Taco Bowl Recipe

Cook rice

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. In a medium saucepan, bring 2.5 cups water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a gentle boil. Add the rinsed rice, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Warm and season beans

While rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add drained and rinsed black beans, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cook 4–5 minutes until heated through and spices fragrant. Taste and add salt to preference. Keep warm until assembly.

Quick-pickle onions

Place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves (about 1–2 minutes). Pour the hot pickling liquid over the onions, press down to submerge, and let cool to room temperature, about 15–20 minutes. They can be used immediately or refrigerated up to 1 week.

Prepare tomatoes and jalapeños

Halve the baby tomatoes and thinly slice the jalapeño (remove seeds if you want less heat). Set aside for assembly.

Make cilantro crema

In a blender or food processor combine 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until smooth. Taste and add a pinch of salt and additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach a pourable sauce consistency. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Crumble cheese and prep chips

Crumble 3/4 cup queso fresco and roughly break blue corn chips into bite-sized pieces. Keep both at room temperature for assembly.

Divide the warm rice evenly among four bowls (about 3/4 cup cooked rice per serving). Spoon warm seasoned black beans over or beside the rice (about 1/4 of the beans per bowl).

Add pickled red onions (a few tablespoons per bowl), halved baby tomatoes (about 1/4 cup per bowl), and 2–3 slices of jalapeño to each bowl, arranging for color and texture contrast.

Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons cilantro crema over each bowl. Sprinkle crumbled queso fresco (approx. 3 tablespoons) over the top.

Finish each bowl with a small handful (about 1/3–1/2 cup) of broken blue corn chips for crunch and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and a lime wedge. Serve immediately so chips remain crisp.