Okinawa Taco Rice

Name: Okinawa Taco Rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 serving
Ingredients: ½ red onion; ½ tomato; 5 sprigs cilantro (coriander); ½ lemon; 1 Tbsp neutral oil; 1 clove garlic; ½ lb ground beef; 4 tsp taco seasoning; 2 leaves iceberg lettuce; 3 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice; ½ cup Mexican-style shredded cheese; 1 Tbsp chili powder; ¼ tsp garlic powder; ¼ tsp onion powder; ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes); ¼ tsp dried oregano; ½ tsp paprika; 1½ tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

User Reviews

4.8

255 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings
2
Calories
820 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Japanese

Okinawa Taco Rice

Caleb Murray

Report

Okinawan Taco Rice is a surprisingly delicious fusion of Tex-Mex and Japanese cuisines with flavorful taco fixings served on a bed of hot Japanese white rice. It‘s a satisfying, unique comfort food that‘s quick to make for a weeknight dinner!

Share:

I Made This!

191 people made this

Print

51 people printed this

Save this

153 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings

For the Salsa

½ red onion (divided; one-quarter for the salsa and three-quarters for the taco meat)
½ tomato (or 1 small tomato)
5 sprigs cilantro (coriander)
½ lemon

For the Taco Meat

1 Tbsp neutral oil
1 clove garlic
½ lb ground beef (I used 85% lean)
4 tsp taco seasoning (store bought or follow the recipe below)

For Serving

2 leaves iceberg lettuce
3 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice
½ cup Mexican-style shredded cheese

For the Taco Seasoning (makes about 2½ Tbsp)

1 Tbsp chili powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes)
¼ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp paprika
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Gather all the ingredients. For the Japanese short-grain rice, 1½ rice cooker cups (180 ml x 1.5 = 270 ml) of uncooked rice yields roughly 3 US cups of cooked rice. See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, a pot over the stove, an Instant Pot, or a donabe.

To Make the Taco Seasoning

In a mason jar (or a plastic bag), combine all the ingredients for the taco seasoning: 1 Tbsp chili powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes), ¼ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp paprika, 1½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Shake well to mix together.

To Prepare the Ingredients

Mince 1 clove garlic and set aside; we will use this for stir-frying the meat.
Mince ½ red onion (we call this cutting technique mijingiri in Japanese). Lay one half on an onion flat side down on the cutting board. With the knife tip pointing toward the root end, make ⅛-inch vertical slices to within ½ inch of the root end. Then, with the knife edge toward the root end, make ⅛-inch horizontal slices, again keeping the root intact. Finally, make perpendicular cuts down through the vertical slices you made. If you need to chop the onions finer, run your knife through them using a rocking motion. Hold down the tip of the knife; otherwise, the onions will go flying around the room.
Cut 2 leaves iceberg lettuce into thin strips. Set aside for serving.

To Make the Salsa

Cut ½ tomato (or 1 small tomato) into small cubes.
Chop 5 sprigs cilantro (coriander) into small pieces.
Combine one-quarter of the chopped red onion, the tomato, and the cilantro in a medium bowl and squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into the bowl. Mix well together. Set aside.

To Cook the Taco Meat

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and the minced garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant. Then, add the remaining three-quarters of the chopped red onion and sauté until coated with oil.
Add ½ lb ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces using a spatula.
Add 4 tsp taco seasoning (roughly 2 tsp for every ¼ lb of meat) and combine well with the meat. When the ground beef is cooked through, turn off the heat.

To Assemble the Taco Rice

Divide 3 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice among individual serving plates or bowls. Put the taco meat on the rice. Then, top with ½ cup Mexican-style shredded cheese, the lettuce, and the tomato salsa, to your liking. Serve with extra salsa and enjoy!

To Store

You can keep the leftover Taco Rice in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to a month (remove the lettuce and tomatoes before freezing). Put any leftover taco seasoning in a jar and store in a cool, dark place.

Notes

Taco Seasoning: This taco seasoning recipe is from All Recipes.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 820kcal (41%) Carbohydrates 92g (31%) Protein 37g (74%) Fat 34g (52%) Saturated Fat 17g (85%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 11g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 104mg (35%) Sodium 909mg (38%) Potassium 769mg (22%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 2360IU (47%) Vitamin C 23mg (26%) Calcium 267mg (27%) Iron 9mg (50%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 820 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	820kcal	41%
Carbohydrates	92g	31%
Protein	37g	74%
Fat	34g	52%
Saturated Fat	17g	85%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	11g	55%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	104mg	35%
Sodium	909mg	38%
Potassium	769mg	16%
Fiber	4g	16%
Sugar	4g	8%
Vitamin A	2360IU	47%
Vitamin C	23mg	26%
Calcium	267mg	27%
Iron	9mg	50%