Taco Bowls

Whether you need a low-lift weeknight dinner or a meal for a casual get-together, taco bowls fit the bill. This slow-cooker recipe makes easy work of turning a boneless beef roast into fall-apart-tender meat. To give it a boost of flavor, we add a savory sauce of crushed tomatoes, salsa verde and sauteed fresh vegetables during the final hour of simmering. Then all you have to do is cook rice and set out all the toppings. It turns one of our best taco recipes into a hearty meal you can eat with a spoon.

Ingredients for Taco Bowls

• Boneless beef chuck roast: This cut of beef is well marbled and flavorful, but it benefits from a long cook time, making it perfect for slow-cooker beef recipes. If you can only find a bone-in roast, buy a slightly larger piece to compensate for the weight of the bone.
• Beef broth: You only need a small amount of beef broth in the slow cooker with the roast to keep it moist as it cooks. Feel free to use homemade beef broth if you keep it stocked in your freezer, but store-bought is perfectly fine.
• Canola oil: A neutral-tasting oil like canola oil is ideal here. We’ve recently become obsessed with algae oil, and that’s another great option.
• Veggies: Fresh onion, jalapeno and garlic add spice and a savory boost to the rich beef. Seed the jalapeno to temper the heat, or leave the seeds in if you love spicy recipes.
• Seasonings: Chili powder, cumin and salt give the meat an earthy, deep taste—even after it’s slow-cooked for hours.
• Canned crushed tomatoes in puree: The puree is thicker than the juice that tomatoes are sometimes canned in, and it works well in this recipe since you want a hearty beef sauce and not a soup. You could also use diced tomatoes if you prefer a chunkier texture.
• Salsa verde: Salsa verde is made with tomatillos, which are a little more sour and citrusy than tomatoes. You can use store-bought or homemade salsa verde in this recipe.
• Brown rice: The nutty taste of brown rice is delicious with the slow-cooked beef. You could use quinoa, bulgur, farro or another grain to switch things up.
• Black beans: Canned black beans are firm, creamy and high in fiber. For a similar texture, you can also use pinto or kidney beans.
• Pico de gallo: Since pico de gallo isn’t cooked, it’s fresher and juicier than other salsas.
• Optional toppings: Customize your taco bowl with reduced-fat sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and sliced avocado. A side of lime wedges and warmed corn tortillas round it out.

Directions

Step 1: Cook and shred the beef

Place the beef and broth in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cook the beef, covered, on low for six to eight hours or until it’s tender. Remove the beef and discard the juices. Return the beef to the slow cooker and shred it with two forks.

Step 2: Saute the vegetables

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and jalapeno until they’re softened, three to four minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and salt, then cook and stir for one minute.

Stir in the tomatoes and salsa and bring the mixture to a boil.

Step 3: Finish cooking the beef

Add the veggie-tomato mixture to the beef, stirring to combine. Cook it, covered, on high for one hour or until the flavors are blended.

Step 4: Assemble the taco bowls

For each serving, place some rice in a soup bowl. Top it with beef mixture, beans and pico de gallo. Serve the taco bowls with reduced-fat sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, lime wedges and warmed corn tortillas as desired.

Taco Bowls Variations

• Use a different meat: Instead of beef, choose a boneless pork roast, turkey breast or chicken thighs. Discard any bones and skin when shredding the meat. You can stick with beef broth or change the liquid to chicken, turkey or bone broth.
• Add more vegetables: When sauteing the onion, add a chopped bell pepper, a poblano pepper or some corn kernels for more color and veggie bulk.
• Turn the bowls into burritos: Fold the rice, beans, meat and pico de gallo into large flour tortillas for hand-held burritos you can take on the go. Or take inspiration from freezer burritos, and wrap them in waxed paper and foil before storing them in the freezer.
• Use a Dutch oven: Instead of using a slow cooker, you can braise the meat in a Dutch oven on the stove or in the oven. It will still take a few hours for the meat to become tender, but not as long as it would take in the slow cooker.
• Give the dish more heat: This recipe is moderately spiced with seeded jalapenos and chili powder, but you can make the taco bowls fiery by choosing a different type of pepper. Serranos, habaneros and Scotch bonnets are all higher on the Scoville Heat Unit scale, which measures the intensity of heat in peppers.

How to Store Taco Bowls

Store the components of taco bowls in separate airtight food storage containers in the refrigerator for three to four days. Transfer any extra black beans from the can into a food storage bag or container to prevent them from taking on a tinny flavor. You can reheat the shredded beef on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or broth if it seems dry. And try one of these ways to reheat rice for tender, fluffy grains.

Can you freeze taco bowls?

You can freeze the shredded beef and cooked rice in separate freezer-safe containers. Try freezing rice in smaller portions so you can grab just the right amount. Thaw the meat and rice in the refrigerator, and then thoroughly reheat them before serving.

Taco Bowl Recipe Tips

Can you make vegan or vegetarian taco bowls?

To make vegetarian or vegan taco bowls, replace the braised beef with a big scoop of slow-cooked beans or lentils (you can still keep the veggies, tomato and salsa verde sauce) or another plant-based meat substitute. Try sprinkling one of the best vegan cheeses on your taco bowls, or go in a different route and make some pickled red onions for a sharp pop of flavor.

What can you serve with taco bowls?

Like many meals in a bowl, these taco bowls are a complete meal, with a good mix of grains, beans, meat and even fresh veggies from the pico de gallo topping. You can always set out a bowl of homemade tortilla chips for scooping or a batch of fresh guacamole to add to the bowls, but you don’t need much else. I recommend making a fruity drink to enjoy with the meal, like a pretty strawberry agua fresca. Adults can even tip in a little tequila for a boozy spike.

Are taco bowls healthy?

Healthy means different things to different people, but these taco bowls offer a solid mix of high-fiber and high-protein foods, and are easy to customize to individual needs. You can scale up or down the portion sizes, using less meat and more beans if you’re cutting back on your meat consumption, and you can skip the rice if protein is your main goal. Adjust the toppings to have more fresh vegetables or add sliced avocado for a dose of healthy fats. You can truly make this recipe your own.