Taco Turkey Rice Bowl

Introduction

Welcome back to the Build-A-Bowl Series, where a few simple ingredients come together to make a satisfying meal.

Today’s Taco Turkey Rice Bowl gives Sunday’s Italian turkey meatballs a Southwestern makeover. Seasoned rice, black beans, fresh vegetables, and your favorite taco toppings transform leftovers into a colorful, protein-packed dinner that’s easy to customize with whatever you have on hand.

It’s another great example of stretching one meal prep session into several completely different dinners—all while keeping grocery costs under control.

💡 Meal Prep Shortcut

This recipe uses the Simple Italian Turkey Meatballs you prepared earlier in the week as part of the Stretch Every Grocery Dollar series.

Joining us midweek? Substitute 6 fully cooked frozen turkey meatballs, thawed and quartered.

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Taco Turkey Rice Bowl

Today's Taco Turkey Rice Bowl gives Sunday's Italian turkey meatballs a Southwestern makeover.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 485

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 6 cooked Italian turkey meatballs quartered
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn heated
• ½ cup diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ½ cup shredded lettuce
• ¼ cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup salsa
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream
• Fresh cilantro optional
• Lime wedges

Taco Seasoning

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• Pinch oregano
• Pinch black pepper

Method

 

1. Warm the turkey meatballs in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meatballs with 2 tablespoons of water and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring until coated.
3. Warm the rice, black beans, and corn.
4. Divide the rice between two bowls.
5. Arrange the seasoned meatballs, black beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, lettuce, and cheese over the rice.
6. Top with salsa and a dollop of Greek yogurt.
7. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Build-A-Bowl Tip

One of the best things about rice bowls is how easy they are to customize.

Try adding:

• Sliced avocado
• Jalapeños
• Bell peppers
• Pickled onions
• Diced cucumber
• Crushed tortilla chips
• Pico de gallo

Use what you already have—there’s no wrong way to build a bowl!

Tips & Variations

• Substitute brown rice with cauliflower rice for a lower-carb meal.
• Pinto beans work just as well as black beans.
• Skip the cheese to reduce saturated fat.
• Leftover grilled peppers or onions make a delicious addition.
• Everything except the lettuce stores well for easy lunches the next day.

🍽️ This Week’s Menu

• Sunday – Simple Italian Turkey Meatballs
• Monday – Italian Turkey Meatball Subs
• Tuesday – Mediterranean Turkey Rice Bowl
• Wednesday – Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup
• ⭐ Thursday – Taco Turkey Rice Bowl (Today’s Recipe)
• Friday – Five Ways to Stretch Ground Turkey
• Saturday – Six Budget-Friendly Turkey Meals

Bonus Recipes

• Turkey Fried Rice
• Refrigerator Clean-Out Quesadillas