Got 15 minutes? You can whip up the BEST Taco Meat Recipe you've ever had! It's made delicious with a simple homemade taco seasoning.
Savory, perfectly spiced, extremely flavorful - it's your classic ground beef taco recipe. It's super easy and perfect for weeknight dinners. Serve with crispy taco shells, soft tortillas, or corn tortillas and top with your favorite taco toppings!
WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS TACO MEAT RECIPE
Homemade Taco Meat only requires one pan. I'll take that, please! And using lean ground beef saves you the trouble of having to drain off excess fat and cleaning a pan twice. Double win!
This recipe is super simple and family friendly, perfect for busy nights. With this recipe I've got you -- dinner on the table in 15 minutes! Grown-ups and kids love it! If you are looking for more good recipes that are quick for those busy nights, check out our 30-minute meals!
To add more super simple taco dinners to your stash, try Tacos de Camaron or Tacos de Barbacoa.
INGREDIENTS FOR TACO MEAT
Ground Beef | As mentioned above, this recipe calls for a lean ground beef rather than 80/20 ground beef. This simple swap keeps you from having to drain off excess fat.
Tomato Sauce | It keeps your taco meat extra juicy (even when reheated the next day), while adding a welcomed pop of acidity to a super savory dish.
Water | The purpose of the water is solely to buy time for the simmering process. This way the meat can simmer, reduce, and take on more and more flavor!
TACO MEAT SEASONING
This seasoning is an extremely important part of the ingredient list! It features all the spices you'd find in a classic taco seasoning recipe: a combination of salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. If you'd like to add more heat, throw in a generous pinch of red pepper flakes.
This seasoning recipe is so much better than store bought taco seasoning. You can control the level of sodium and customize the flavors to best fit your family's palate this way.
HOW MUCH MEAT DO I NEED PER PERSON?
A typical serving of ground beef per person is 4-6 ounces. You can get away with a little less when it comes to tacos since they're usually topped off with all kinds of goodies.
However, we've found for our family of four, 1 pound of ground meat is not enough, and we eat fairly small portion sizes. This Taco Meat Recipe is equipped with 2 pounds, which will easily feed a family of four, and likely equip you with a leftover taco or two.
We use leftovers to pack in our girls lunches the next day; they love it!
HOW TO MAKE TACO MEAT
There's nothing like the smell of sizzling Taco Meat to make your mouth water and your stomach growl. Using simple ingredients, one pan, and a few tips below, I'll show you how to make it juicy and flavorful.
- Brown the Ground Beef | Add oil to a skillet over medium heat and bring to temperature. Add ground beef, break up, and cook until browned, stirring often.
- Add Remaining Ingredients | Add tomato sauce, spices, and water.
- Simmer | Allow to come to simmer and reduce heat to maintain simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes more.
TACO TOPPING IDEAS
Taco night couldn't be complete without everyone's favorite taco toppings! Here are few of the classics to help jog your memory...
- Shredded Lettuce
- Shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Ground beef tacos aren't the only way to put this Taco Meat Recipe to delicious use. Nachos, meat sauce over spaghetti, taco salad, taco soup, taquitos, beef enchiladas, chimichangas...the list goes on and on.
Classic taco night side dishes are Mexican rice, refried beans, andcharro beans.
Taco Meat is a great candidate for freezing! To freeze taco meat, allow to cool to room temperature and transfer to freezer-safe container. Make sure there isn't too much headspace to avoid freezer burn.
You can also use a freezer safe zip top bag. Transfer to freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
6 MORE TACO RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Baked Tacos
- Tacos de Barbacoa
- Chicken Birria Tacos
- Shredded Beef Tacos
- Breakfast Tacos Recipe
- Potato Tacos
Chicken Birria Tacos
Breakfast Tacos Recipe
Baked Tacos
Easy Beef Barbacoa (for Tacos de Barbacoa)
Shredded Beef Tacos
Crispy Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa)
Taco Meat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado or canola oil
- 2 pounds 90/10 lean ground beef
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat and allow to come to temperature.
- Add the ground beef and break apart with a spatula. Brown the ground beef, stirring often, for about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, seasoning, and water, and allow to come to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for about 5-10 minutes more, stirring often. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Leave a Reply