High-Protein Taco Bowl
Per serving (1 bowl, a quarter of the batch)
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
8g of protein per 100 calories, more than 8 of the other 27 dinner recipes here.
This bowl is taco night without the tortillas. The seasoned beef carries the protein, and cauliflower rice makes a lighter, lower-carb base that soaks up the seasoning.
Why you'll love this
- 45g of protein and 8g of fiber per serving
- Cilantro-lime cauliflower rice keeps it at 20g of carbs per serving
- Homemade taco seasoning, so you know exactly what's in it
Recipe
High-Protein Taco Bowl
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the pico: stir the tomatoes, red onion, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the juice of half the lime, and a pinch of salt together in a bowl, then set it aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the riced cauliflower and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender and any liquid has cooked off. Stir in the rest of the lime juice and cilantro, then move it to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
- Add the ground beef to the same skillet. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart as it browns, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Tip off any fat left in the pan.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the water and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the beef but is still a little saucy.
- Divide the cauliflower rice between 4 bowls. Top with the beef, pico, avocado, and cheddar, and add a spoonful of Greek yogurt to each.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowl
Notes
- I like the beef a little saucy so the seasoned juices soak into the cauliflower rice. If it cooks down too far, add a splash of water.
- I prefer moderate heat here. Hot sauce or jalapeños on top of each bowl lets everyone set their own.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 540 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 45g |
| Carbs | 20g |
| Fat | 33g |
| Fiber | 8g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Lean ground beef: FDC #171793 (Beef, ground, 90% lean meat / 10% fat, patty, cooked, pan-broiled), 25.21g protein / 204 kcal / 10.68g fat per 100g. 1.5 lb raw (680g) scaled to a 75% cooked yield for ground meat = 510g cooked.
- Taco seasoning: chili powder FDC #171319, 1 tbsp = 8g; cumin FDC #170923 (Spices, cumin seed), 2 tsp = 4g; garlic powder FDC #171325, 1 tsp = 3.1g; onion powder FDC #171327, 1 tsp = 2.4g; smoked paprika FDC #171329 (Spices, paprika), 1 tsp = 2.3g; oregano FDC #171328, 1/2 tsp = 0.5g. Salt and pepper not counted.
- Tomato paste: FDC #170459 (Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added), 1 tbsp = 16g.
- Riced cauliflower: FDC #169986 (Cauliflower, raw), 16 oz = 454g.
- Olive oil: FDC #171413 (Oil, olive, salad or cooking), 1 tbsp = 13.5g.
- Lime juice: FDC #168156 (Lime juice, raw), 1 lime = 44g (FDC: 1 lime yields 44g), half in the cauliflower rice and half in the pico.
- Cilantro: FDC #169997 (Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw), 1/2 cup = 8g (FDC: 1/4 cup = 4g).
- Tomatoes: FDC #170457 (Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average), 2 medium = 246g (FDC: 1 medium = 123g).
- Red onion: FDC #170000 (Onions, raw), 1/4 cup = 40g. No separate red-onion entry in FDC.
- Avocado: FDC #171705 (Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties), 1 avocado = 201g (FDC's own measure).
- Cheddar: FDC #173414 (Cheese, cheddar), 3/4 cup shredded = 85g (FDC: 1 cup shredded = 113g).
- Greek yogurt: FDC #170894 (Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfat), 1/2 cup = 113.5g (227g per cup, the site's standard).
- Batch totals: 178.8g protein, 2,153 kcal, 130.5g fat, 78.5g carb, 32.1g fiber; divided by 4.
Storage
Store the beef and the cauliflower rice in airtight containers in the refrigerator, and keep the pico and avocado separate so they stay fresh. Cooked meat keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and 2 to 6 months in the freezer, per the FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart. Reheat the beef and cauliflower rice before adding the cold toppings.
FAQ
Can I use regular rice instead of cauliflower rice?
Yes, but it changes the numbers. The macros here are calculated with cauliflower rice, which is what keeps this at 20g of carbs per serving. Regular rice adds far more carbs and calories.
Can I add beans?
Black or pinto beans work well and add protein and fiber, along with more carbs. The numbers on this recipe don’t include them.
Why Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
It fills the same role on top of the bowl and adds about 3g of protein per serving.
More bowls are in High-Protein Bowls, and the burger bowl uses the same lean ground beef with a cheeseburger spin.
For how 90/10 ground beef compares with ground turkey and chicken, see High-Protein Meats.
High-Protein Burger Bowl
A high-protein burger bowl with seasoned ground beef, cheddar, crisp romaine, pickles, and a Greek yogurt burger sauce: 45g of protein and 11g of carbs per serving.
High-Protein Chili
A high-protein beef chili with kidney beans and real spice: low-carb, meal-prep friendly, ready in the slow cooker.
High-Protein Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Zucchini Noodles
Garlic butter steak bites over zucchini noodles: a high-protein, low-carb dinner ready in about 25 minutes, one skillet start to finish.
High-Protein Grilled Steak
Grilled flank steak finished with garlic butter: a high-protein, low-carb dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
High-Protein Meatballs
Baked high-protein meatballs in marinara, made with almond flour instead of breadcrumbs: a gluten-free, low-carb dinner ready in under 45 minutes.
High-Protein Slow Cooker Beef and Cabbage Soup
A meal-prep-friendly slow cooker beef and cabbage soup: brown the beef first, cabbage goes in late so it stays tender, freezes well.