Beef Burrito Bowl Recipe
Skip the tortilla and dig into these easy Ground Beef Burrito Bowls instead. Full of Southwestern flavors and lots of textures, these Mexican rice bowls come together fast for a tasty weeknight dinner. Let everyone customize with their favorite toppings so each person gets a bowl they’ll love. Whether you are feeding the whole family or meal prepping lunches for the week, this recipe is a total win!
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Mexican
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop or Instant Pot
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
I have one kid who loves Chipotle. But the cost to feed a family of four with a meal that is, essentially, fast food, is quite high, especially since the ingredients are quite economical and often already in my pantry. That’s why I love to make them at home!
Using cooked rice, taco meat, and all kinds of yummy toppings, you can pull together a tasty dinner in no time at all! Or even package it up in individual servings for a quick lunch. So next time you’re not sure what to cook or are tempted to get takeout, try this easy, flexible meal option!
Ground Beef Burrito Bowls Make an Easy Mexican Dinner!
It’s sure to be a hit! Here’s why…
- Simple or fancy. It doesn’t have to be complicated! Burrito bowls are super easy to customize. I love having a variety of topping ingredients in mine, but you could also go super simple with just rice, lettuce, taco meat, and maybe a bit of sour cream or cheese. Picky eaters and foodies can each have just what they like.
- Easy to change up. While I share my go-to combo of ingredients here, I also share lots of ways to change things up with different bases, proteins, and toppings.
- Meets everyone’s needs. Every ingredient in this recipe is naturally gluten free. And by adding or removing toppings, you can make it vegetarian, dairy free, and even with fewer carbs!
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a rundown of what you’ll need ot make this beef burrito bowl recipe. Of course, you don’t have to stick to this list. Keep reading for more suggestions on how you can change it up to your tastes and preferences. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full amounts and detailed instructions.
- Rice: For a flavorful base, all you need to do is simply jazz up some simple cooked white rice.
- Limes: You’ll want fresh lime juice to flavor the rice, plus a few wedges to serve with the bowls if anyone wants to squeeze some on top.
- Cilantro: Mix some into the rice and save the rest to sprinkle on top.
- Oil or butter. This is optional, but it adds a bit of richness and nice consistency to the cilantro lime rice.
- Lettuce: My favorite lettuce to use is crisp Romaine, chopped. This provides the other part of the base of your greens and grains bowl.
- Taco Meat: You can use my Instant Pot Ground Beef Taco Meat, cook a pound of ground beef with Homemade Taco Seasoning, or use your favorite packet or blend of spices.
- Dressing: Top your burrito bowl with a drizzle of Creamy Southwestern Salad Dressing. Or go with something light and fresh like a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette.
Burrito Bowl Topping Ideas
You can use whatever you like for toppings! Anything you love that goes well in a Tex-Mex or Southwestern dish will be awesome on these yummy burrito bowls. Here are some of my favorites, but you can definitely change things up by checking out some of the ideas in the Variations section below!
- Chopped cherry tomatoes
- Black beans: Canned is fine, just make sure to drain and rinse them well.
- Corn: You can use frozen, just thaw before using.
- Crumbled queso fresco: If you can’t get queso fresco, feta makes a great alternative.
- Avocado: Sliced or cubed.
- Scallions: Green and white parts, thinly sliced.
How to Make Ground Beef Burrito Bowls
Prepping the components is so simple, and assembling the Mexican rice bowls is even easier. Let’s go over the steps here, then check out the recipe card for the details.
- Make the meat. Follow the directions to make Instant Pot Ground Beef Taco Meat, or season a pound of ground beef with Homemade Taco Seasoning or your favorite packet or blend of spices.
- Prepare the rice. Cook your rice or reheat leftover rice, then stir in the cilantro, lime juice, and some butter or oil, if you like.
- Prep the other ingredients. Drain the beans, and chop and assemble your other toppings.
- Assemble the base. Start with a bed of rice and top it with some of the lettuce. Now add your taco meat.
