This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy.
Taco Bowls are a quick & easy dinner idea! An easy ground beef taco meat mixture, cooked rice, and all your favorite taco toppings makes these ground beef taco bowls a dinnertime success.
For more fun dinner variations on classic tacos be sure and try Taco Sloppy Joes, Taco Ring, Taco Biscuit Bake, Taco Potatoes, or Cheesy Taco Soup.
Easy Taco Bowl Recipe With Ground Beef Taco Meat
Switch up Taco Tuesday and make these quick and easy beef taco bowls! It’s a deconstructed taco inside a bowl on top of a bed of rice, and then loaded with all your favorite taco toppings.
I love to set up a taco bar with all the toppings and let everyone create their own bowls. My kids love this dinner because they can make their own taco bowl just how they want, and when kids are able to “make their own food” then it’s more likely they will happily eat it.
Ingredients Needed
Ground Beef Taco Meat
- Lean Ground Beef
- Taco Seasoning Packet
- Water
- Black Beans
For The Easy Taco Bowls (Taco Toppings & Rice)
- Cooked Rice : Use white rice or brown rice that has been cooked in a rice cooker. Buy remade rice pouches from the grocery store and heat in the microwave according to the package directions. Or try making some Cilantro Lime Rice or Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice, or this Easy Mexican Rice; I also have this Instant Pot Spanish Rice for a different version). The taco bowl recipe makes enough for 6 taco bowls – so plan on 1/2 cup of cooked rice per bowl (3 cups total).
- Frozen Corn : Use a steamable bag of microwave corn and cook according to the package directions. You can also use canned corn but make sure it has been drained well.
- Shredded Cheese
- Taco Toppings Of Choice : Sour cream, avocado slices or chunks, guacamole, pico de Gallo (homemade or store-bought), salsa, taco sauce, hot sauce, chopped cilantro, tomatoes, finely diced red onion, etc.
How To Make Delicious Taco Bowls (Printable Recipe Card)
In a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef until it’s no longer pink and cooked through. Drain any excess fat or grease from the skillet pan.
Stir in the taco seasoning packet and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and let it simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until thickened.
Stir in the black beans and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until heated through.
Assemble The Taco Bowls : Place a scoop of rice in the bottom of the serving dish, top with a scoop of the taco meat, and then finish it off with all your favorite taco toppings just how you like it. I recommend setting out bowls of different taco toppings and letting everyone create their own taco bowl.
Serving Suggestions For Taco Bowls
- Rice : Rice is the base of these easy taco bowls. Buy microwaveable rice pouches from the store, use minute rice, prepare a box of rice, use this recipe for Cilantro Lime Rice, cook long grain white rice or brown rice in a rice cooker, try this Easy Mexican Rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb taco bowl.
- Fresh Toppings : Set out bowls of all your favorite taco toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, hot sauce, lime wedges, sour cream, chopped black olives, crunchy lettuce like shredded or chopped romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce, pico de Gallo, halved grape tomatoes, favorite salsa, salsa verde, queso, guacamole, avocado slices or chunks, sliced fresh jalapeños, etc.
- Corn : frozen corn cooked according to the package directions in the microwave (use the steamable pack). Or try using canned corn either in yellow corn, gold n white corn, or southwestern corn. Make sure the canned corn is drained well.
- Refried Beans : Serve refried beans as a filling side which can also double as a taco bowl topping if wanted. Try this recipe for Homemade Refried Beans using a can.
- Tortilla Chips or Fritos Scoops : My kids love using chips to eat their taco bowls and scoop up all the goodness with.
Recipe FAQ’s & Substitutions
Can I Use Ground Turkey or Ground Chicken?
Yes! Use ground turkey for turkey taco bowls or ground chicken for a different flavor. You can also save some calories and fat by swapping out the ground beef.
How Can I Make This Recipe Spicier?
There are several ways to add more heat and spice to this recipe. Here are a few ideas; top the taco bowls with shredded Pepper Jack cheese, add some sliced jalapeños as a topping option, use a packet of hot & spicy taco seasoning, add some cayenne red pepper into the ground beef mixture or a can of jalapeños or green chiles into the ground beef mix, and also try using a hot salsa as a topping option.
What Can I Use Instead of Black Beans?
Swap the black beans for pinto beans, kidney beans, white navy beans, or chickpeas. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans well.
What Are Some Ways To Make It Healthy?
Serve the ground meat mixture over some cooked and chunked sweet potatoes, serve it over cauliflower rice, and/or try swapping the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt.
More Bowl Recipes You’ll Love
- Lime Chicken Taco Bowls
- Turkey Taco Burrito Bowls
- Chicken Fajita Burrito Bowls
- Crockpot Fritos Tacos Bowls
- Crockpot Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls
Taco Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef (I use 93/7)
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 cup water
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained & rinsed
Toppings For Serving Bowls
- 3 cups cooked rice (about 1/2 cup per bowl)
- corn (steamable, frozen, or canned)
- shredded cheese
- diced roma tomatos, pico de gallo
- guacamole, avocado slices
- sour cream
- chopped fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños
- finely diced red onion
Instructions
- In a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef until it's no longer pink and cooked through. Drain any excess fat or grease from the skillet pan.1 pound lean ground beef
- Stir in the taco seasoning packet and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until thickened.1 packet taco seasoning, 1 cup water
- Stir in the black beans and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until heated through.1 can (15 oz) black beans
- Assemble The Taco Bowls : Place a scoop of rice in the bottom of the serving dish, top with a scoop of the taco meat, and then finish it off with all your favorite taco toppings just how you like it.* I recommend setting out bowls of different taco toppings and letting everyone create their own taco bowl.3 cups cooked rice, corn, shredded cheese, diced roma tomatos, pico de gallo, guacamole, avocado slices, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, finely diced red onion
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!
Did you love this recipe?
Make sure to comment below so we can chat about it! Or follow on your favorite social network for even more family recipes.