These easy Paleo Taco Bowls are a fast and healthy weeknight dinner! Seasoned ground beef and cauliflower rice are piled into bowls with fresh vegetables, avocado and all your favorite toppings.
Plus it’s a one-pan, 30-minute recipe!
And these are also gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb and Whole30 taco bowls as well.
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Why this recipe works
Paleo Taco Bowls are a fun way to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. Instead of making your own tortillas or buying store-bought grain-free tortillas, you skip the tortillas entirely!
Instead, you cook ground beef with taco seasoning and pile it into bowls with Mexican-inspired cauliflower rice and all your favorite taco fixings.
So this easy Paleo bowl recipe can be customized so many ways – see below for a list of topping ideas. And leftovers reheat well too so they’re great for meal prep.
The list of ingredients might seem long but most of them are spices or pantry ingredients you probably have.
These Paleo and Whole30 taco bowls are so simple and fun they’ll be a part of your weekly recipe rotation in no time.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more as necessary
- 1 pound ground beef – anything from 85-93% is good
- taco seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot flour/starch
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle powder (optional)
- 1/3 cup water or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Mexican rice seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 (10-12 oz.) bag fresh or frozen cauliflower rice (not thawed if frozen)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- your favorite toppings:
- salsa
- guacamole
- sliced avocado
- dairy-free sour cream, such as Forager
- sliced fresh jalapenos
- pickled jalapenos
- sliced black olives
- shredded lettuce
- shredded cabbage
- diced red or white onion
- chopped fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
- crushed grain-free tortilla chips
Equipment:
- a medium skillet (10″)
- a cutting board
- a chef’s knife
- measuring spoons
- a measuring glass
- a heat-proof spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
- a medium mixing bowl
- a small mixing bowl
How to make Paleo Taco Bowls
For the beef:
Step 1
Mix all the taco seasoning together in a small bowl: arrowroot, cumin, chili powder, salt, oregano, garlic powder, coriander, onion powder and chipotle powder (if using).
Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Step 3
Once it runs quickly around the pan when the pan is tilted, add the ground beef. Break up the beef with a spatula as it cooks until completely browned, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 4
Create a little room in the middle of the pan, add a bit more oil and all the taco seasoning. Cook the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. (This is called “blooming” the spices and helps bring out their flavor.) Mix the spices into the beef.
Step 5
Stir in 1/3 cup of water or chicken broth and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until reduced and thickened.
Step 6
Remove the beef to a medium bowl and wipe out the pan.
For the cauliflower rice:
Step 1
Place the pan back over medium heat and add another tablespoon of avocado oil.
Step 2
Add the tomato paste and cook until darker in color, about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 3
Add the cumin, garlic powder, coriander, onion powder and paprika. Cook the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. The pan might get a little dry but that’s okay.
Step 4
Stir in the cauliflower rice and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender but not mushy, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Assemble:
Pile the ground beef, cauliflower rice, chopped bell pepper and halved tomatoes into 4 bowls.
Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
FAQ
You can use ground turkey, bison or chicken instead of ground beef
You can make these spicier by adding ground cayenne to the beef and/or cauliflower rice
You can use any fresh vegetables in the bowls you like, such as sautéed onions, zucchini or carrots, or roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes
Yep. The cooked beef and cauliflower rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave. You might need to add a bit more water to the beef if it looks dry.
Yes. The cooked beef and cauliflower rice can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave. You might need to add a bit more water to the beef if it looks dry.
Yep! The beef, cauliflower rice and vegetables are Whole30 as is. Check any labels on other ingredients such as salsa, pickled jalapenos, canned sliced olives, etc.
Omit the crushed tortilla chips if on a Whole30.
Other recipes you might like:
- Paleo Salmon Taco Bowls (Whole30)
- Paleo Nachos
- Ground Chicken Tacos (Paleo, Whole30)
- Taco Casserole (Paleo, Whole30)
- Slow Cooker Tacos Al Pastor (Paleo, Whole30)
- Chicken Tortilla Soup (Paleo, Whole30)
Paleo Taco Bowls (Whole30)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil plus more as necessary
For the beef:
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot flour/starch
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground chipotle powder optional
- 1 pound ground beef anything from 85-93% is fine
- ⅓ cup water or chicken broth
For the cauliflower rice:
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 (10-12 oz.) bag fresh or frozen cauliflower rice (not thawed if frozen)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Other ingredients:
- 1 large bell pepper any color, chopped
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- your favorite toppings (see list below recipe)
Instructions
For the beef:
- Mix all the taco seasonings together in a small bowl: arrowroot, cumin, chili powder, salt, oregano, garlic powder, coriander, onion powder and chipotle powder (if using).
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
- Once the oil runs quickly around the pan when the pan is tilted, add the ground beef. Break up the beef with a spatula as it cooks until completely browned, about 5-8 minutes.
- Create a little room in the middle of the pan, add a bit more oil and all the taco seasonings. Cook the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. (This is called "blooming" the spices and helps bring out their flavor.) Mix the spices into the beef.
- Stir in 1/3 cup of water or chicken broth and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until reduced and thickened.
- Remove the beef to a medium bowl and wipe out the pan.
For the cauliflower rice:
- Place the pan back over medium heat and add 1 more tablespoon of avocado oil.
- Add the tomato paste and cook until darker in color, about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the cumin, garlic powder, coriander, onion powder and paprika. Cook the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring frequently. The pan might look a little dry but that's okay.
- Stir in the cauliflower rice and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender but not mushy, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Assemble the bowls
- Pile the ground beef, cauliflower rice, chopped bell pepper and halved tomatoes into 4 bowls.Add your favorite toppings (see ideas below) and enjoy!
Notes
-
- salsa
- guacamole
- sliced avocado
- dairy-free sour cream, such as Forager
- sliced fresh jalapenos
- pickled jalapenos
- sliced black olives
- shredded lettuce
- shredded cabbage
- diced red or white onion
- chopped fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
- crushed grain-free tortilla chips
- You can use ground turkey, bison or chicken instead of ground beef
- You can make these spicier by adding ground cayenne to the beef and/or cauliflower rice
- You can use any fresh vegetables in the bowls you like, such as sautéed onions, zucchini or carrots, or roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes
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