- Add the toppings. Top your burrito bowl with any or all of the toppings listed, or check out my additional suggestions below. Give it a drizzle of dressing and a squeeze of lime.
Rice Bowl Variations
- Change up the grains. Feel free to go with all grains or all greens, like this beef taco salad. You can also swap the seasoned rice for whole grain brown rice or Instant Pot Spanish Rice, add some protein with cooked quinoa, or reduce the carbs and try cauliflower rice.
- Use a different lettuce. And you can use iceberg, baby greens, or even chopped kale or taco slaw in place of the Romaine.
- Try other meats. You can also use my Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken to make easy Chicken Burrito Bowls. Lighten it up with ground turkey taco meat instead of the beef. Or even try it with Chili Lime Shrimp instead for a seafood twist. To prep ahead, toss Crockpot Barbacoa in the slow cooker in the morning.
- Make it meatless. You can even make vegetarian burrito bowls by skipping the meat and using extra beans, adding a fried egg, or even some chili lime roasted cauliflower and butternut squash. Speaking of beans, Instant Pot Pinto Beans are a flavorful alternative to canned black beans.
- Swap the cheese. Cotija and feta offer a similar flavor and texture to the queso fresco. But if you prefer a shredded or melty cheese instead of a crumbly one, shredded cheddar, Monterey jack, or pepper jack are tasty options.
- Customize your toppings. Instead of the avocado, go with guacamole or avocado crema. Use pico de gallo in place of plain tomatoes. Replace the dressing with a dollop of sour cream or crema, or even a spicier jalapeno ranch dressing. Try some pickled jalapenos, sliced red onion, Mexican Street Corn, or even some crushed tortilla chips. The possibilities are endless!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
For any extras, I recommend packaging each component separately in its own airtight container so you can keep an eye on them individually for freshness. If you are going to make this recipe for meal prep, divide the rice and meat between containers, and add any toppings that can be warmed. Keep the cold toppings in a separate container and add them after you’ve reheated your burrito bowl.
- To Refrigerate: Place portions into shallow, airtight containers. Refrigerate immediately for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: The rice and meat can be stored in freezer containers and kept in the freezer for three to four months. Obviously, fresh toppings like lettuce and tomatoes do not freeze well.
- To Reheat: You can microwave or warm the rice and beef in a skillet on the stove. Or pop your meal prep container in the microwave to heat it up before adding the separated toppings. Make sure it’s piping hot all the way through before you serve it with the other burrito bowl ingredients.
More Tasty Mexican-Inspired Dinners
I find our favorite Tex Mex meals are often so quick and easy that they are perfect on busy weeknights. Here are some more that I think you’ll love!
Mexican Ground Beef Rice Bowl
Ingredients
For the Cilantro Lime Rice:
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice (see Note)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter , optional
For the Burrito Bowls:
- 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- 1 pound cooked Instant Pot Ground Beef Taco Meat or your favorite taco meat
- 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup rinsed and drained black beans from a can
- 1 cup corn kernels , thawed if frozen
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese , or shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 avocado , peeled and sliced
- 4 scallions , green and white parts, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2-1 cup Southwestern Salad Dressing , sour cream, or your favorite salad dressing.
- 2 limes cut into wedges to squeeze on top
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice 1 1/2 cups water or broth, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring contents to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer with the lid on. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, keep the lid on, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork, then add 2 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice, and 1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter, if using. Stir everything together until evenly distributed.
- Divide the rice between four bowls. Arrange 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce, 1 pound cooked Instant Pot Ground Beef Taco Meat or your favorite taco meat, 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes, 1 cup rinsed and drained black beans, 1 cup corn kernels, 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, 1 avocado, 4 scallions, and 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro on top of the rice.
- Drizzle on 1/2-1 cup Southwestern Salad Dressing or your choice of sour cream or dressing.
- Serve with 2 limes cut into wedges to squeeze on top.
Notes
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