Why you’ll love this ground beef tacos recipe:
This is my go-to recipe for ground beef tacos! It’s the perfect base, great for customizing with all your favorite toppings.
- Flavorful: Taco seasoning provides that classic smoky, slightly spicy taste.
- Juicy: Step 3 ensures you’ll get to enjoy juicy delicious meat. And never worry about dry ground beef again!
- Versatile: Besides tacos, you can use ground beef taco meat for burritos, loaded nachos, and even omellet.
Not to mention the fact that ground beef tacos are the ultimate hack for busy weeknights because they’re made in just 20 minutes! Getting dinner on the table has never been easier!
Serve them plain or loaded with toppings, and complete the meal with a side of cilantro lime rice and Instant Pot refried beans.
Key Ingredient Notes:
- Ground beef – I like to use 90/10 lean ground beef. You’ll want a little bit of fat for flavor and to oil the skillet. But you can also use 80/20 ground beef too. If too much oil is left over after browning, you can soak it up with paper towels.
- Taco seasoning: I like to use my homemade taco seasoning mix, made with cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. A store-bought packet is okay, too! Just be sure to keep an eye on the sodium content if you’re using store-bought. If it’s extra salty, you may want to omit the added salt.
- Kosher salt rounds out the overall flavor of the taco meat.
- Black pepper adds just a hint of spiciness.
- Beef broth – I like to use either low-sodium beef broth or plain water for this ground beef tacos recipe. The added liquid makes the taco meat a little saucy and ensures it doesn’t dry out.
How to make ground beef tacos:
Learn how to make tacos with ground beef in just a few simple steps. They’re seriously so easy!
1. Brown the meat
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground beef.
- Brown the beef while breaking it apart with a wooden spoon.
- Add the seasoning, and cook the beef for about a minute, stirring well.
- Pour the beef broth (or water) into the skillet, and continue cooking the beef until it’s cooked through, about 5 minutes.
TIP: I never oil my pan before adding ground beef. As ground beef cooks, it naturally releases fat, which oils the surface of the skillet and prevents the meat from sticking. Feel free to add about a tablespoon of oil if you want, but it most likely isn’t necessary!
2. Assemble and serve
- Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in your oven, air fryer, or over an open flame if you have a gas stove.
- When you’re ready to serve, scoop the taco meat over the tortillas, and add any of your favorite toppings.
Toppings for Ground Beef Tacos:
If you want to make the BEST ground beef taco recipe, you need to take your toppings seriously! Don’t skimp on quality ingredients, and prepare them fresh if you have time.
Here are some of my favorite ground beef taco toppings:
- Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and pickled onions.
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend, crumbled cotija, and shredded cheddar.
- Fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and diced jalapeño peppers.
- Pico de gallo, salsa, and guacamole.
Time-Saving Tips:
- Ground beef taco toppings like lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes, and onions can be chopped 1-2 days in advance. Store in airtight container in the fridge.
- Don’t worry about making guacamole and pico from scratch. Storebought is perfectly fine!
- If you’re using homemade taco seasoning, make a double batch so you always have some on hand.
Make-Ahead Tips:
Ground beef taco meat is great to make ahead because it stores really well. You can prepare your taco meat well in advance. Then, simply reheat it when you’re ready to serve the ground beef tacos.
- Store the taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. (TIP: Add a splash of water to prevent drying out the meat.)
- It’s best to assemble the tacos fresh when you’re ready to serve.
Storing Tips:
Leftover ground beef tacos wrapped in tortillas with toppings added won’t store well. The tortilla shells will become soggy, and the toppings will lose their freshness. If possible, it’s best to store each component separately.
Store the ground beef taco meat, tortillas, and toppings in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
FAQs:
For tacos, you’ll want to use either 80/20 (80% lean meat and 20% fat) or 90/10 (90% lean meat and 10% fat) ground beef. You don’t want too much fat, because your taco meat will be overly greasy. However, a small amount of fat ensures the ground beef is flavorful and juicy.
You can freeze ground beef taco meat for up to 3 months. To freeze, allow the cooked and seasoned ground beef to cool completely. Then, transfer it to a large, zip-top plastic freezer bag. Squeeze out all the air, seal the bag, and lay it flat on a freezer shelf. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to serve.
A good rule of thumb is to serve 4 ounces, or ¼ pounds, of cooked taco meat per person. This rule is just a starting point, though! Young children will likely eat much less, while teenage boys and extra-hungry adults could easily eat 2-3 times as much!
More Taco Recipes:
Ground Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef Note 1
- 5 teaspoons taco seasoning Note 2
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup beef broth or water
Toppings:
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime
- Pico de gallo
- Jalapeno
Instructions
- Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and brown it, while breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. (TIP: I don’t use any oil when browning ground beef. But if needed, feel free to heat about a tablespoon of olive oil before adding the beef.)1 lb lean ground beef
- Add the seasoning and cook for a minute stirring well.5 teaspoons taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pour in water and cook the beef until cooked about 5 minutes.½ cup beef broth
- Meanwhile, warm up the tortillas in the oven, air fryer, or over open flames, if you have a gas stove.8 corn or flour tortillas
- Scoop the taco meat over the tortillas and top with your favorite toppings.Shredded lettuce, Shredded Mexican cheese blend, Fresh cilantro, Lime, Pico de gallo, Jalapeno
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
– Store the ground beef taco meat, tortillas, and toppings in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
– Freeze leftover taco meat for up to 3 months.
– Thaw frozen meat in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat it in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
Tried this recipe?
Make sure to leave a recipe review below!
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
Comments + Reviews