Mexican Haystack Rice Bowls
Mexican haystack rice bowls are a one pot dinner with a flavorful beef mixture seasoned to perfection. Build your rice bowl with cilantro lime rice, seasoned beef, and then pile high with all your favorite toppings
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/4 cup basmati rice or long-grain rice
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mexican Haystacks
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (4.5 oz) diced green chilies
- 1 can (15 oz) chili beans (do not drain)
Toppings
- shredded lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, Fritos corn chips, shredded cheese, etc.
Instructions
- For the cilantro lime rice: Add the butter and dry basmati rice to a saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until butter has melted and the rice is slightly toasted. Stir often so the rice does not burn. Add in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until rice is done. Fluff with a fork.
- For the meat: Cook and crumble the ground beef in a skillet pan over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain any grease. Add the seasonings, tomato sauce, green chilies, and chili beans. Stir to combine. Turn heat to medium-low and let simmer while the rice cooks.
- Layer rice in a bowl, top with the meat mixture, and then top with your choice of toppings.
Notes
My family does not like whole green chilies so I blend the green chilies and tomato sauce in the blender before adding it to the meat mixture.
Chili beans are pinto beans in a mild chili sauce. You'll find them by the beans in the grocery store and they will say 'chili beans' on the can.
After making the cilantro lime rice recipe for years, I have found that basmati rice is the best. It never turns out a bad batch, holds it's shape, is not mushy and soft, and has the better flavor. If you don't use it, the next best would be a long-grain rice or even jasmine rice. But try and get the basmati rice.