Taco Rice - Salu Salo Recipes (2024)

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January 17, 2013 by Liza Agbanlog 14 Comments

My oldest son went to Japan over the Christmas break. He spent most of his time in Osaka but went to visit Okinawa for couple of days. While in Okinawa, he was able to try some of the island’s famous dishes like Okinawan soba and taco rice. Taco rice is so popular amongst the Okinawan people; even schoolchildren have it in their bento box for lunch.

Taco rice is the Okinawan adapted version of the Mexican dish, taco. It consists of cooked seasoned ground beef spread over a bed of rice and then topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese. Salsa and sour cream may also be added.

For this recipe, I used the store bought taco seasoning to flavor my ground beef. The cooked beef was tasty and delicious. Eating it with rice was already good. Eating it with shredded lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, salsa and sour cream was even better. Yummy 😀

5.0 from 1 reviews

Taco Rice

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

Serves: 4 servings

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Comments

Justin Turner
June 8, 2020 at 12:51 pm
My family has been making this since the 80’s and I never knew what it was called, glad to see it actually quantified here.
about halfway into the 90’s though we swapped the Lettuce for Sweet pea’s and never looked back
Reply
Maggie
May 22, 2013 at 9:30 am
I wish you could have some soba, it is so delicious!! My husband and I joked about taco rice when we first got here but it soon became a staple I’m our house (coming from Cali we always have taco fixin’s laying around). They do Mexican a little different around here, I had a burrito that was smothered on Italian dressing and sliced garlic…it was good, but odd!
Reply
- Liza
  May 22, 2013 at 8:25 pm
  Hi Maggie,
  Thanks for writing:) Yeah,my son was still raving about the Okinawan soba. He said it was really delicious. As for taco rice, he even suggested topping it with Japanese curry, something worth trying in the future 🙂
  Reply
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Anonymous
February 16, 2013 at 12:51 pm
I lived in okinawa for 4 years, loved the taco rice, the place i ate it at was by the marine base, also loved ocean tacos, man those were good!
Reply
Laura
February 4, 2013 at 9:45 am
I’m always looking for a different idea for leftover taco meat. This is happening for my lunch today – thank you!
Reply
- Liza
  February 4, 2013 at 5:46 pm
  My pleasure 🙂
  Reply
Charmyka
January 27, 2013 at 1:34 pm
I tried this today. I substituted ground turkey & brown rice. I omitted the lettuce and tomatoes (I didn’t have any) and added some avocado dressing I made and it was delicious.
Reply
- Liza
  January 27, 2013 at 4:08 pm
  That’s wonderful! Sounds delicious 🙂
  Reply
Sandy
January 26, 2013 at 4:07 pm
I have been making “Japanese Tacos” for 15 years. We let students from Japan stay in our home while going to the university to study English. Tacos were a staple in our house and one of the students said, “Tonight, I will make you Japanese tacos.” Everything was the same except he used rice. My family has made them ever since then. However, mine have never looked as beautiful as yours do!!!
Reply
- Liza
  January 26, 2013 at 4:18 pm
  Thanks Sandy 🙂
  Reply
peachy @ The Peach Kitchen
January 18, 2013 at 2:53 am
Beautiful Taco Rice!!
Reply
- Liza
  January 18, 2013 at 6:47 am
  Thanks 🙂
  Reply
Jordyn
January 18, 2013 at 2:14 am
Great picture! I love taco rice, but I have the advantage of living in Okinawa 🙂 If you want a more local twist- try adding some corn (weird, I know, but they put it on everything), diced cucumbers or flavored mayonnaise dressings on top! I like ’em plain though, and yours looks delish!
Reply
- Liza
  January 18, 2013 at 6:48 am
  Hi Jordyn,
  Great idea! I’ll try it next time. Thanks 🙂
  Reply

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FAQs

What is the difference between Spanish rice and taco rice? ›

One of the main differences between these two rice dishes is that Mexican rice is fluffier and tends not to stick together. Whilst Spanish Rice is known for that rich yellow color, Mexican Rice is best known for its reddish orange hue that it gets from being cooked with cumin.

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Can you put rice in your tacos? ›

Beef and Spanish Rice Tacos

Spoon a layer of Spanish rice onto each tortilla. Add seasoned ground beef. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Read The Full Story ›

Why does Mexican restaurant rice taste better? ›

Why does Mexican restaurant rice taste better? The method used to make Mexican rice involves lightly frying the uncooked rice in oil which helps it absorb more flavor from the seasoning and cook to a perfect consistency. In addition, a traditional blend of spices and diced vegetables and potatoes create unique flavor.

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Why is rice at Mexican restaurants orange? ›

Did you ever wonder why Mexican rice is a red-orange color? Cumin is the answer. It provides that nutty and spicy taste and is the famous culprit for the red-orange color. Cumin is always an ingredient in this rice.

Get More Info Here ›

What is taco rice made of? ›

Taco rice (タコライス, takoraisu) is a popular example of modern Okinawan cuisine. It consists of taco-flavored ground beef served on a bed of rice, frequently served with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato and salsa.

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What rice is closest to Spanish rice? ›

Best substitute for paella rice is risotto rice (arborio rice) which has similar characteristics ie. ability to absorb lots of liquid, except risotto goes creamy if you stir it. The next best is medium grain rice – the same rice I use for rice pudding.

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What kind of rice is Spanish rice made of? ›

Rice: Long grain white rice works perfectly for this easy Spanish rice recipe. You can use brown rice or cauliflower rice to lighten it up. Just make sure that if you are using brown rice to add more liquid and additional cooking time. Onion + Garlic: Add so much flavor to the rice.

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Why do people call Mexican rice Spanish rice? ›

As the Spaniards continued their travels around the world, they visited Asia, and from there they brought back wheat and rice to Mexico. Since the Spanish originally introduced rice to Mexico, it makes sense that a traditional rice dish would be called "Spanish rice."

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