This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
It doesn’t get more satisfying or more customizable than this homemade taco bowl recipe. Stuffed with juicy taco-seasoned ground beef, fluffy rice, beans, and all your favorite fixings.
If you love healthy ground beef recipes, try our chopped cheese, Salisbury steak, no bean chili, and healthy meatloaf.
Whoever thought of deconstructing our favorite foods and calling them a “bowl” deserves a medal. Seriously, between Mediterranean bowls, salmon bowls, and taco rice bowls, I don’t see myself migrating from this trend of “bowl recipes” anytime soon.
Using my simple yet delicious taco meat, I’ve turned standard tacos into an even more effortless dish. Since it’s been such a hit with my family, I just knew I had to share the recipe!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Fun to customize. Like old fashioned tacos, you can switch up just about everything to make this recipe uniquely yours.
- Everyone loves it. My family raves about these burrito bowls, and they can be pretty harsh critics, so they must be good!
- Perfect for meal prepping. If I can make a great dinner that also works as lunch for the rest of the week, I’m all for it. Like Greek chicken bowls and shrimp bowls, these taste great cold, but they also reheat easily.
- Ready in minutes. The most arduous task is cooking the ground beef, and even that takes less than 15 minutes.
Ingredients needed
The ingredient list for these bowls may look lengthy, but most of the ingredients are seasonings for the beef and various toppings, so it’s not terribly complicated. Here’s what you’ll need for my taco meat recipe:
- Ground beef. I used lean ground beef since it has just enough fat to add flavor without being too greasy. If you use extra lean ground beef, plan on adding a little water or chicken broth to keep it moist.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Garlic and onions. Essential aromatics.
- Spices. I used smoked paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder, but you can use any taco seasoning or make my homemade taco seasoning blend (it’s low carb!).
For the bowls:
- Flour tortillas. These will line the bowls, so make sure to use large tortillas.
- Cooked rice. I used long grain rice, but you can use any type of white rice, basmati rice, or brown rice.
- Corn. For subtle sweetness and texture. I used canned whole corn kernels.
- Kidney beans. For added fiber and protein. Black beans, pinto beans, or warm refried beans will also work.
- Cheese. I used shredded cheddar cheese, but you can use any type of shredded cheese.
- Avocado. For a creamy texture and buttery flavor. If your avocados are super soft and brown, my advice is to mash them up. It kind of looks like guacamole, but it’s a good swap if they aren’t looking very presentable.
- Tomatoes. For acidity and color. This can also be swapped for salsa or pico de gallo if you’d prefer.
- Garnishes. I used fresh cilantro, jalapeños, lemon juice, and sour cream.
How to make taco bowls
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Cook the beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula. Add the onions and garlic and continue cooking until the beef is fully browned and the onions are soft.
Step 2- Season the beef. Once the beef is browned, add the seasonings and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the beef simmer for 5-10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Step 3- Shape the tortillas. Crisp up the tortillas in a non-stick skillet and place them in bowls, pressing down on the sides to replicate the shape of the bowl.
Step 4- Add toppings. To the bowl, add the meat, rice, corn, beans, cheese, avocado, and tomatoes. Decorate each bowl with the jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and sour cream.
Recipe tips and variations
- Make a taco salad. When I’m watching my carbs, or if I’m not particularly hungry, I’ll swap the tortillas and rice for romaine lettuce. As for dressing, I’m a sucker for my green goddess salad dressing!
- Swap the grains. Use whatever grains you have on hand, like quinoa, couscous, or even cauliflower fried rice if you’re low-carb.
- Use other ground meat. This can be easily made with ground turkey, ground chicken, or plant-based ground beef, so feel free to use whichever you prefer.
- Add fajita veggies. When I want a little extra fiber, I like to quickly saute sliced bell peppers, onion, and zucchini, but really any veggies you have on hand will do.
- Add some fruit. I know this may sound weird, but trust me, a little pineapple or mango (or mango salsa!) adds a totally different flavor element.
- Save time. Cooking the ground beef is the most time consuming task of the dish, so I like to make it the day before and pop it in the microwave right before I’m ready to serve. And if I’m really short on time, I’ll use microwavable rice.
- Air fry the taco shells. If you crave that crispy taco shell texture, spray an oven-safe bowl with cooking spray, press the tortillas into the bowl, and air fry at 350F for 3 minutes.
Storage instructions
To store: I recommend storing the meat and rice, veggies, beans, and tortillas in separate airtight containers. Stored this way, everything should last in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
To freeze: Leftover meat, beans, and rice can be stored in freezer-safe containers and frozen for up to 3 months. Everything else I’d recommend enjoying fresh.
To reheat: I enjoy eating these bowls cold, but if you’d like, you can microwave the rice and meat in 30-second intervals until warm.
More Mexican-inspired beef recipes to try
- Birria quesadilla– Juicy, slow-cooked birria meat layered between tortillas with a heavy dose of melted cheese.
- Carne asada– Tender skirt steak marinated in citrus and grilled until it’s perfectly crisp.
- Beef barbacoa– I’ve been making this at least once a week!
- Carne picada– Think of it as the best beef stew you’ve ever had.
Taco Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
To assemble
- 4 flour tortillas
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 cup kidney beans
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese I used mozzarella
- 1 small avocado sliced
- 1 large tomato chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef. Break it apart with a spatula and cook until it starts to brown.
- Add the chopped onions and minced garlic to the skillet. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully browned, and the onions are softened.
- Sprinkle salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder evenly over the meat mixture and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the taco meat simmer for an additional 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- If desired, crisp up the tortillas in a non-stick skillet and then place them in four bowls, pressing down the sides to replicate the same shape.
- Add the rice, corn, kidney beans, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, and chopped tomatoes to each bowl. Decorate with sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and sour cream.
This is a firm favourite in our house! Absolutely delicious, a few tweaks for different eaters in the house, but it’s so easy to change up without changing it too much!
Thanks, Kirsty!
FUN! Such a cute presentation, and easily customizable by/for all the guests!
Thank you, Sharon!