Taco Bowl

Taco Bowl Ingredients and Substitutions

Cilantro Lime Dressing

• 1 packet Ranch dip mix – about 3 tablespoons
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream – or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic – see How to Mince Garlic
• 1-3 teaspoons diced jalapenos – Add as little or as many as you wish to get the desired flavor.
• ½-⅔ cup milk

Taco Meat

• 1 pound ground beef – or use ground turkey or chicken. Try Green Chili Beef, Carne Asada, Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken, Salsa Verde Chicken, Sweet Pork Barbacoa.
• 1 (1-ounce) envelope taco seasoning – store-bought or make Homemade Taco Seasoning using chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper
• ¾ cup water

Base and Toppings

• 6 cups cooked rice – Our favorite is Cilantro Lime Rice, but you can use plain white rice, brown rice, Cauliflower Rice, or quinoa.
• 3 cups Romaine lettuce
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can corn kernels – or Mexican Street Corn.
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can black beans – or pinto beans
• 2 Roma tomatoes – diced
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
• optional – Line the bowl with a soft Flour Tortilla or serve the tortilla on the side. A side of Tortilla Chips also pairs well.
• additional toppings. green onion or red onion, black olives, shredded cheddar cheese, Homemade Salsa, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, or a lime wedge that can be used to spritz lime juice on top
• optional dressings – Taco Salad Dressing, Cilantro Lime Dressing, or Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

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How to Make Taco Bowls

1. DRESSING. Make the dressing by blending all ingredients in the blender. Add milk until it’s the consistency you want. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. BEEF. Cook beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, making sure to break up the meat. Add water and taco seasoning to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. SERVE. Assemble bowls by adding 1 cup of cooked rice to each bowl and dividing the meat, lettuce, corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro evenly into the bowls. Drizzle with creamy cilantro dressing.

5 from 12 votes

Taco Bowl

By: Lil’ Luna

This quick & simple taco bowl is filled with fresh ingredients and topped with a creamy cilantro dressing. It's a perfect taco twist.

Servings: 6

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

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Creamy Cilantro Dressing

• ▢ 1 packet Ranch dip mix, about 3 tablespoons
• ▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1 bunch cilantro
• ▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ 1-3 teaspoon diced jalapenos
• ▢ ½-⅔ cup milk

Taco Meat

• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1 (1-ounce) envelope taco seasoning
• ▢ ¾ cup water

Base and Toppings

• ▢ 6 cups cooked rice
• ▢ 3 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
• ▢ 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• ▢ 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• ▢ 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions 

• Blend Ranch dip mix, mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, minced garlic, and 1-3 teaspoons diced jalapenos in the blender. Add milk until it's the consistency you want. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Cook ground beef in a large skillet. Add ¾ cup water and stir in a packet of taco seasoning to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Assemble bowls by adding 1 cup of cooked rice to each bowl and dividing the beef mixture, chopped lettuce, corn, black beans, chopped tomatoes, avocado, and fresh cilantro in each bowl.
• Drizzle with creamy cilantro dressing. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Cooked rice. Our favorite is Cilantro Lime Rice or try our Instant Pot Brown Rice or white Crock Pot Rice.

Prep ahead of time. The lettuce and tomatoes, meat, rice, and dressing can all be prepared 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in separate containers in the fridge. The rice and meat can even be frozen for 4-6 weeks. Reheat the rice and meat before serving.

Store leftover ingredients in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Store a leftover taco bowl. Remove as much of the toppings as you can. Store the rice & beans in a container and the toppings in a separate container. Reheat in the microwave and add the lettuce and avocados back into the bowl.

Nutrition

Calories: 1981kcal, Carbohydrates: 308g, Protein: 94g, Fat: 44g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 64mg, Sodium: 2246mg, Potassium: 3761mg, Fiber: 64g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 3519IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 258mg, Iron: 19mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

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This recipe was originally published July 2022.