An Edible Mosaic™

Everyday Fare With Extraordinary Flair

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • about
    • faq
    • legal
  • recipes
  • books
  • portfolio
  • my other blog
  • press
  • work with me
  • contact

Home » Recipes » Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing

Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing

March 21, 2018 by Faith Leave a Comment

Thank you to Mahatma Rice for sponsoring this post. I am happy for the opportunity to share brands that I believe in with my readers, and I hope you enjoy my recipe. As always, opinions stated are my own.

Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing make the perfect party food; you can set up a “taco bowl bar” and let everyone add their favorite toppings.

Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing on Dark Tray

Who doesn’t love a good salad bowl, right? Part of the appeal of a salad bowl is being able to pick and choose the components that go into it, which is why salad chains are becoming increasingly popular. But most of us don’t think about making a salad bowl topping bar at home!

The fun thing about putting together a taco bowl bar at home is that you can get the whole family involved. It’s basically a form of tacos, and we all know tacos have nearly endless variations. Maybe one kid’s favorite topping is guacamole, and maybe it’s shredded cheese for another. The real beauty of this lies in the fact that a) they’re eating healthy foods, and b) they’re getting involved in making it!

Looking Into Bag of Mahatma Rice

Front View of Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing

There are a couple of components to these salad bowls that need to be cooked, but they both require minimal effort to whip up and making them from scratch really makes all the difference. The first thing is the taco meat; I used turkey here, but ground beef is also delicious. Onion, garlic, tomato paste, and a few spices (including taco spice mix) are the main flavorings for the meat, and we’re basically just browning up the meat and letting the mixture thicken for a couple minutes.

The other part of this meal that is cooked up is the rice; not to fear though, rice is incredibly easy to make! I have a couple tricks: 1) I always soak my rice before cooking it to help remove some of the excess starch coating the grains (so the rice is fluffier, and not as sticky) and to help prevent the grains from breaking apart, and 2) I toast the rice in a little ghee before cooking to give it a slightly nutty aroma and flavor. I used Mahatma Organic White Rice, which I recently found out is the top-selling brand of rice in the US! Take a look at their store locator to see where you can buy it.

Mahatma Rice

The other thing about these salad bowls that bears noting is the dressing. I typically make my own dressing because I like to customize it around the salad I’m making, but you can go with your favorite store-bought dressing (something with a southwest flair would be great here) to shave a couple minutes off the prep time.

Putting Together Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing

These salad bowls are great party food, and if you’re a basketball fan, they would be fun for March Madness. You can use smaller-sized bowls for appetizer portions or bigger bowls for a full meal. It’s definitely crowd-pleasing food!

Close Up of Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing

Print
Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing
Author: Faith Gorsky
Prep time:  45 mins
Cook time:  15 mins
Total time:  1 hour
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing make the perfect party food; you can set up a “taco bowl bar” and let everyone add their favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Rice:
  • 1 cup Mahatma Organic White Rice
  • 2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee), or an oil with a high smoke point
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1¼ cups (300 ml) boiling water
Turkey Taco Meat:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb (450 g) ground turkey
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon taco spice mix (see Note)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing (or use your favorite store-bought dressing):
  • ½ cup mayo
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons salsa
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • ½ teaspoon taco spice mix (see Note)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salad:
  • 8 cups mixed baby greens
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 oz (115 g) cheddar, shredded or cubed
Optional Topping Ideas:
  • Salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Chopped olives
  • Fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
  1. For the rice, add the rice to a medium bowl and cover by 3 inches with tepid water. Soak the rice for 20 minutes, changing the water a couple times, and then drain well through a fine mesh sieve. Add the ghee to a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the rice and cook until it starts to smell nutty, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the salt and boiling water. Cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes (don’t open the pot during this time). After cooking, let the rice sit covered in the saucepan for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
  2. Meanwhile, make the taco meat. Add the oil, turkey, and onion to a medium-large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the meat is browned, about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, taco spice mix, cumin, salt, and tomato paste and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar.
  3. Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and refrigerate until using.
  4. To assemble the bowls, divide the baby greens between 4 bowls, and top with the rice, taco meat, tomatoes, onion, and cheddar. Serve along with the dressing to spoon on top.
Notes
Taco Spice Mix: You can use store-bought or make your own blend (my blend has ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper).
3.4.3177

Turkey Taco Rice Salad Bowls with Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing Long Pin

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: Easy Homemade Creamy Tex-Mex Dressing, Ground Turkey, Mahatma Rice, Recipes, Rice Bowls, Salad Bowls, Salads, Taco-Inspired Foods

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Rate this recipe:  


Hello! I’m Faith and I write An Edible Mosaic. This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics, with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. I focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home. Welcome to my mosaic of recipes.

