These 5-Ingredient Taco Bowls Are an Easy Weeknight Dinner

Get a scrumptious dinner on the table in nothing flat.

By
Liv Dansky
Liv Dansky
Liv Dansky
Liv Dansky is a recipe tester and developer in the Dotdash Meredith Test Kitchens. Her recipes have been published in Real Simple, Southern Living, Food & Wine, and Eating Well, among other publications. Liv discovered a love of eating food, writing about food, and making food at a young age.
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Published October 30, 2023
Liv Dansky
Plate of 5-ingredient turkey taco bowl at a table setting with a glass of water and a bowl of lime wedges

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

For one of our favorite weeknight dinner hacks, we let taco seasoning do the heavy lifting. Mix ground turkey with a whole package of taco seasoning, water, and fresh cilantro before serving everything over rice and topping it all with one of our favorite cheeses: queso fresco. The key is using a taco seasoning you truly love because it’s the most dominant flavor. 

Ways to Power Up Your Taco Bowls

This simple yet satisfying dinner takes well to your personalization.

  • Serve with shaved red cabbage or thinly sliced radishes for extra crunch.
  • For our vegetarian friends, we love draining extra-firm tofu, grating it on the large holes of a box grater, and sauteing it in a pan! The resulting texture is very similar to ground turkey.
  • Instead of using precooked rice, make it from scratch for the bowl’s base: Bring 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice, and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt to a boil over medium-high. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. 
Plate of 5-ingredient turkey taco bowl at a table setting with a glass of water, bowl of lime wedges, and a fork on a table napkin

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Meals With Just Five Ingredients

5-Ingredient Turkey Taco Bowls

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 8 mins
Total Time 13 mins
Servings 4 servings
Yield 2 1/2 cups turkey total, about 3 cups rice total

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 pound ground turkey

  • 1 (1-ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix (2 tablespoons)

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (from 1 bunch), divided

  • 2 (8.8-ounce) package precooked microwavable white rice, heated according to package directions

  • 4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1 cup)

  • Shredded lettuce, optional for serving

  • Thinly sliced radishes for serving, optional

Method

  1. Cook the turkey:

    Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon to crumble the meat into smaller pieces, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. 

    Add the taco seasoning, water, and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until meat is coated in the seasoning, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the cilantro.

    Cooked ground turkey in a skillet for 5-ingredient turkey taco bowl recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
    Taco seasoning mixed into the ground turkey in the skillet for 5-ingredient turkey taco bowl recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
  2. Assemble the taco bowls:

    Divide the rice and optional shredded lettuce evenly among four bowls. Top evenly with turkey mixture, queso fresco, remaining cilantro, and thinly sliced radishes (if using).

    Let the turkey and rice come to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet until warm throughout.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a review below!

    Plate of 5-ingredient turkey taco bowl at a table setting with glasses of water, bowl of lime wedges, a fork on a table napkin, a bowl of cilantro and sliced radish, and stack of plates and forks

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
541 Calories
29g Fat
39g Carbs
30g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 541
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 9g 43%
Cholesterol 110mg 37%
Sodium 676mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 217mg 17%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 372mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.