Healthy Taco Rice Skillet with Ground Beef

You’ll love this quick and easy taco rice skillet. It’s packed with protein and fiber, full of flavor and a family favorite around my house.

We love quick dinners on weeknights at our house. And this easy taco rice skillet comes together in under 30 minutes! Just chop and saute some veggies with lean ground beef, open up a can of beans and tomatoes, sprinkle in some spices and simmer it altogether with rice for about 15 minutes.

You may have seen all the cheesy taco rice recipes on TikTok. My version kicks up the flavor AND the nutrition for a macro-friendly and nourishing meal you’ll love serving your family.

What Makes Our Taco Rice Skillet Macro-Friendly?

We’re swapping in a lean ground beef (mine was 94% lean) and adding in some extra protein and fiber with black beans. We’re also rounding out our taco skillet with some additional vegetables and going a little lighter on the rice and cheese. Don’t worry – it still tastes like a bowl of comfort food!

The best part of having taco rice bowls are the toppings! I love to load up on crisp, shredded lettuce, a big scoop of pico de gallo or guacamole, and a drizzle of sour cream (or nonfat yogurt).

My daughter loves her bowl with a little extra cheese and a mild salsa. My husband adds in some hot sauce. The possibilities are endless!

Taco Rice Ingredients

For our taco rice skillet we’re using just a few wholesome ingredients.

Lean Ground Beef: To keep this recipe macro friendly, I like to use a lean ground beef.

Rice: Any long-grain white rice will work. My favorite is basmati rice.

Spices: I mixed together a few of my favorite taco spices, but you can use any taco seasoning packet or mix you’d like.

Onion, Bell Pepper, and Black Beans: Any color of onion and bell pepper will work for this recipe and I just used a basic can of black beans.

Tomato and Canned Green Chiles: I used diced tomatoes, but you can substitute crushed or even tomato puree if that’s what you have on hand. Some diced tomatoes come already combined with green chiles, too!

How to Make Taco Rice with Ground Beef

First, you’ll add the finely diced onion and bell pepper to your pan, along with the ground beef. Cook until beef is browned and onion and peppers are soft.

Add in the diced tomatoes with their juices, green chilies, and spices (or taco seasoning packet). Stir to combine. Add in the washed rice and drained can of black beans, along with some water. Stir and simmer until rice is cooked through, about 15 – 18 minutes.

Top with cheese and put the lid on your skillet until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).

Serve with your favorite taco toppings like pico, sour cream, shredded lettuce, fresh tomatoes, salsa and jalapeños!

Tip: If you’re planning using for meal prep, portion out the taco rice skillet into your glass containers, and add the cold toppings in another container on the side. That way, you can easily reheat and top with your fresh toppings right before you plan to eat your cheesy taco rice.

Love simple taco recipes? Check out my simple walking taco recipe, it’s my daughter’s favorite!