This taco bowl with cilantro lime rice is a fiesta of flavor and is a quick and easy, hearty weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy. Bursting with seasoned ground beef, fluffy cilantro lime rice, and a vibrant medley of melty cheese, black beans, and corn, these taco bowls are definitely an easy family favorite.
If you love finding new and interesting versions of classic recipes, then these taco bowls are for you. What makes these bowls so good is that they’re more than just standard taco fillings thrown into a bowl. This recipe features a variety of classic Mexican flavors with a focus on classic taco flavor, and it’s served with rice for a complete meal in the bowl. Top it with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!
Taco Bowl
This recipe starts with a mixture of ground beef and onions that I cook to perfection with taco seasoning and water for a classic taco base. I add it to a bowl with corn, black beans, and cilantro lime rice, top with favorite taco toppings, and serve. That’s all there is to it! It’s a quick and easy meal that explodes with Mexican flavors in every bite. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners with the family or for bringing to parties, and it’s always a huge hit with everyone.
Why You’ll Love This Taco Bowl Recipe
- These taco bowls are full of flavor from the savory taco meat, along with the cilantro lime rice, the earthy richness of the black beans, the sweet corn, and the shredded cheese.
- They are a healthy alternative to fried tacos and can be customized based on your likes. Everyone can tailor their own bowl.
- They are so easy to make and to prepare, and are very satisfying. A quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe the whole family will enjoy.
Taco Bowl Ingredients
These taco bowls are full of flavor, but they’re not full of anything fancy. You can find everything you need to make them in one quick trip to your local grocery store. You’ll be in and out in no time!
For the Taco Bowls
- Ground beef or ground chicken
- Taco seasoning
- Water
- Onion
- Whole kernel corn
- Black beans or pinto beans
- Cooked white rice or brown rice
- Butter
- Fresh cilantro
- Sharp cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings
- Green onions, sliced
- Salsa
- Hot sauce
- Sour cream
How to Make Taco Bowls
Making these taco bowls is just as easy as shopping for the ingredients. I know I say that a lot, but it’s true. Hey, I’m a big fan of easy! This recipe only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps to go from individual ingredients to delicious nom noms.
Step 1: Cook the Beef and Onions
Cook the beef and onions in a large skillet or pan until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender. Then, drain the grease and return to the pan. Add taco seasoning and water and stir. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes and remove from heat.
Step 2: Heat the Vegetables
Heat the corn in a small saucepan. Heat the black beans in another small saucepan.
Step 3: Make the Rice
Add the cooked rice, butter, and cilantro to a medium pot, stirring until the butter is melted and everything is well incorporated.
Step 4: Assemble the Bowls
Add rice, taco meat, corn, black beans, shredded cheese, and any other desired toppings to your bowls and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- DO NOT overcook your ground beef. It will become rubbery and lose its flavor.
- Mix your rice gently so you don’t make it mushy.
- When assembling the bowls, place each ingredient in specific places to create a visual that’s as wonderful as the flavor.
Variations
- Try adding diced jalapenos to the taco meat for more flavor and a kick of heat.
- You can use cheddar, taco blend, or Mexican blend cheeses for this recipe. They all work!
- You can make this with ground turkey if you prefer.
- Top your bowls with any of your favorite taco toppings.
What to Serve with Taco Bowls
These delicious taco bowls are complete meals in and of themselves. They feature all the classic Mexican flavors we love. As such, these taco bowls pair well with :
- Mexican street corn
- Guacamole and chips
- Refried beans
- Quesadillas
You can also top your taco bowls with your favorite toppings like:
- Salsa
- Mango salsa
- Pico de Gallo
- Taco sauce
- Sour cream
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Avocado slices
- Guacamole
Recipe FAQ
Taco bowls are made with ground beef, cheese, corn, black beans, and cilantro rice as a base. There are a plethora of recipe variations that go from there.
You can pair these delicious taco bowls with all your favorite Mexican sides. For a great starting point try any of these options.
Mexican street corn
Guacamole and tortilla chips
Salsa and chips
Refried beans
Quesadillas
Churros
You can prep everything for the taco bowls in advance and then store the ingredients for a day or two in the refrigerator until ready to make the taco bowls. Although they reheat well, I recommend serving them fresh the first time.
Ground turkey will work well in place of ground beef in this recipe. The flavor won’t be as intense, but it will still be delicious.
Add the taco bowl ingredients to a microwaveable bowl and reheat at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
How to Store and Reheat Taco Bowl Leftovers
Refrigerate the individual taco bowl ingredients for up to 3 days in an airtight container. To reheat the bowls, place the ingredients in a microwaveable bowl and heat at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
Try This Delicious Taco Bowl Recipe Today
This taco bowl recipe is easy to make and overflowing with authentic Mexican flavors that everyone will love. From taco Tuesdays to parties and everything in between, there’s never a bad time to serve these taco bowls, especially when they’re so easy to make! Give them a try, and I know you’ll find yourself making them again and again.
More Delicious Taco Recipes You’ll Enjoy
These Tex-Mex Breakfast Tacos are made with tender, juicy, leftover slow cooker chuck roast, flurry scrambled eggs, ranch style beans, diced avocado, salsa, and cilantro, stuffed into flour tortillas. A hearty and delicious breakfast taco recipe the whole family will enjoy.
Taco Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
- ¾ cup water
- 1 onion, diced
- 15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Optional toppings:
- Sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- Green onions sliced
- Salsa
- Hot sauce
- Sour cream
Instructions
- In a large skillet or pan, brown ground beef and onions until ground beef is no longer pink and onions are tender.
- Drain grease and return to pan.
- Mix taco seasoning with water and add to meat mixture.
- Stir to combine and let cook over low-medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a small saucepan, heat corn.
- In another small saucepan, heat black beans.
- In a medium pot, add cooked rice, butter, and cilantro. Stir until butter is melted and everything is well incorporated.
- Assemble bowls by adding rice, taco meat mixture, corn, black beans, shredded cheese and any other desired toppings.
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