Spiced Beef Taco Bowls

“Keep it simple, Susan.” That’s the theory behind this fast and fantastic beef taco bowl recipe. Who’s Susan? We don’t know. But she needed a quick dinner, so now you benefit too.

For ease, we rely on a trusty Tex-Mex seasoning packet to flavor the taco meat. Prefer homemade taco seasoning? More power to you. The main players are cumin, oregano, and chili powder; if you have them in your pantry, mix away. A food processor does fast work of mincing the sofrito ingredients (onion, jalapeño, garlic); if you don’t have one, a blender works too—or you can take a few extra minutes to chop everything finely by hand. Beef not your vibe? Swap in ground turkey, chicken, or pork. Or make a batch of refried black beans or spiced tofu for a vegetarian version.

Similarly, you should use whatever base you like. We’re partial to plain long-grain white rice (keep it simple, Susan), but brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice work equally well. Overachiever? Cilantro-lime rice is calling your name. Or, if you forgot about the grains entirely, throw down some lettuce and call it a taco salad instead.

For garnishing, we like a straightforward pico de gallo, but these are your taco bowls, so set up a bar with cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pickled onions, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, and any other add-ins you like. The one nonnegotiable: crispy tortilla chips. Without them, this is nothing but a burrito bowl (yes, that’s the only difference).

All of the components for these taco bowls are super meal-prep-friendly: Refrigerate the salsa and spiced beef separately in airtight containers, keep a stash of your favorite toppings on hand, and assemble when ready for a swift lunch or easy dinner.