Okinawan Taco Rice Recipe Is a Budget-Friendly Dinner With History (30 Minutes) by Donna John
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Okinawan taco rice may look like a Mexican or Tex-Mex dish, but it originated in Okinawa, Japan. The signature Okinawan dish was created as an affordable meal for U.S. military personnel stationed there after the war. The Japanese/American fusion helped U.S. Marines taste the flavors of home. Instead of hard taco shells, seasoned taco meat was piled on short-grain rice and then toppings were added. The budget-friendly recipe became so popular, you can still find it on menus in Japan.
Like any recipe, this Japanese recipe has evolved and is different from family to family. This Okinawan taco rice recipe uses a creamy cheese sauce instead of grated cheddar cheese. The result is creaminess and cheesiness in every flavorful bite. My husband and I both enjoyed this dish and it has been added to my recipe binder.
To make this high-protein recipe for dinner you will need the following gluten-free ingredients from your pantry, fridge and spice rack: ground beef (you could use ground turkey), onion, fresh garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, ketchup (yes, ketchup), sharp cheddar cheese, cornstarch, evaporated milk, white rice, lettuce and tomato. While the traditional toppings are just tomatoes and lettuce, you can also grab any other taco toppings you like like avocado, sour cream, jalapenos, red onion, fresh cilantro and tortilla chips. (Check out the health benefits of protein.)
Note: You can skip making the cheese sauce and just use grated cheddar cheese, which is traditional. However, the cheese sauce is delicious and adds so much to the dish.
This Tex-Mex dinner ... I mean Japanese dinner ... is on the table in about 30 minutes. The taco-seasoned ground beef melds deliciously into the rice, but the cheese sauce takes this dinner with a history over the top.
Tanoshimu (enjoy)!
Cuisine: Japanese / Tex-Mex / Mexican / American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Taco Meat
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 teaspoons ketchup
- 1 cup water
Cheese Sauce
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 5 ounces (1 small can) evaporated milk
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
For Serving
- 3 - 4 cups cooked rice (Japanese short-grain rice is traditional, but I used jasmine rice)
- lettuce, shredded
- tomato, sliced or chopped
- tortilla chips (optional)
- fresh or pickled jalapenos (optional)
- red onion, chopped (optional)
- avocado, chopped (optional)
Here's how to make it:
- Cook the ground beef, onion and garlic in a skillet until meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season well with salt and black pepper. Break up the meat as you stir.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and ketchup. Stir and cook about 1 minute.
- Pour in the water.
- Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has absorbed, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more seasonings, if needed. Turn off the heat and set to the side.
- To make the cheese sauce, put all the ingredients into a small saucepot.
- Cook over low heat, stirring often, until it is smooth and thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. (You could omit this step and use grated cheddar cheese.)
- To serve, divide the rice between four plates. Top with some of the taco meat and spoon on some cheese sauce. Top with lettuce and tomato.
- Add any other additional toppings you may like. Serve. Store any leftover meat or sauce in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.
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