This Gal Cooks

Thirty Minute Quinoa Taco Bowls

Enjoy healthier, lower fat tacos without the rice or taco shells with these Thirty Minute Quinoa Taco Bowls. These are just like burrito bowls only you sub the rice with quinoa!

Thirty Minute Quinoa Taco Bowls - This Gal Cooks #glutenfree #healthygrains #groundturkey

Thirty Minute Quinoa Taco Bowls

Taco bowls. Yeah! I get pretty excited about taco bowls. I’ve only made them oh a thousand or so different ways. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating just a little. BUT, I am sharing another taco bowl recipe with you today. So that makes 1001, right?

This taco bowl is special. I made it with quinoa. Or as Ken called it “the stupid rice.” Ha. Stupid rice. I think that really means “the stuff that isn’t really rice.” Funny thing, though. Cause I know he likes quinoa. I’ve made it before to use in other recipes and he liked those recipes. I think he just thought it was a weird item to pair with a taco bowl. But I didn’t think it was weird at all. I love quinoa.

And did I mention that it’s healthy? Sure is. It’s pretty hefty on the nutrients.

Quinoa Taco Bowls - This Gal Cooks #glutenfree #healthygrains #groundturkey

I made these bowls on a whim. Once again, I had ingredients in my pantry and fridge that were screaming to be used. Screaming so loud that I had to use them up in fear that I was going to go completely insane due to the noise.

Ok, that’s not really how it went down. I was lazy. It was a long day at work. I wanted a tasty meal on the table super quick. And when I say table, I mean our coffee table in the living room or our desks upstairs. Cause you know we never use our perfectly fine dinner table. Unless its to take photos of my food creations. See, the dinner table gets some love too. Can’t be too stingy with the love.

So thirty minutes you say? Yep, thirty minutes I say. That’s about all it takes to prepare this meal. Actually, it’s probably less time then that but if you get distracted easily like I do, there’s some buffer time in there for you.

To cook the quinoa, simply place it in a rice cooker, following the directions as you would for rice. While the quinoa is cooking, cook your ground turkey, add taco seasoning and put together your toppings. Simply put, take the queso fresco, sour cream, cilantro and jalapenos out of the fridge and place them on your counter. When everything is done cooking, place in a bowl, top with toppings and enjoy!

Thirty Minute Quinoa Taco Bowls

Thirty Minute Quinoa Taco Bowls

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 packet of all natural taco seasoning (or you can use the equivalent of homemade, which is about 2 tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 3/4 C uncooked quinoa
  • 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 C water (the water measurement will be based on your rice cooker. If you cook via stove-top, follow the package instructions on the quiona for cooking)
  • Various toppings including jalapenos, sour cream, cilantro, queso fresco or your favorite shredded cheese

Instructions

  1. Cook the quinoa in your rice cooker. Follow the instructions you would use for cooking rice.
  2. In a skillet, cook the ground turkey until browned and thoroughly cooked.
  3. Mix the taco seasoning and 2 tbsp water into the ground turkey.
  4. Place the cooked quinoa in a serving bowl, top with ground turkey and your favorite toppings.

Notes

Calorie count is approximate with the toppings I used. Choice of toppings will alter nutrition content.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 350 Total Fat: 12g Carbohydrates: 27g Sugar: 1g Protein: 25g

 

Quinoa Taco Bowls - This Gal Cooks #glutenfree #healthygrains #groundturkey

 

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Homemade Taco Seasoning - This Gal Cooks #tacoseasoning #seasonings #tacos

Homemade Taco Seasoning

 

 

 

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33 comments on “Thirty Minute Quinoa Taco Bowls”

  1. I love this Julie! A great way to get quinoa into your diet (or your kids)!

  2. We love taco bowls and I love the idea of adding quinoa in here instead! So much healthier and a great new way to try to get my husband to eat more of it too hehe. This thirty minute meal sounds awesome and I’ll bet it tastes amazing:)

    • Thanks so much, Kelly! I have loved quinoa ever since I tried it about 4 years ago. I’m always thinking of other ways I can use it. Glad I came up with these taco bowls! Thanks for stopping by. :)

  3. I love taco bowls too! And I love when I see a quick weeknight meal. I’ve been in a rut with meal planning lately because, by the time I get home, I don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking dinner. I’m definitely adding these to my meal plan though. Pinned!

    • I know exactly how you feel. I often do not feel like cooking at all during the week. I kinda force myself to do it but we usually also go out once or twice per week, during the work week. But these quick, easy meals are perfect and don’t make me cringe when I think about cooking during the week. Thanks so much for stopping by, Ashley!

  4. I LOVE quinoa! Seriously could eat it all of the time! My son would probably eat it now if I added jalapenos to it!

  5. I must have this right now!! Please send me a bowl via email ;) I will definitely be trying this.

  6. I think I like “the stupid rice” better than the real thing hehe. Quinoa taco bowls? Girl, you’re a genius! These sound like the perfect weeknight dinner to me. So tasty, easy and nutritious!
    Have a wonderful weekend <3

  7. I love anyway of adding more quinoa into our diet. I love it as a replacement for rice and pasta. It’s is so much more nutritious!

  8. My dad makes fun of quinoa, but I know he secretly likes it. It’s one of my favorite foods!

  9. I love taco bowls, always a great and easy dinner!! Ken cracks me up…that stupid rice hahah. This bowl is a great way to get quinoa into our diets.

  10. Never had quinoa, but this taco bowl looks yummy! Stopping by from the SITS Comment Love Tribe.

    • Quinoa is so good! You should give it a try sometime. I have a few quinoa recipes on the blog and I will be sharing a breakfast quinoa recipe later this week. Have a lovely week and thanks for stopping by! :)

  11. Oh wow! This looks great! Gonna have to pin it. I am looking for good ways to use quinoa. I will be making these! Sharing some SITS love and enjoying your site!

  12. Hi Julie!!! I will have to pass this along to my friend. She eats quinoa a lot more than i do and she loves her burritos, haha. I think she’ll definitely get some use out of this!

    Sharing some SITS Girls comment love!

  13. I so have to try this! It looks AMAZING. New friend stopping by from SITS.

  14. I love quinoa! These sound amazing. I might have to make them tonight, or at least this week!

  15. Haha “stupid rice” that’s awesome. My husband doesn’t like quinoa so I had to laugh. This looks amazing! I love that it’s easy for week day dinners. Pinned to make. :)

  16. What a great idea! These look yummy, pinning now :)