This Mexican haystack recipe is an easy meal that everyone loves! A tasty taco meat sauce ladled over a bed of rice, piled high with your favorite taco fixings.
I love a great customizable dinner recipe. For years, Hawaiian haystacks have been one of my go-to meals for feeding a crowd. This delicious Tex-Mex twist is a new favorite!
I found this recipe at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and adapted it to meet my family’s taste. It was an instant hit! Because everyone gets to choose their own toppings, everyone at the table is happy!
HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN HAYSTACKS
- RICE – Before you start the sauce, get the rice cooking so they will be done at about the same time. I use my rice cooker, but you can use your preferred method.
- HAMBURGER – Cook ground beef over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Drain off the fat.
- SEASONINGS – Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, minced onion, oregano, garlic, and flour.
- SIMMER – Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beans. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until it is as thick as you want it.
- TOPPINGS – While the sauce simmers, prepare your toppings. Wash and chop the vegetables and grate the cheese.
If you have leftovers, store the rice and sauce in separate containers. They will last in the refrigerator in airtight containers for 4-5 days.
You can also freeze the sauce for 3-4 months. Cool and chill it, then transfer to a heavy-duty ziploc bag or airtight container.
What is on a haystack?
It starts with a bed of rice and a hearty taco-seasoned meat sauce. You can add any toppings you can think of! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Shredded cheese – We like cheddar cheese, but you can use pepper jack or Mexican blend.
- Fresh diced tomatoes, salsa, or pico de gallo.
- Cooked corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- Diced avocado or guacamole
- Shredded lettuce
- Sliced black olives
- Sour cream or Cafe Rio cilantro lime dressing
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortilla strips, Fritos, or other chips
- Green onions
- Diced bell peppers or hot peppers
MEXICAN HAYSTACKS RECIPE VARIATIONS:
- Instead of white rice, you can use brown rice, cilantro lime rice, or even quinoa.
- Ground turkey or chicken can be used in place of the ground beef.
- For more heat, you can use a can of Rotel in place of the diced tomatoes, or add a can of green chilies.
- Refried beans, chili beans, or any other kind of beans can be substituted for the black beans.
MORE MEXICAN RECIPES
Yield: 6 servings
Mexican Haystack Recipe
A hearty taco meat mixture over a bed of rice, garnished with all your favorite taco fixings. An easy weeknight dinner recipe that even picky eaters love!
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp dry minced onion
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp dry minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (I like petite diced)
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- Toppings: shredded cheese, corn, diced avocados, black olives, pico or salsa, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, cilantro, sour cream, fritos corn chips or tortilla chips
Instructions
- Before you start the meat and bean mixture, start cooking your rice so it will be ready at about the same time.
- In a large 12-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until browned, breaking into small pieces. Drain off any fat.
- Add the salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, minced onion, oregano, garlic, and flour. Stir until the meat is evenly coated.
- Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium or medium-low.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until thickened.
- Serve the meat mixture over a hot bed of rice. Garnish with your favorite toppings.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 377Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 1048mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 8gSugar: 3gProtein: 30g
Nutrition is based on just the rice and sauce. Toppings aren’t included.
The entire family will love this Mexican haystack recipe! It’s a perfect dinner recipe for busy nights, and it can even be made ahead of time or frozen.