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Creamy Queso Rice with Steak Strips

Creamy queso rice with steak is a Tex-Mex skillet dinner bowl with tender rice coated in silky Velveeta queso, then topped with seared steak strips. Finish with pico de gallo, cilantro, and jalapeños for a bright, spicy bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Steak
  • 1 lb sirloin steak Slice into thin strips.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 black pepper To taste.
Rice
  • 2 cup long-grain white rice Cooked.
Queso
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 8 oz processed cheese Cubed (Velveeta or similar).
  • 0.5 cup Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
Serving
  • 1 pico de gallo
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 jalapeños Sliced.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Season and sear the steak
  1. Season the steak strips with cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat, then sear the steak strips for 2–3 minutes until browned and cooked to desired doneness; set aside.
Make the queso
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Add the whole milk and bring it to a gentle simmer.
  3. Add the cubed processed cheese and Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, then stir constantly until fully melted and smooth.
Coat rice and assemble bowls
  1. Toss the cooked long-grain white rice with the queso sauce until evenly coated and creamy.
  2. Divide the queso rice into bowls and top with the seared steak strips, pico de gallo, cilantro, and jalapeños.

Notes

Pro tip: use the queso immediately after melting so it stays glossy and coats the rice. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk if needed. Freezing is not recommended since processed-cheese queso can change texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat processed cheese and 2% milk to reduce overall calories while keeping the creamy melt.