“Keep it simple, Susan.” That’s the theory behind this fast and fantastic beef taco bowl recipe. Who’s Susan? We don’t know. But she needed a quick dinner, so now you benefit too.
For ease, we rely on a trusty Tex-Mex seasoning packet to flavor the taco meat. Prefer homemade taco seasoning? More power to you. The main players are cumin, oregano, and chili powder; if you have them in your pantry, mix away. A food processor does fast work of mincing the sofrito ingredients (onion, jalapeño, garlic); if you don’t have one, a blender works too—or you can take a few extra minutes to chop everything finely by hand. Beef not your vibe? Swap in ground turkey, chicken, or pork. Or make a batch of refried black beans or spiced tofu for a vegetarian version.
Similarly, you should use whatever base you like. We’re partial to plain long-grain white rice (keep it simple, Susan), but brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice work equally well. Overachiever? Cilantro-lime rice is calling your name. Or, if you forgot about the grains entirely, throw down some lettuce and call it a taco salad instead.
For garnishing, we like a straightforward pico de gallo, but these are your taco bowls, so set up a bar with cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pickled onions, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, and any other add-ins you like. The one nonnegotiable: crispy tortilla chips. Without them, this is nothing but a burrito bowl (yes, that’s the only difference).
All of the components for these taco bowls are super meal-prep-friendly: Refrigerate the salsa and spiced beef separately in airtight containers, keep a stash of your favorite toppings on hand, and assemble when ready for a swift lunch or easy dinner.
What you’ll need
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Food Processor
$70 $55 At Amazon
Medium Skillet
$70 $50 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$9 At Amazon
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Recipe information
Total Time
25 minutes
Yield
2–4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Toss 1 large tomato, chopped, ¼ medium red onion, finely chopped, ½ jalapeño, finely chopped, ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro, and 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice in a small bowl to combine; season with kosher salt. Set salsa aside.
Step 2
Pulse ½ jalapeño, coarsely chopped, 1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped, and 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, in a food processor until finely chopped.
Step 3
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Cook 1 lb. ground beef (20% fat), stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Add onion mixture and one 1-oz. packet taco seasoning mix; cook, stirring often, until beginning to stick to pan, 6–8 minutes. Pour in ½ cup water, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan. Cook, stirring often, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Divide spiced beef and cooked rice among bowls. Serve with sliced avocado, tortilla chips, shredded lettuce, lime wedges, and reserved salsa.
Recipe notes
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