Taco Rice is a fun culture-crossing fusion dish from Okinawa!
Japan is the king of taking inspiration from other cultures foods and twisting it to make it fit the Japanese palate. Taco Rice is the perfect example of this. It’s a popular dish from Okinawa, one of Japan’s most southernmost islands. Okinawa has one of the biggest American military bases in Japan and is known for its beautiful beaches and laid back attitude.
Taco rice was created in the 1960s by a Japanese chef who combined tacos, which were popular with the American military stationed in Okinawa, and rice, a staple of Japanese cooking. It was meant to ease the homesickness of the military members as well as appeal to the Okinawan locals. While it’s not traditionally Okinawan, it’s one of the most popular Okinawan dishes to make.
This is really fast and easy to make – from prepped to served in under 30 minutes! A friend recently asked if it’s like a burrito bowl from Chiptole and honestly, it’s sort of a dumbed down version of it. Growing up in Los Angeles, Taco Rice is a perfect combo of two cuisines I grew up enjoying and I almost always have all the ingredients on hand at home in my fridge and pantry. You can add any other toppings that you like, such as sour cream or more cilantro.
Taco Rice / タコライス
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1/2 tomato diced
- cilantro chopped
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 leaves lettuce
- 1 tbsp oil
- taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup water
- shredded cheese
- 3 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 1/4 of the chopped red onion, tomato, and cilantro. Squeeze the lemon on top and mix. This is the "salsa." Set aside.
- Cut the lettuce into thin strips.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook garlic until fragrant and add the rest of the red onion and sautee.
- Add the ground beef and break it into small pieces. Cook until browned.
- Add taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water and mix well until sauce is thick and sticking to the beef.
- Assemble the bowl: rice on the bottom, then top with lettuce, beef, salsa, and cheese. Enjoy!
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