Hey guys! It’s been a little quiet around the blog this week because of chaos elsewhere and the fact that I lost my internet connection for a couple of days (my worst nightmare). BUT I’m still keeping up with my meal prep and to prepare for that this week I made a big batch of Taco Rice. What is Taco Rice? It’s simply rice that has been seasoned with the same herbs and spices that I’d use to season taco meat. I’ve made several versions of this in the past, but this time I kept it simple and made it vegan-friendly!
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
How to Serve Easy Taco Rice
What can you do with taco rice? Welllllllll just about everything. Serve it as a side with beans like what you get at a Mexican restaurant (Mexican-American, that is), use it to fill a burrito, or build a delicious bowl meal on top of it. This rice is flavorful, but neutral enough to serve as a base for several different dishes. Here are some recipes that you can serve with Taco Rice:
Don’t Skip the Fat
What makes this taco rice extra yummy? The fat. #sorrynotsorry. I used a neutral oil, but you could use whatever type of oil or fat you like best, just as long as there’s enough to lightly coat every grain of rice and make it absolutely deee-lish.
Easy Taco Rice
Servings 6 1 cup eachIngredients
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
- 1 small onion ($0.32)
- 1 clove garlic ($0.08)
- 2 cups long grain white rice* ($1.32)
- 1/2 Tbsp chili powder** ($0.15)
- 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp oregano ($0.02)
- 3 cups water ($0.00)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 2 green onions, sliced ($0.20)
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and cooking oil to a medium sauce pot. Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent.
- Add the uncooked rice, chili powder, cumin, and oregano to the pot. Continue to stir and cook for about 2 minutes to toast the rice and spices. You should hear the rice making crackling noises.
- Finally, add the water and salt, and give everything a brief stir. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow it to come to a boil. As soon as it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low, or slightly above low, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit for 10 minutes without removing the lid. After letting it rest for 10 minutes, fluff the rice with a fork. Sprinkle sliced green onions over top just before serving.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!
How to Make Taco Rice – Step by Step Photos
Begin by finely dicing one small onion and mincing a clove of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a medium sauce pot with 2 Tbsp of your preferred cooking oil (I just used canola). Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent.
Add 2 cups uncooked white long grain rice, along with 1/2 Tbsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp oregano, and 1 tsp salt. Continue to stir and cook the rice and spices for about 2 minutes. This will toast the rice and spices and enhance their flavor. You should hear the rice making crackling noises.
Add 3 cups of water and give the pot a brief stir. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and let it come to a boil. Once it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low (or just slightly above low) and let the pot simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice sit with the lid in place for 10 minutes. Finally, uncover the rice and it should look a little like the photo above. :)
Fluff the rice with a fork to redistribute the spices and onions which probably floated to the top.
Sprinkle sliced green onions over the Taco Rice just before serving. And try not to eat spoonfuls right out of the pot. :P
Would bacon grease be alright for the oil?
That would be fine!
Do you rinse the rice before adding it with the onion and garlic?
We like to but it’s not required.
Could this be adjusted to cook in the rice cooker?
I’m sure it could be, but as we haven’t tested it, we can’t give you definitive guidance.
Been making this rice for a long time now and my family loves it! Very delicious, very easy. I always double the seasonings because I like the taste a little stronger, but this recipe is a keeper
Hey, Beth! This rice is the BOMB. Quick, easy, customizable, and goes wonderfully with the creamy pinto beans i just made. This is staying in my rotation for sure. Thank you!!