As a delicious addition to our Okinawa Travel Series that Mr. JOC has been writing (Here’s Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 coming soon), I’ve been sharing Okinawan recipes including Rafute, Sata Andagi, Taco Rice, and Okinawa Soba (coming soon). Among these dishes, Taco Rice (タコライス) was my son’s favorite, begging me now to make it every week. Mr. JOC wasn’t sure about the combination of tacos and Japanese steamed rice, but he was pleasantly surprised how good it tasted. Whether or not you’re a big fan of Tex-Mex tacos, give this recipe a try. Your family will love it! It’s so easy to make, and is perfect for a weeknight meal. You can prepare taco meat and individual toppings ahead of time, and assemble right before you are ready to eat.

What’s Taco Rice?

Taco Rice is an Okinawan dish in which the ingredients of a Tex-Mex taco – ground beef, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes – are served on a bed of warm rice, with salsa on top. This fusion dish was first created in 1984 by a Japanese restaurant owner, Matsuzo Gibo, who wanted to create an affordable yet fulfilling meal that can be made quickly and enjoyed by the young American military. His restaurant was nearby the American military base and he thought combining tacos, which were already popular among the American military, and Japanese staple dish, steamed rice would be a winning team. True enough, a simple twist to something familiar not only opened the door of his restaurant to more American customers, it had also created quite a sensation in the island that the locals quickly embraced. It may not be a classic Okinawan dish like Rafute, Sata Andagi, or Okinawa Soba, but Taco Rice encapsulates the spirit of the island where cultures are constantly evolving and influencing each other. Now a new Okinawa’s specialty food, you can find taco rice being served on family dinner tables throughout the prefecture.

Homemade Taco Seasonings

If you look up a Taco Rice recipe in Japanese online, you will notice that a lot of recipes use soy sauce, Tonkatsu sauce, curry powder, or ketchup. In Okinawa, you can get a packet of taco seasoning easily since American military base is there. But in the mainland, taco seasoning is not easy to get. I think that’s why the taco meat is always seasoned with some common Japanese condiments that are available in a Japanese kitchen. For my recipe, I followed this taco seasoning recipe online to make my taco meat as I have all the seasonings at home. If you don’t want to get individual bottles of spices just to make this recipe, consider getting a packet of taco seasoning for a quick fix. But these spices are fairly common and you either already have them or will be using them in other recipes. So it is a good investment too!

During our recent trip to Okinawa, we couldn’t make it to the original restaurant that taco rice was created due to the limited time we had. It’s called King Tacos (キングタコス) and currently there are 6 King Tacos locations within Okinawa. The Nagata and Futenma locations in Ginowan, the Misato location in Okinawa city, the Agena and Yokatsu locations in Uruma, and the flagship location in Kin. The original King Tacos store is located:

For now, you want to add this Taco Rice to your Taco Thursday menu! It is gluten-free friendly too. I keep my toppings fairly simple, but this fusion rice bowl is open for customization. Feel free to dress them up with whatever you have in hand. Avocado slices, crumbled feta, pickled jalapeno or roasted vegetables. Just don’t forget to finish it off with plenty of bright, fresh cilantro and the lime slices! Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for the FREE Just One Cookbook newsletter delivered to your inbox! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.