Languages

archives

categories

meet faith

I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

faith's book

on instagram

anediblemosaic

anediblemosaic
#ad It even gets chilly in Florida (lows in the 40 #ad It even gets chilly in Florida (lows in the 40's! 🥶) and when it does, there's nothing better than cozying up with a bowl of soup. 🍜 With a balanced Thai flavor profile, fresh veggies, and ramen noodles, this 15-minute recipe might just become your favorite way to warm up this winter. 🥰 Find the recipe over on the @reducetarian blog --> https://www.reducetarian.org/recipes/thai-inspired-ramen

#reducetarian #eatyourveggies #ramenbowl #ramennoodles #ramen #noodles #noodlebowl #veganfood #foodphotography #photography #foodstyling #foodstylist @thefeedfeed #feedfeed #f52grams #thekitchn #saveur #bonappetit #huffposttaste #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #onmytable
Vanilla butter cake + cranberry jam + vanilla butt Vanilla butter cake + cranberry jam + vanilla buttercream + all the sparkle. ✨✨✨ The recipe is up on @anediblemosaic --> https://www.anediblemosaic.com/cranberry-cake-recipe/ but I have keto components for everything (yellow butter cake, cheesecake buttercream, and cranberry sauce) on my other site, Healthy Sweet Eats. 😘

#holidays #holidayseason #holidayvibes #festivevibes #festive #holidaze #foodstyling #foodstylist #cranberries #cranberryseason #f52grams #saveur #foodandwine #thekitchn #beautifulcuisines #cakesofinstagram #instacake #cakegram
Eggnog + cranberry + muffs = a quick and easy way Eggnog + cranberry + muffs = a quick and easy way to get in a festive mood. 🥰 This recipe is an oldie but a goodie on my site @anediblemosaic --> https://www.anediblemosaic.com/eggnog-muffins-with-cranberry-filling/

P.S. That's leftover cranberry sauce as the filling for those of you who are like me and still have some to use up. 🙈

#holidays #holidayseason #holidayvibes #holidaybaking #festivevibes #holidaze #foodstyling #foodstylist #bakingseason #f52grams #saveur #thekitchn #beautifulcuisines #eggnogseason #eggnog #cranberryseason #cranberries
Sugared Cranberries are the easiest way I know to Sugared Cranberries are the easiest way I know to add ✨sparkle✨ to cheese plates 🧀, charcuterie boards 🍖, festive cakes 🧁, and cookie trays 🍪 during the holidays. They're SO easy to make and they taste like nature's version of sweet/tart candy! Check out my step-by-step guide on @anediblemosaic --> https://www.anediblemosaic.com/sugared-cranberries-aka-candied-cranberries/

#holidays #holidayseason #holidayvibes #festivevibes #festive #holidaze #foodstyling #foodstylist #cranberries #cranberryseason #f52grams #saveur #foodandwine #thekitchn #beautifulcuisines
I shipped cookies to my family members this year b I shipped cookies to my family members this year because I’m not heading home for the holidays, and when I was thinking about what to bake I knew I wanted a few new things on the lineup! I’ve been wanting to come up with a recipe for Eggnog Cookies for a while and I’m pretty proud of these. 🥰 I couldn't wait to share the recipe with you! These are like sugar cookies, soft and chewy inside and slightly crispy outside, but with a festive eggnoggy twist. 💫 And bonus, they take just over half an hour to whip up. Recipe is up on @anediblemosaic --> https://www.anediblemosaic.com/eggnog-cookies/

#holidays #holidayseason #holidayvibes #holidaybaking #holidaycookies #festivevibes #holidaze #foodstyling #foodstylist #cookiesofinstagram #cookiegram #instacookies #bakingseason #f52grams #saveur #thekitchn #beautifulcuisines #eggnogseason #eggnog
Cranberry Cake, coming soon! 🥰❄️❤️ #fee Cranberry Cake, coming soon! 🥰❄️❤️ #feelingfestive #cranberryseason #foodstyling #foodphotography #merryandbright
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Home | About | FAQ | Legal | Recipes | Books | Portfolio | My Other Blog | Press | Work with Me | Contact

Copyright © 2021 | Faith Gorsky, An Edible Mosaic™ | All Rights Reserved Design by Deluxe Designs

This site uses cookies to ensure the best user experience possible.AcceptNo ThanksPrivacy policy