Skip to content
RecipesWhipped Up

Mexican

Loaded Taco Rice

Rice cooked in the same pot as a modest amount of seasoned beef, then finished with cheddar, tomato, and lettuce. Half the usual meat, because the rice and spices do the stretching.

Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
A skillet of taco rice with ground beef, cheddar, tomato, and lettuce.

Why you’ll love it

  • Half a pound of beef feeds four because of the rice.
  • The seasoning is chili powder, cumin, and paprika, measured.
  • One pot.
  • Lettuce and tomato on top make it feel like tacos.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

View list

Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium. Cook the beef and onion until the beef is browned and 160°F, about 6 minutes.

  2. 2

    Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt for 30 seconds.

  3. 3

    Add the rice, diced tomatoes with their juice, and water. Stir.

  4. 4

    Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 18 minutes, until the rice is tender.

  5. 5

    Rest off the heat, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff.

  6. 6

    Top with cheddar, lettuce, and tomato.

Pro tips

  • Keep the lid on. Lifting it dumps the steam the rice needs.
  • If the rice is still firm and the pot is dry, add 1/4 cup water and cover 5 more minutes.
  • Salt is in the pot already. Taste before salting the lettuce.

Easy substitutions

Ground beef
Another can of black beans, drained, added with the rice.
Cheddar
Monterey jack.

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Add fresh lettuce when you eat.

Reheating

Warm in a covered skillet with a splash of water until hot.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
480
Protein
22 g
Carbs
52 g
Fat
20 g
Fiber
3 g

Budget friendly · Stovetop, One Pan

You might also like

Bowl of white rice mixed with black beans, onion, and cilantro
Budget Bites

Rice and Beans

White rice cooks with black beans, onion, cumin, and a bay leaf in one pot. It is a plain, filling plate that costs very little and uses pantry cans.

35 min · Easy

View recipe
Chickpeas in a golden tomato curry with rice and cilantro.
Budget Bites

Chickpea Curry

Chickpeas in a tomato and spice sauce with ginger, garlic, and a small amount of coconut milk so it stays cheap and still tastes round. Serve it with rice.

35 min · Easy

View recipe
Skillet of egg fried rice with peas, scrambled egg, and green onion
Budget Bites

Egg Fried Rice

Cold cooked rice hits a hot skillet with egg, peas, and soy until the grains are separate and the egg is fully set. It is a cheap dinner that depends on leftover rice, not fresh.

22 min · Easy

View recipe

Still hungry?

More in the same lane, not a random mix.

Bowl of thick potato soup with visible potato chunks and chopped chives
Budget Bites

Potato Soup

Potatoes, onion, and broth simmer into a thick soup finished with a little milk. Part of the potatoes get mashed so the bowl is creamy without a heavy pour of cream.

45 min · Easy

View recipe
A bowl of red beans and rice with sliced smoked sausage and green onion.
Budget Bites

Red Beans and Rice

Canned red beans simmered with onion, pepper, smoked sausage, and a short spice list, served over rice. The stovetop pot is about 50 minutes. The slow cooker is 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high.

50 min · or 6 hr on low / 3 hr on high · Easy

View recipe
Bean burritos sliced open to show mashed pinto beans and melted cheese
Budget Bites

Bean Burritos

Pinto beans simmer with onion, cumin, and chili powder, then get mashed and rolled with cheese. It is a low-cost dinner that uses the pantry on purpose.

25 min · Easy

View recipe

Find something else

One-Pot MealsVegetarianQuick MealsComfort Food

From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

Read the affiliate disclosure.

Ingredients