Taco Rice is an easy to prepare meal which can be tailored to the taste preferences of those being served. It can easily be a dinner meal under five dollars for those on a budget. It's easy to make this rice meal.

Taco rice is a combination of two favorite dishes: tacos and rice. For a more filling, cost effective means of enjoying the taco taste, convert the tortilla-based meal into a Mexican casserole style dish with a rice base. Serving the taco meat and condiments with rice rather than a tortilla shifts the responsibility of being the filler to the lower cost rice ingredient. Taco rice can certainly qualify as a cheap dinner meal but the taste can be varied depending on the person.

As a rice based dish, this American style Mexican food (often known as Tex-Mex) won’t make it’s way to the low carb menu plan but it can qualify as a budget meal. Buying ground beef on sale will make the meal more budget-friendly and using a coupon for your favorite taco sauce helps cut cost, too. With rice as a cost- effective starting point, this meal can be added to a weekly meal plan when grocery dollars are tight. Other cost cutting measures to reduce the take-home price of your taco rice ingredients include reducing the amount of meat used or substituting beans for part of the meat. Mexican food recipes are versatile and allow for beans to be incorporated without negative impact on the dish. Taco rice can even be served as a vegetarian Mexican recipe by using tofu or vegetable soy crumbles in place of the meat.

Regardless of the style or variety chosen, this Mexican rice recipe is a low cost, family pleasing meal.

To make Taco Rice you will need these ingredients:

• 1/3 cup dry rice per person
• 1 pound ground beef
• Chopped tomatoes
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Shredded lettuce
• Taco Sauce or Salsa
• 1 Taco Seasoning Mix or ingredients to make your own shown below

Making your own taco seasoning can be a healthier way of seasoning your meat. If there are particular spices which are not a family favorite, making your own seasoning gives you the chance to eliminate those from the mix. Possible ingredients in your taco seasoning mix may include:

• 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 tsp beef bouillon granules or 1 beef bouillon cube - crushedhttp://recipes.robbiehaf.com/T/93.htm
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp onion salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp dried oreganohttp://www.grouprecipes.com/5616/best-ever-taco-seasoning-mix.html
• 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram http://busycooks.about.com/od/homemademixes/r/tacoseasonmix.htm
• 1⁄2 tsp sea salthttp://www.grouprecipes.com/101504/diy-taco-seasoning.html

Mix your choice of these ingredients and store in a airtight container. When you wish to make a dish seasoned with a taco base, add 2 tablespoons of the seasoning and 1/2 cup of water for each pound of ground meat.http://busycooks.about.com/od/homemademixes/r/tacoseasonmix.htm

For those without an allergy to flour or corn starch ingredients, the addition of 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of corn starch to the seasoning mixture will provide a thickening agent which allows the meat mixture to be a creamier filling. http://recipes.robbiehaf.com/T/93.htm

1. Begin taco rice by preparing the rice. The 1/3 cup dry rice per person is based on cooking a long grain rice. If you choose to make an instant or minute rice plan on more rice per person. Each 1/3 cup of dry long grain rice will make about 1 cup of cooked rice. For taco rice, each adult will need about 1 cup of cooked rice.http://www.ces.purdue.edu/Monroe/how_much_how_many.htm You can prepare the recipe on the stove top, in the oven, or in a rice cooker. Another choice besides a plain white rice is to prepare a Mexican seasoned rice. To prepare the dinner in a quicker fashion, consider a rice mix which cooks while you are preparing the taco meat or use rice which is left over from the meal the night before.
2. Cook the taco meat. Start by browning the meat and draining the grease. Do not over cook as the meat will cook further while absorbing the seasoning. Once grease is drained, add taco seasoning packet or the quantity of your own homemade mix to the seasoning level desired and water according to directions. Simmer according to package directions.
3. While meat is simmering, chop tomatoes and lettuce and gather other ingredients.
4. Serve taco rice buffet style by adding rice to bowls and allowing guests to add meat and toppings. If quantity of meat is limited, consider providing rice bowl with meat already in place and allowing individuals to add toppings.

1. Taco Rice can be served as a Mexican Casserole by layering the items in a 9X13 pan starting with rice. Cover with meat, then cheese, tomatoes and sauce. Do not add lettuce to this version. End with cheese and bake at 350 degrees until melted.
2. If fresh tomatoes are not available place a can of diced tomatoes in a colander and allow excess liquid to drain.
3. Combine Mexican food recipes by using Spanish rice as the base for your Taco Rice.
4. Vegetarian Taco Rice can be prepared by using a Tofu Taco filling in place of the meat mixture. A Tofu Taco Rice is similar in nature to a Mabo Tofu dish. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tofu-tacos-i/detail.aspx