“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.
All products featured on Bon Appétit are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through the retail links below, we earn an affiliate commission.
What you’ll need
.jpg)
Food Processor
$63 At Amazon
Medium Skillet
$50 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$7 At Amazon
.jpg)
Recipe information
Total Time
25 minutes
Yield
2–4 servings
Ingredients
1
¼
1
¼
3
1
6
2
1
1
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.
Leave a Review