Taco Rice
Taco rice is not an original recipe by me. Think of this blog post as inspiration for a twist on your traditional Tuesday taco night. Taco rice is a common dish in Okinawa, Japan. It’s a combination of Tex-Mex and Japanese, which is a dish perfect for my family being from Texas and currently living in Japan. It’s also a little easier to eat for the little ones in your family that can’t seem to keep all the fillings in the taco shell. I put all the toppings in bowls out on the counter and let my kids choose which toppings they’d like to add to the rice. My kids LOVE this and always devour their bowl showing us that they are in the “clean plate club”.
This is also one of the meals I like to make when having company over who eat gluten-free. Instead of buying the taco seasoning packets at the store (which often contain gluten, sugars, hydrogenated oils and chemicals to improve shelf life), I season my own ground beef with a blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika and garlic powder, salt and pepper. Other DIY taco seasoning recipes I’ve seen also have onion powder and oregano, so feel free to add some of those as well.
Ingredients:
Rice (1/2 cup of uncooked rice per person)
1 lb ground beef (grass fed if possible)
1 Tbsp chili Powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder or garlic salt
Salt & Pepper to taste
Suggested toppings:
1 head of romaine lettuce, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
8 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
16 oz jar of salsa
Sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 - 2 avocados, sliced or diced
12 oz bag frozen corn, sautéed with butter
Sautéed bell peppers & onion
Instructions:
Cook rice according to package. Any kind of rice will work!
Pepare all your toppings and place in bowls and/or on a large board for DIY Taco Rice bowls
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef breaking it up as it browns. Add the seasonings as the meat browns. Drain excess fat if necessary.
Prepare Taco Rice by scooping some rice into a bowl and top with whatever fixings you’d like!
