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The taco bowl is a fun variation on the regular taco. It is all your favorite taco ingredients in a bowl instead of a tortilla!
Why You Are Going to Love This!
- Fun. Taco Bowls are a fun and different way to enjoy a taco. Tacos were pretty much a weekly menu item when I was a kid. My mom made them with ground beef and served them in those crispy taco shells.
- Delicious. So many good flavors and textures all in one place Just mix it up and enjoy!
- Easy. They are easy to put together and It is a great way to use up leftover meat you may have on hand.
- Customizable. Everyone can create their own combination using their favorite toppings.
- Meal Prepping. Because everything can be prepped ahead, it’s the perfect make ahead meal.
What is In a Taco Bowl?
Meat. For today’s version I used ground beef cooked with taco seasoning. You could also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
Taco Seasoning. You can use store bought seasoning but it’s easy to make a homemade taco seasoning using your own using garlic powder, onion power, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika. I’ve got a recipe down below for you.
Rice. Use brown rice or white rice, whatever your preference is.
Toppings. This is where you can go crazy and add your favorite taco toppings.
How to Make a Taco Bowl
- Rice. Start with a base of brown rice. You can use white rice or even Mexican rice. Follow my directions for making perfect Instant Pot brown rice every time. We like to use the rice warm. You can also substitute quinoa for rice if you prefer or use cauliflower rice.
- Meat. For beef taco meat, brown hamburger and add in taco seasoning ingredients or a store bought taco seasoning. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Add your meat on top of the rice.
- Beans. Drain and rinse your black beans. You can also use pinto beans or refried beans.
- Corn. I usually used canned corn but you can also use corn cut fresh off the cob if it is in season. Drain the canned corn. To give the corn a bit more flavor char it in a cast iron pan for a few minutes before adding it to your bowl.
- Toppings. Add your toppings from the list below.
Taco Bowl Favorite Toppings
- Cheese. We like grated cheddar cheese but you can also use a Mexican blend, Monterey Jack or even a Pepper Jack cheese for a little kick.
- Lettuce. Romaine lettuce works well or even some iceberg. I like a lettuce with a little crunch to it. It adds nice texture to the bowl
- Salsa or Pico de gallo. You could also use some chopped tomatoes. Make a quick and easy salsa at home using this recipe.
- Guacamole. Sometimes I just add slices of avocado too.
- Cilantro. Garnish the top of everything with some freshly chopped cilantro.
- Taco sauce, hot sauce or ketchup. Drizzle this over the top. As a kid I always had to have ketchup on my tacos!
- Tortilla Chips. You can add some tortilla chips too if you like for a little extra crunch.
- Sour Cream
- Red Onion
- Tomatoes
Tips from Leigh Anne
- Taco Bowls are a great prep ahead meal. Cook your meat, cook the rice, chop and prepare all your ingredients and just keep everything in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Heat up the meat and rice and add on everything else.
- Make this even easier by buying pre made guacamole, salsa, grated cheese and chopped lettuce from the store. Ingredients will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use another protein?
Absolutely, use ground turkey, ground chicken or even:
Green Chile Chicken
Beef Barbacoa
Pork Carnitas
Sweet Pork
Shredded Chicken
Shredded Beef
Get creative!
Can I add in some more veggies or fruit into my taco bowl?
The beauty of this recipe is you can add in whatever you like. I love to add in some sautéed onions and peppers just like I do in my fajita recipe.
You can also add in some zucchini, roasted sweet potatoes, or carrots.
Some sliced strawberries or diced mango would also be delicious on this.
Can I make this taco bowl vegetarian?
It’s an easy dish to make vegetarian. Leave off the meat and just add in more beans and veggies.
Can I serve this as a salad?
You can definitely serve as a salad and leave out the rice if you prefer. Just add in more lettuce.
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Check out more of my favorite taco recipes:
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Taco Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
Taco Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Toppings
- 1 15 oz. can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can whole corn drained
- pico de gallo garnish
- avocado garnish
- cheddar cheese grated
- cilantro garnish
- brown rice approx. 1 1/2 cups per serving
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet.
- Mix together seasonings and sprinkle over meat. Stir to incorporate. Simmer for 3-5 minutes
- Add cooked rice to individual serving bowl.
- Top with ground beef mixture. Add toppings – pico, avocado, cheese, corn, black beans, and cilantro.
Tips & Notes:
- This is a great prep ahead meal. Cook your meat, cook the rice, chop and prepare all your ingredients and just keep everything in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Heat up the meat and rice and add on everything else.
- Make this even easier by buying pre made guacamole, salsa, grated cheese and chopped lettuce from the store. Ingredients will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts:
Julie says
Made this for dinner one night and the whole family loved it! I did sub pre-packaged taco seasoning in place of the spices because I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand, but it was still delicious!