Description
Cheeseburger Fried Rice brings together two favorite comfort meals in one delicious skillet, merging classic burger flavors with traditional Asian rice technique. Crispy ground beef, melted cheese, and perfectly seasoned rice create a quick dinner that satisfies your craving for something familiar yet exciting.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
Rice:
- 4 cups cooked and cooled long-grain rice
Cheese and Dairy:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 green onions
Seasonings and Sauces:
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- ¼ cup dill pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Oils:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Garnishes:
- Sesame seeds
- Crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, vinegar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings to your preference, adding extra ingredients for desired flavor balance.
- Refrigerate sauce for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F.
- Add 1 pound ground beef to the skillet and break into small pieces using a spatula.
- Cook beef for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely browned and no pink remains.
- Drain excess grease from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat.
- Add 1 diced yellow onion and 2 minced garlic cloves to the beef, cooking for 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper over the mixture.
- Season with salt and black pepper, stirring constantly for 1 minute until spices become fragrant.
- Transfer beef mixture to a separate bowl and wipe skillet clean.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the skillet over medium-high heat at 400°F.
- Add 4 cups cooked, cooled rice to the skillet, spreading evenly.
- Cook rice for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated and slightly crispy.
- Return beef mixture to the skillet with the rice.
- Sprinkle 1 cup cheddar cheese and ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese over the mixture.
- Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts completely.
- Add ¼ cup dill pickle relish, ¼ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
- Mix thoroughly for 1 minute until all ingredients are well combined.
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon sesame oil over the rice and stir.
- Transfer cheeseburger fried rice to serving plates.
- Top generously with prepared burger sauce.
- Garnish with 2 thinly sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and crispy fried onions if desired.
- Serve immediately while hot and cheese is still melted.
Notes
- Cold, day-old rice works best for achieving that perfect crispy texture without turning mushy during cooking.
- Drain excess grease from beef thoroughly to prevent the dish from becoming greasy and maintain a clean flavor profile.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- When selecting cheese, use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-packaged to get better melting and more authentic flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Stir-Fried
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 540 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 730 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg