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Jailhouse Rice

Jailhouse rice is a one-pot ramen rice recipe with golden, seasoned rice cooked in beef broth and beefy soy-Worcestershire flavor. Ground beef, ramen noodles, and spices all simmer together until tender, then get tossed into a savory glaze for an easy budget dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
long-grain white rice
  • 2 cup long-grain white rice
ramen noodles
  • 2 pack ramen noodles Discard seasoning packets
beef broth
  • 4 cup beef broth
soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
onion powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste
green onions
  • 1 green onions for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown and toast
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large deep skillet or pot over medium-high heat, breaking it apart until no longer pink, then drain excess fat. Visual cue: the beef should look browned with bits stuck to the pan.
  2. Add the long-grain white rice to the skillet and toast for 2 minutes while stirring until slightly golden. Visual cue: grains start to look warmer in color and smell nutty.
Simmer rice
  1. Stir in the beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, then bring to a boil. Visual cue: bubbles should break across the surface after a brief simmer.
  2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Visual cue: steam should build under the cover as the liquid absorbs.
Finish with ramen
  1. Break the ramen noodles into the skillet, stir them in, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes until the rice and noodles are both tender. Visual cue: noodle strands soften and the mixture turns cohesive.
  2. Fluff with a fork, garnish with green onions, and serve. Visual cue: individual grains and noodle strands separate slightly instead of clumping.

Notes

Pro tip: toast the rice after browning the beef—those golden bits help form the savory soy-beef glaze. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat with a splash of water or broth in a skillet until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the ramen noodles can soften too much after thawing. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium beef broth and reduce the added salt to taste.