drippings to brown the beef in — it adds an extra layer of flavor you won’t want to skip.
- Brown the ground beef and onion. Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened, then add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Tip: Drain excess grease after browning if using a fattier ground beef, or the rice can end up greasy once everything is combined.
- Add the rice and beef broth. Stir the uncooked rice into the pot with the beef and onion, then pour in the beef broth and stir to combine. Tip: Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot here — that’s where a lot of the flavor is hiding.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it simmer on low heat for 18–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Tip: Resist the urge to lift the lid and stir during simmering — this lets steam escape and can leave you with unevenly cooked rice.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes. Once the rice is fully cooked, fold in the diced tomatoes so they warm through without turning mushy.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cover the pot again for 2–3 minutes off the heat, just until the cheese melts into the rice. Tip: Turn off the heat before adding the cheese — direct heat can cause it to separate or turn greasy instead of melting smoothly.
- Top with bacon and diced pickles before serving. Scatter the crispy bacon and pickles over the top right before bringing the pot to the table. Tip: Add the pickles at the very last second — they lose their crunch quickly once mixed into the warm rice.
Nutrition Snapshot (Per Serving, Estimated)
- Calories: ~480
- Protein: ~29g
- Carbohydrates: ~38g
- Fat: ~23g
This is an approximate estimate based on standard ingredients and will vary depending on brands used, portion size, and how much cheese and bacon you add.
Storage & Reheating
Leftover bacon cheeseburger rice keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, or warm larger portions in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the rice back up.
This dish also freezes reasonably well for up to 2 months, though the texture of the rice will soften slightly upon thawing. For best results, freeze it without the pickles and add them fresh after reheating, since pickles don’t hold up well to freezing and thawing.
Budget Note
This recipe costs approximately $2.00–$2.75 per serving, making it a great option for feeding a family without straining the budget. To keep costs down further, buy ground beef in bulk when it’s on sale and freeze it in meal-sized portions, and use a store-brand shredded cheese instead of a name-brand bag. Bacon ends and pieces, often sold at a discount compared to regular sliced bacon, work just as well once chopped and cooked.
Variations to Try
Healthy, Lighter Version: Use lean ground turkey instead of ground beef and swap in a reduced-fat cheddar cheese. You can also use turkey bacon in place of regular bacon to cut down on saturated fat while keeping that smoky flavor.
Keto / Low-Carb: Replace the rice with riced cauliflower, adding it toward the end of cooking since it needs much less time to soften than regular rice. The beef broth, cheese, bacon, and toppings all stay the same, so the flavor profile barely changes.
Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Method: Brown the beef and onion using the sauté function, then add the rice and broth, seal the lid, and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes with a quick release. Stir in the tomatoes and cheese after opening the lid, then top with bacon and pickles as usual.
Meal-Prep Friendly: Portion the finished rice into individual containers without the pickles, storing them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add fresh pickles and a quick reheat right before eating to keep everything tasting freshly made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, this dish reheats well, making it a great meal-prep option. Just hold off on adding the pickles until you’re ready to eat so they stay crisp and don’t get lost in the reheated rice.
What can I use instead of beef broth? Chicken broth or vegetable broth both work in a pinch, though beef broth gives the most authentic cheeseburger flavor. In a real pinch, water with a beef bouillon cube dissolved in it is a reasonable substitute.
Can I use brown rice instead of white rice? Yes, but you’ll need to increase the broth slightly and extend the simmering time to about 40–45 minutes, since brown rice takes longer to cook through. Check the package instructions for the exact broth-to-rice ratio.
Is this recipe very spicy? Not at all — as written, it’s a mild, kid-friendly dish. If you’d like some heat, stir in a diced jalapeño with the onion or top individual servings with hot sauce.
Can I add other burger toppings? Absolutely — chopped lettuce, diced red onion, or a drizzle of ketchup and mustard are all great additions if you want to lean even further into the cheeseburger theme. Just add fresh toppings after cooking rather than during the simmer.
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- One-Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
- Loaded Cheeseburger Casserole
- Philly Cheesesteak Rice Skillet