Name: Ground Beef Burrito Bowls with Cilantro-Lime Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1½ cups long-grain rice; 2¼ cups chicken broth; 2 limes, zested and juiced, divided; A handful cilantro, chopped, divided; 1 lb ground beef, 80/20; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp smoked paprika; ½ tsp dried oregano; 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 cup corn kernels; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; ¼ cup red onion, diced; 1 avocado, sliced; 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack; To finish sour cream and lime wedges

Ground Beef Burrito Bowls with Cilantro-Lime Rice

Skillet taco beef, lime-cilantro rice, and all the fixings, built to portion into containers for the week.

Serves

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Written

August 9, 2026

Ingredients

1½ cups long-grain rice

2¼ cups chicken broth

2 limes, zested and juiced, divided

A handful cilantro, chopped, divided

1 lb ground beef, 80/20

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp dried oregano

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup corn kernels

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup red onion, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack

To finish sour cream and lime wedges

Method

Combine the rice and broth in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Let it sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes, then fluff and stir in half the lime zest and juice and half the cilantro.

While the rice cooks, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it goes, until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain off excess fat.

Stir the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano into the beef along with ¼ cup water. Simmer until the liquid has mostly cooked off and the beef looks glossy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Wipe out the skillet and set it over high heat. Add the corn in a single layer and cook undisturbed until charred in spots, about 4 minutes.

Warm the black beans in a small pot or the microwave.

Divide the rice among bowls and top with the beef, black beans, charred corn, tomatoes, red onion, and avocado. Scatter the cheese over top while everything is still warm enough to soften it.

Finish with the remaining lime zest, juice, and cilantro, plus sour cream and lime wedges.

Notes

The beef only needs a splash of water and a few minutes to go from browned-and-dry to a glossy, cling-to-the-spoon filling — resist the urge to add more liquid or you’ll end up simmering taco soup instead. Char the corn in the same skillet you browned the beef in; the fond left behind does more for the corn than any seasoning would.

These keep for four days in the fridge if you pack the avocado and sour cream separately and add them at serving time. Swap the beef for shredded rotisserie chicken or a second can of beans if you want to rotate proteins through the week without changing anything else.