Cheesy Tomato Beef Rice
If you love saucy rice, tender beef and stretchy melted cheese, this is your kind of dinner.
This cheesy tomato beef rice skillet is warm, rich and slightly spicy, with layers of flavour from soy sauce, oyster sauce, tomato sauce and Korean chilli paste. The tomatoes cook down into a thick, savoury sauce, the thinly sliced beef stays tender, and everything gets finished with gooey melted cheese right in the pan.
The best part? You cook everything in one pan and serve it straight from the stove to the table. The rice sits in the middle soaking up all that sauce, with mozzarella melting around it and a slice of cheese on top turning soft and creamy.
It’s comforting, satisfying and honestly feels like something you’d order at a casual Korean café — but made at home.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 10 slices fatty beef rolls (about 250–300g thinly sliced beef)
- 1/3 cup diced onion
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 bowl cooked rice
- 1 slice square cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp dried parsley (for garnish)
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp Korean chilli paste (gochujang)
- 1/2 cup water
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Optional
- 1 tsp sugar (if your tomatoes are very sour)
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (if you like extra heat)
Instructions
1. Prepare the ingredients
Dice 2 medium tomatoes into small chunks. Dice 1/3 cup onion finely. Prepare 1 bowl cooked rice. Keep 10 slices fatty beef rolls ready.
Have your sauces measured and mixed together: 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp tomato sauce, 1 tbsp Korean chilli paste and 1/2 cup water. Stir well to combine before adding to the pan.
❤️ Tip: Use freshly cooked warm rice if possible. Cold fridge rice works too, but break it up before adding to the pan so it heats evenly.
2. Cook the beef
Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add 10 slices fatty beef rolls. Spread them out so they don’t overlap too much. Cook for about 2–3 minutes until just browned and cooked through.
Remove the cooked beef from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
❤️ Tip: Don’t overcook the beef. Thin slices cook very quickly — once they change colour and are no longer pink, take them out to keep them tender.
3. Sauté the onion
Using the remaining oil in the pan, add 1/3 cup diced onion. Cook over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
If the pan looks too dry, add 1 tbsp water to loosen any browned bits from the bottom — that’s extra flavour.
4. Cook the tomatoes
Add the 2 diced tomatoes into the pan with the onion.
Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and release their juices. You can press the tomatoes gently with your spatula to help them release more juice and cook down faster.
The mixture should become saucy and slightly thick.
5. Add the beef
Return the cooked beef to the pan.
Pour in the sauces: 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp tomato sauce, 1 tbsp Korean chilli paste, 1/2 cup water. Stir everything together and let it simmer for 3–5 minutes over medium heat until slightly thickened.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding salt and pepper to taste; if the tomatoes are too acidic, add one teaspoon of sugar to balance the flavors.
❤️ Tip: The sauce should be rich and slightly thick but still saucy enough to coat the rice later. If too thick, add 1–2 tbsp water.
6. Add the rice
Lower the heat to low. Put 1 bowl cooked rice into the centre of the pan. Do not mix it in. Let it sit like a little rice dome in the middle.
Keeping the rice in the centre helps it absorb flavour slowly while staying fluffy inside.
7. Add the cheese
Place 1 slice square cheese directly on top of the rice.
Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese evenly around the rice, covering the tomato beef mixture.
Cover the pan with a lid. Keep the heat low and cook for 3–5 minutes so the bottom doesn’t burn while the cheese melts gently.
8. Garnish and serve
Turn off the heat once the cheese is melted and stretchy. Sprinkle 1 tbsp dried parsley over the top for colour.
Serve immediately, mixing the rice with the saucy beef and melted cheese as you eat.
Extra Tips
1. Flavour boost
Add 1 tsp minced garlic when cooking the 1/3 cup onion for extra flavour.
2. Spice kick
Add 1/2 tsp chilli flakes with the sauce for extra heat.
3. Richer sauce
Add 1 tbsp butter at the end for a silkier finish.
4. Extra veg
Add 1/4 cup diced capsicum or mushrooms when cooking the tomatoes.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 10 slices fatty beef rolls approx. 250–300g thinly sliced beef
- 1/3 cup onion finely diced
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 1 bowl cooked rice
- 1 slice square cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp dried parsley for garnish
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp Korean chilli paste gochujang
- 1/2 cup water
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Dice 2 medium tomatoes into chunks and 1/3 cup onion finely. Prepare 1 bowl cooked rice and 10 slices fatty beef rolls. Mix 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp tomato sauce, 1 tbsp Korean chilli paste, and 1/2 cup water together.
- Cook the beef: Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat. Add 10 slices fatty beef rolls and cook for 2–3 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the onion: Add 1/3 cup diced onion to the remaining oil. Cook over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Add 1 tbsp water if the pan is too dry.
- Cook the tomatoes: Add 2 diced tomatoes. Cook for 4–5 minutes, pressing gently with a spatula until they break down into a thick, juicy sauce.
- Add the beef: Return the beef to the pan. Pour in the mixed sauce (1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp tomato sauce, 1 tbsp Korean chilli paste, 1/2 cup water). Simmer for 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or 1 tsp sugar if too acidic.
- Add the rice: Lower heat to low. Place 1 bowl cooked rice in the centre of the pan as a dome. Do not mix.
- Add the cheese: Place 1 slice square cheese on top of the rice. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella around the rice. Cover and cook for 3–5 minutes until cheese melts.
- Garnish and serve: Turn off heat. Sprinkle 1 tbsp dried parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Flavour boost – Add 1 tsp minced garlic when cooking the 1/3 cup onion for extra flavour.
- Spice kick – Add 1/2 tsp chilli flakes with the sauce for extra heat.
- Richer sauce – Add 1 tbsp butter at the end for a silkier finish.
- Extra veg – Add 1/4 cup diced capsicum or mushrooms when cooking the tomatoes.
