Make this Taco Rice recipe multi function skillet with savory floor beef, salsa, taco seasoning, and loads of cheese. This quick and straightforward dinner concept brings collectively all your favourite Tex-Mex flavors in half-hour or much less.
For those who love this floor beef and rice recipe, you could give my Fiesta Chicken Casserole a strive!
Tacky One-Pan Taco Rice Recipe
At this time 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 straightforward skillet dinner, and I really like making it on weeknights or as a enjoyable twist on Mexican evening. The whole lot comes collectively on the stovetop in underneath half-hour, and we by no means run out of topping concepts.
For those who’ve by no means tried taco rice, put together to be hooked. This simple floor beef and rice recipe is beefy and tacky and jam-packed with Tex-Mex flavors. Prime your rice with avocado, bitter cream, and extra taco toppings. It’s my concept of consolation meals!
What Is Taco Rice?
Imagine 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 widespread with locals in addition to US navy personnel stationed there.
Taco rice isn’t to be confused with Mexican rice. Mexican rice is a facet dish consisting of rice and typically veggies, cooked in broth and seasoned with taco seasoning. My recipe is principally a mix of each dishes!
Elements You’ll Want
Only a few easy components are all you could make this flavorful Tex-Mex taco rice recipe. Beneath is a fast overview, with the total ingredient quantities accessible within the recipe card under the submit.
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 rooster. See additional down within the submit for extra variation concepts.
Taco Seasoning: Select your favourite packet of taco seasoning from the grocery retailer, like Previous El Paso (or related).
Rice: I like to make use of raw long-grain white rice or brown rice. I don’t advocate utilizing pre-cooked rice as it should develop into too mushy.
Rooster Broth: You’ll want low-sodium rooster or vegetable broth for simmering the rice. You may as well use Homemade Chicken Stock in the event you want.
Salsa: Use your most popular model of jarred salsa, both gentle or spicy, chunky or blended. That is the right approach so as to add slightly warmth to your rice in the event 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 instantaneous rice will cook dinner a lot quicker, so that you’ll want to regulate the cooking time accordingly.
How you can Make Taco Rice
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I exploit my 9-inch nonstick skillet with a lid for this recipe, however you need to use any sized skillet you have got readily available, so long as it has a canopy. This taco-inspired meal comes collectively in 3 simple 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 decreasing the warmth. Cowl and simmer the rice, stirring sometimes, 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 under for extra concepts and serving options.
Suggestions for Success
This taco rice is very easy, you actually can’t go incorrect. Listed here are some last ideas:
Use lean floor meat. I like to recommend utilizing lean floor beef in order that the dish doesn’t come out too oily. For those who discover that there’s quite a lot of grease within the skillet after your beef has browned, take into account draining it earlier than going forward with the recipe.
Make your individual taco seasoning. I really like the comfort of packet seasoning, however in the event you’d want to make your individual, it’s simple 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 possibly can 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! Beneath are some easy variation concepts to strive.
Totally different Protein: Attempt making this rice with floor turkey, floor rooster, shredded rooster, and even floor or pulled pork.
Vegetarian: To make vegetarian taco rice, swap the rooster broth for vegetable broth and exchange 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 (keep 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 happy so as to add in further herbs, like basil or oregano. For those who’re after a little bit of kick, stir in chipotle powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or crushed pink pepper flakes together with the taco seasoning.
Serving Strategies
I usually serve this taco rice DIY-style, the identical as you’ll an precise taco! I fill the desk with simple taco toppings like diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, avocado, bitter cream, inexperienced onion, and tortilla strips, and let everybody have at it. And as a facet, no taco evening 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 means of.
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 simple 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 notice) over medium warmth. Add within the diced onion and cook dinner till softened.
Add within the floor beef and proceed cooking till browned. Add within the garlic and cook dinner for 1 extra minute.
Stir within the taco seasoning, rice, broth, and salsa. Deliver the combination as much as a boil after which cowl and cut back warmth to low. Cook dinner for 15 – 20 minutes, or till the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, stirring sometimes 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 be certain your skillet has a lid.
Retailer hermetic within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
