Make this Taco Rice recipe multi functional skillet with savory floor beef, salsa, taco seasoning, and loads of cheese. This quick and simple dinner thought brings collectively your entire favourite Tex-Mex flavors in half-hour or much less.
Should you love this floor beef and rice recipe, that you must give my Fiesta Chicken Casserole a strive!
Tacky One-Pan Taco Rice Recipe
As we speak we’re turning easy white rice right into a zesty all-in-one meal, loaded with floor beef, onions, taco seasoning, salsa, and melted cheese. Taco rice is a fast and simple skillet dinner, and I really like making it on weeknights or as a enjoyable twist on Mexican night time. The whole lot comes collectively on the stovetop in beneath half-hour, and we by no means run out of topping concepts.
Should you’ve by no means tried taco rice, put together to be hooked. This straightforward floor beef and rice recipe is beefy and tacky and jam-packed with Tex-Mex flavors. High your rice with avocado, bitter cream, and extra taco toppings. It’s my thought of consolation meals!
What Is Taco Rice?
Consider it or not, the unique taco rice was invented in Japan. Okinawan taco rice consisted of seasoned floor beef, shredded cheese, salsa, and lettuce served over Japanese rice. A chef created taco rice at a restaurant on the island of Okinawa, and it grew to become well-liked with locals in addition to US navy personnel stationed there.
Taco rice isn’t to be confused with Mexican rice. Mexican rice is a aspect dish consisting of rice and generally veggies, cooked in broth and seasoned with taco seasoning. My recipe is mainly a mix of each dishes!
Elements You’ll Want
Only a few easy components are all that you must make this flavorful Tex-Mex taco rice recipe. Under is a fast overview, with the total ingredient quantities obtainable within the recipe card beneath the publish.
Yellow Onion: You’ll saute diced onion and garlic with a bit of additional virgin olive oil for aromatics.
Floor Beef: I like to recommend utilizing lean floor beef (85-90%), however it’s also possible to make this taco rice skillet with floor turkey or floor hen. See additional down within the publish for extra variation concepts.
Taco Seasoning: Select your favourite packet of taco seasoning from the grocery retailer, like Previous El Paso (or comparable).
Rice: I like to make use of raw long-grain white rice or brown rice. I don’t suggest utilizing pre-cooked rice as it is going to change into too mushy.
Hen Broth: You’ll want low-sodium hen or vegetable broth for simmering the rice. You too can use Homemade Chicken Stock in case you desire.
Salsa: Use your most well-liked model of jarred salsa, both delicate or spicy, chunky or blended. That is the right method so as to add somewhat warmth to your rice in case you’d like.
Cheese and Cilantro: I exploit grated cheddar, together with cilantro, for topping and garnishing the completed rice.
Can I Use Minute Rice As a substitute?
Sure, simply understand that prompt rice will prepare dinner a lot quicker, so that you’ll want to regulate the cooking time accordingly.
The best way to Make Taco Rice
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I exploit my 9-inch nonstick skillet with a lid for this recipe, however you should utilize any sized skillet you could have readily available, so long as it has a canopy. This taco-inspired meal comes collectively in 3 straightforward steps:
Saute: Begin by sauteing the onion in a scorching skillet with olive oil. As soon as softened, stir within the floor beef and break it up whereas it browns. Lastly, stir within the garlic.
Mix: Subsequent, you’ll sprinkle within the taco seasoning, then add within the rice. Pour in your broth and salsa, and let the skillet come to a boil earlier than reducing the warmth. Cowl and simmer the rice, stirring often, till tender. The liquid must also be absolutely absorbed by now.
End and Serve: Garnish your taco rice with a beneficiant sprinkle of cheese and cilantro, then cowl and let it soften. Afterward, serve topped with bitter cream, avocado, or any of your favourite taco toppings! See beneath for extra concepts and serving options.
Ideas for Success
This taco rice is really easy, you actually can’t go unsuitable. Listed here are some ultimate suggestions:
Use lean floor meat. I like to recommend utilizing lean floor beef in order that the dish doesn’t come out too oily. Should you discover that there’s lots of grease within the skillet after your beef has browned, think about draining it earlier than going forward with the recipe.
Make your individual taco seasoning. I really like the comfort of packet seasoning, however in case you’d desire to make your individual, it’s straightforward sufficient to do! To make selfmade taco seasoning, mix 1 teaspoon every of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and dried oregano with 1 tablespoon every of floor cumin and smoked paprika.
Add-Ins and Variation Concepts
This taco rice skillet is scrumptious as it’s, however you’ll be able to at all times change up the components to fit your household’s particular person tastes. There are such a lot of methods to make this Tex-Mex-style recipe, and it’s actually as much as you! Under are some easy variation concepts to strive.
Completely different Protein: Attempt making this rice with floor turkey, floor hen, shredded hen, and even floor or pulled pork.
Vegetarian: To make vegetarian taco rice, swap the hen broth for vegetable broth and change the bottom beef with chickpeas, brown lentils, crumbled tofu, or your alternative of plant-based mince.
Beans: Stir in canned black beans or pinto beans (bear in mind to empty them first).
Veggies: Add in candy corn, diced bell peppers, shredded or diced carrots, or sliced jalapeños.
Herbs and Spices: Be at liberty so as to add in extra herbs, like basil or oregano. Should you’re after a little bit of kick, stir in chipotle powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or crushed purple pepper flakes together with the taco seasoning.
Serving Options
I typically serve this taco rice DIY-style, the identical as you’d an precise taco! I fill the desk with straightforward taco toppings like diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, avocado, bitter cream, inexperienced onion, and tortilla strips, and let everybody have at it. And as a aspect, no taco night time is full with out crispy corn chips dipped in Avocado Salsa or Cowboy Caviar.
Retailer any leftover taco rice hermetic within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Reheat parts within the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop till warmed by.
Can I Freeze Taco Rice?
Sure! I like to recommend freezing the rice earlier than including the cheese. Retailer the cooled rice in an hermetic container and freeze it for as much as 1 month. Defrost the taco rice within the fridge earlier than reheating, topping it with melted cheese, and serving.
This Taco Rice recipe is a straightforward one-pan dinner that mixes all of your favourite Tex-Mex components, together with floor beef, taco seasoning, salsa, and loads of cheese.
Warmth the olive oil in a skillet (*see be aware) over medium warmth. Add within the diced onion and prepare dinner till softened.
Add within the floor beef and proceed cooking till browned. Add within the garlic and prepare dinner for 1 extra minute.
Stir within the taco seasoning, rice, broth, and salsa. Carry the combination as much as a boil after which cowl and scale back warmth to low. Cook dinner for 15 – 20 minutes, or till the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, stirring often so rice doesn’t stick.
Sprinkle within the cheese and cilantro and stir to mix. Take away the skillet from the warmth, cowl and let sit for two minutes for the cheese to soften. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
Serve instantly with desired toppings.
Notes
*I like to make use of a 9- inch nonstick skillet for this recipe, however ensure your skillet has a lid.
Retailer hermetic within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
