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A Taco Bowl is a healthy, filling, dinner option that can easily be customized to suit even the pickiest eaters! It’s also a great meal prep option for delicious lunches or dinners all week long.
This recipe is a full meal of its own, but you could also serve homemade tortillas on the side if you want to give a taco/burrito option as well.
This taco bowl recipe is perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep! I love to set out all of the fillings and toppings and let everyone assemble their own bowl. Building your own bowl is way more fun and lets each person customize!
Pin this recipe for later!Table of Contents
Why We Love This Taco Bowl Recipe
- Meal Prep Friendly – Taco Rice Bowls are a great make ahead option! You can assemble the bowls and store or I love to store the ingredients separately and then assemble when ready to eat.
- Filling and Healthy – This recipe is a great way to fill up on protein and fiber!
- Easy to Make – Just cook up the taco meat and rice then assemble the bowls!
Ingredients
You can do a mix of store-bought prepared and homemade fillings and toppings!
- Rice – My favorite type of rice to use for taco bowls is cilantro lime rice. It has a fresh, slightly tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the hearty toppings. You can also use white rice, brown rice, or even Mexican rice. If you really want dinner done fast, you can even use minute rice or microwave rice packets.
- Ground Beef – For this recipe, I prefer to use a lean ground beef so it’s not too greasy. I recommend at least 85/15 or 90/10. Feel free to use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
- Taco Seasoning – Making your own taco seasoning is highly recommended and has such a great flavor. You can also control the salt level much easier. If you prefer to purchase a premixed seasoning packet, I like Old El Paso.
- Canned Corn – You can swap in frozen corn kernels as well
- Canned Beans – Feel free to use what your family enjoys. I typically go with either pinto beans or black beans. Sometimes I will make my Slow Cooker Mexican Beans to serve in them.
How To Make Taco Bowls
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
This meal is easy enough for a weeknight dinner and everyone can customize their own bowl to suit their tastes.
Cook Taco Beef – Cook the ground beef over medium-high heat in a large skillet until no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease and add taco seasoning and ⅓ cup water. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the water has evaporated. Season with fresh garlic and salt & pepper.
Warm the Beans and Corn – Using a separate pan, heat up the beans and corn for a few minutes. You can season them with a little salt and pepper, if desired.
Assemble Bowls – To assemble the bowls, add some of the cooked rice to the bottom of a shallow bowl and top with the taco meat.
Add Toppings – Add any toppings you want, like shredded cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, and avocado.
Recommended Toppings
- Avocados – Unless you have time to let them ripen in a paper bag, look for avocados that are firm but with a slight give when you give them a gentle squeeze. Slice them up to add fresh or mash them into guacamole.
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese – You can swap in another shredded cheese like a Mexican blend or Pepper Jack. Typically I recommend shredding yourself but as a taco topping, pre-shredded works just fine.
- Fresh Salsa or Pico de Gallo for a spicy kick, or just fresh tomatoes.
- Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt – Mix in some Tapatio, lime juice, or taco seasoning for an added kick.
- Additional Toppings – Fresh cilantro, shredded lettuce, lime wedges, and tortilla chips.
Meal Prep Tips
This taco rice bowl is a great meal for meal prepping lunches or dinners for the week! You can easily get 4-6 meals from this recipe.
- Divide the rice into separate containers and top with taco meat, corn, and black beans.
- Store the cold ingredients separately, in individual containers.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.
- Reheat the meat/rice in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Storage
Leftover taco meat can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I recommend storing the toppings separately so you can reheat some and keep others cold.
Helpful Tips
- Try Other Proteins – Instead of ground beef, I also love to make these with ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Make Them Vegetarian – You can also omit the taco meat and use extra beans for protein.
- Turn This Bowl Into A Salad – Add chopped or shredded romaine to turn your bowl into a salad! This is also a great option to use up the leftovers and make a completely different meal the next day.
More Taco Recipes
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- One Pot Taco Mac and Cheese
- Authentic Tacos Al Pastor
- Game Day Walking Tacos
- Burrito Bowls with Ground Turkey
Taco Bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups rice white or brown, Mexican rice, cilantro rice, etc
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 15 ounce can corn
- 15 ounce can black beans or pinto beans drained and rinsed
Optional Toppings
- 2 avocados
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 3 Roma tomatoes diced
- Toppings: Sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, fresh cilantro, shredded lettuce, lime wedges, tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain any grease from the pan and return to the heat.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and ⅓ cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until water is evaporated; 5-10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Warm the beans and corn – Use a separate skillet or pan to heat the beans and corn for a few minutes over medium heat, separately or mixed together. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
- Place 1 cup of rice into shallow serving bowls. Top with taco meat, beans, corn, and any other toppings you like. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
