Taco Rice is a fast and easy one-skillet meal that the whole family will love. If you’re tired of traditional Taco Tuesdays, try this taco rice casserole with ground beef for something a little different and super convenient! Serve it with tortilla chips and your favorite taco toppings.
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For this recipe, you'll be using ground beef, rice, black beans, corn, taco seasoning, and plenty of cheese to make a delicious and well-rounded meal.
If you like simple Tex-Mex recipes, next you’ll want to try this Classic Mexican Rice, Ground Beef Enchiladas, and Steak Quesadilla.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to Make: This recipe is straightforward, great for beginners, and won't require much cleanup!
- Family Favorite: The classic taco flavors and delicious cheesiness make this an appealing taco and rice skillet that the whole family will love.
- Pantry Staples: Use up rice, canned beans, and corn you have around as a way to transform a pound of ground beef into an affordable dinner.
- Customizable: You can serve this delicious casserole with all your favorite taco toppings!
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: We used 80/20 lean ground beef for this taco meat and rice recipe. You could also substitute ground turkey or chicken.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic: Aromatics add a ton of flavor when sauteed with the beef. Dice them into small, uniform pieces.
- Taco Seasoning: You can use a store-bought packet or a make a homemade mix with spices like chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt.
- Salsa, Tomato Paste, and Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis: These are going to add a lot of tomato flavor and moisture for cooking the rice. The green chilis give a little bit of heat but not too much.
- Corn and Black Beans: Drain both cans and rinse the black beans before adding them in.
- Long Grain White Rice: Use regular long grain rice, not instant or minute rice as it would overcook and become mushy.
- Low-Sodium Beef Broth: This is the cooking liquid for the rice. Using low-sodium broth helps keep the dish from being too salty.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly grated cheese is the best for melting but you can buy pre-shredded if needed. Colby Jack, white cheddar, or a Mexican cheese blend all work well for this dish, too.
- Toppings: These are optional but we love to throw on shredded lettuce, sour cream, diced tomatoes, and olives on top of this taco rice and cheese. Customize it however you like!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Spicy Version: Add jalapenos, a spicy salsa, cayenne pepper, or the hot version of Rotel chilies.
- Change the Protein: Use ground turkey, chicken, or chorizo for a bit different flavor in the easy taco rice.
- Vegetarian Version: Double the beans or add a plant-based meat alternative and use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
How to Make Taco Rice
Here’s exactly how to make Mexican taco rice. It’s simple and you’re going to love it!
- Step 1: Cook the Meat and Onions. Heat up a skillet and throw in the ground beef and onions. Let the meat cook until it's browned and the onions are soft. Drain off any excess grease.
- Step 2: Add the Other Ingredients. Mix in the taco seasoning, garlic, salsa, tomato paste, diced tomatoes with green chilis, corn, black beans, rice, and beef broth. Stir everything well.
- Step 3: Lower the Heat. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the rice is soft and fluffy.
- Step 4: Top with Cheese. Stir to fluff up the rice and then top with cheese. Put the lid back on for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Hint: Drain the Beef
If you use 90/10 or 80/20 ground beef, there shouldn’t be too much excess oil to drain off (if any). But if you are using beef that’s more rich in fat content, be sure to get rid of the excess grease before adding the other ingredients.
Expert Tips
- Grate Your Own Cheese: For the best melty texture, grate the cheese fresh by hand instead of using pre-shredded cheese which sometimes has anti-caking agents on it.
- Don't Disturb the Rice: Keep the lid on while the dish cooks to ensure that it absorbs all of the liquid and cooks evenly. Resist the urge to check it or stir it before it's done cooking. Every rice is a little different so you may have to adjust the cooking liquid slightly depending on the brand you use.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Leftover taco meat and rice keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. We recommend serving this recipe fresh rather than frozen but you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat the dish in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60 second intervals until it is heated through or you can reheat it covered in a casserole dish in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350° F.
Serving Suggestions
Taco rice with ground beef is a great fast weeknight meal, relaxed weekend dinner, or potluck dish. The leftovers are amazing the next day, too! Here are some ideas for how to serve it.
- Pair taco rice skillet with a simple side salad or serve with warm tortillas for dipping.
- Make a toppings bar with diced avocado or guacamole, jalapenos, cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, and hot sauce and let everyone build their own plate.
- Hungry? Make some Tex-Mex dips as an appetizer before serving the taco-flavored rice casserole. Try this layered taco dip and cheesy corn dip – they are a guaranteed hit!
- If you want super fresh flavors and the ability to control the heat level in the salsa, you could make some from scratch! Whip up some tomato salsa or fresh tomato salsa and use a cup for the recipe, then serve the rest with chips that you can use to scoop the rice, too.
Recipe FAQs
This could happen if you didn't drain the corn or beans properly, or if your heat was too low. If this happens, remove the lid and cook on medium heat for a few more minutes to evaporate the excess liquid.
Yes! You can prepare everything up to the point of adding the cheese. Refrigerate, then reheat and add cheese just before serving. You may need to add a splash of broth when reheating if it seems dry.
It has a mild to medium heat level from the diced tomatoes with green chilis and taco seasoning. For a milder version, use regular diced tomatoes and mild taco seasoning. For more heat, add jalapeños or hot sauce.
More Easy Beef Recipes
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Cheesy Taco Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- 3 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 cups salsa
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1½ cups low sodium beef broth
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
Toppings
- shredded lettuce optional
- sour cream optional
- tomatoes optional
- olives optional
- dice tomatoes optional
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onions, cook until meat is browned and onions are soft. Drain off excess grease.
- Add taco seasoning, garlic, salsa, tomato paste, diced tomatoes with green chilis, corn, black beans, rice, and beef broth. Mix until well combined.
- Lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until rice is soft and fluffy.
- Stir to fluff up the rice. Top with cheese and add lid back on until cheese is melted.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Drain the ground beef so the rice doesn't become greasy.
- Using low-sodium broth helps keep the dish from becoming too salty.
- Keep the lid on the dish while it cooks so it can absorb the liquid properly.
- Grate fresh cheese for the best melting and flavor.
- Save some cheese to sprinkle on individual servings if you like yours extra cheesy!
Nutrition
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
Ryan Allen
This is one of my favorite easy and hearty meals.