I originally found this Taco Bake recipe from a Facebook Reel and decided to give it a shot, although I made a few modifications that better suited me. My biggest goals for these modifications were increasing fiber and simplifying.
For one, I always use brown rice in place of white, but here I also swapped half of the rice for riced cauliflower (broccoli would work too). This keeps the calories low while increasing fiber, and it offers some more micronutrients. I buy this in an 8 oz, shelf-stable pouch, so I used the whole thing. A bag of frozen would be fine, too. I also added diced zucchini and chia seeds for more fiber without much impact at all to taste or overall calories, and swapped the red pepper for an orange one, just to give more color variety in the dish (eat the rainbow, and all).
Although there is a bit of prep, such as chopping or grating veggies, it is mostly just mix and bake. Using so many canned options helps keep it simple, and I intentionally optimized this recipe to use one full can or packet of each thing, so you don’t have to measure anything, and you’re not stuck with the last 1/4 cup from your standard size can of corn. Why are more recipes not like this?
Furthermore, almost everything is optional. Out of carrots? Don’t feel like cutting an onion tonight? Omit them. Prefer quinoa over rice? Great! The only things that are key to the flavor and overall composition of the meal are having some sort of grain, liquid for the grain to cook in, beef or a substitute for it, some veggies for bulk, and the seasonings. I make it slightly different each time,
Taco Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (97% lean)
- ½ cup dry brown rice
- 8 oz riced cauliflower or broccoli (fresh or frozen)
- 1½ cups beef stock (15 oz can)
- 1½ cups canned corn (15 oz can, drained)
- 1½ cups canned black beans (15 oz can, drained)
- 1¾ cups cherry tomatoes (halved) (10 oz container)
- 1 cup orange bell pepper (about 1 medium, diced)
- ¾ cup carrot (grated or diced)
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (grated or diced)
- 1 cup diced white onion (about 1 medium)
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning (1 packet)
- 2 tbsp lime juice (1 lime)
- 1 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned (5–7 min), breaking it up with a spoon.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except cheese and cilantro. Mix well.
- Transfer mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish, spreading evenly. Cover with foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle mozzarella on top, and bake uncovered for 10–15 minutes until cheese is golden.
- Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro (optional).
