Taco, Taco! How many can you have at one time? These ground beef tacos are a fun, super easy dinner the whole family will love. You won’t even want to wait till Tuesday!
Perfectly seasoned ground beef wrapped in soft tortillas with all your favorite fixings. Everyone will be asking for these great tacos again and again.
And best of all, you can have this tasty meal on the table in about 20 minutes. Perfect weeknight dinner contender!
Seriously, I think I could eat these ground beef tacos every day. They’re that good. Even the pickiest of eaters will gladly chow down on them. And they’re super customizable with your favorite toppings!
My recipe uses a homemade taco seasoning, which is so much better than store bought. Trust me, the 5 minutes it takes to mix up is well worth your time.
So grab a skillet and your favorite tortillas and let’s get cookin’!
Why this Recipe Works
- Easy and Quick to Prepare: The cooking process is straightforward and quick, making these tacos an excellent choice for a fast and satisfying meal. Perfect answer to the age old question: what to cook for dinner?
- Customizable Toppings: The variety of topping options allows each person to tailor their taco to their liking, making the meal enjoyable for a wide range of tastes.
- Flavorful and Moist Filling: The combination of spices with tomato sauce and water creates a filling that is flavorful and moist, elevating the taste beyond just seasoned meat.
- Perfect for Gatherings: Tacos are great for family dinners or gatherings where guests can enjoy assembling their own tacos.
- Balanced Spiciness: The inclusion of red chili flakes is optional, allowing you to adjust the heat level to suit your preference.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
The key to a flavorful meal is flavorful seasoning. This homemade taco seasoning is the best. All you need is a few simple ingredients, which you probably already have in your pantry:
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika – we use smoked, but regular is fine.
- Red chili flakes
- Oregano
- Salt
- Pepper
Just measure everything according to the amounts in the recipe card, mix it up and you are all set for some great tacos!
Check out our collection of favorite Taco Recipes!
How to Make Ground Beef Taco Filling
Heat up a skillet over medium high heat, and add in a tablespoon of oil. Add in the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Let it cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then give it a stir. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully browned.
Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce and a little water. Mix everything well and simmer for a couple of minutes, then start assembling tacos!
What Kind of Tortillas to Use
It’s up to you! Today we used flour tortillas, but sometimes we make these tacos with corn tortillas and chow down with equal gusto.
We always like to give our tacos a quick sear to warm them up and add just a slight touch of crunch. Simply heat an ungreased non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once it’s nice and hot, cook the tortillas about 10 seconds per side, just until some brown spots start to appear.
You can also use hard taco shells. That’s what Jason grew up on and thinks of as real tacos. One day he said he was making tacos for dinner. I asked what kind he was making and he said “taco tacos”. I knew what that meant…
Some Topping Ideas:
- Shredded Cheese
- Diced Tomato
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Avocado
- Cilantro
- Sliced Jalapeño
- Chopped Onion
- Sliced Black Olives
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
How to Serve Ground Beef Tacos
I like to have my toppings prepped and on the table so everyone can build their own perfect tacos. Just scoop a generous portion of the ground beef filling into each tortilla and fill with your favorite toppings.
If you like a little kick, you can drizzle on some hot sauce. We keep several varieties around, so each taco can have a slightly different flavor.
You can make an entire meal out of these tacos. We do like to have a side of refried beans on the side, though.
Storing and Using Leftovers
You can refrigerate leftover taco meat in an airtight container for 3-4 days. When reheating, add a tablespoon or so of water.
You can also use the leftovers for a variety of other things. This ground beef filling is great for nachos, in lettuce wraps, tacos bowls or on a taco salad. I’ve even used it for taco omelettes!
So there you go friends, one fun and easy weeknight meal. Watch the whole family chomp on these tacos one after another. We’re sure you’ll be coming back to this one again and again.
While you’re here, check out our collections of favorite Ground Beef Recipes and top Mexican Recipes.
Pin or bookmark this great recipe so you always know where to find it. And please leave a comment and star rating when you cook these, I love hearing from you. Until next time…
Ground Beef Tacos, on my Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great taco recipes!
Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos
Ground Turkey Tacos
Tacos Gobernador
Baja Shrimp Tacos
Steak Tacos
Korean Beef Tacos
Birria Tacos
Breakfast Tacos
Mexican Ground Beef Tacos
These ground beef tacos are a fun, super easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love. You won’t even want to wait till Tuesday!
Ingredients
Taco seasoning
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika (we use smoked)
- ¼ tsp red chili flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Taco meat
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1lb ground beef
- Taco seasoning
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup water
Tacos
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
Desired Toppings
- Shredded Cheese
- Diced Tomato
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Avocado
- Cilantro
- Sliced Jalapeño
- Chopped Onion
- Sliced Black Olives
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
Instructions
- Mix all taco seasoning ingredients in a bowl.
- Heat up a skillet over medium high heat, and add in a tablespoon of oil. Add in the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Let it cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then give it a stir. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully browned.
- Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce and a little water. Mix everything well and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Heat an ungreased non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once it’s hot, cook the tortillas about 10 seconds per side, just until some brown spots start to appear.
- Scoop a generous portion of the ground beef filling into each tortilla and fill with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- You can use the same recipe with ground turkey or chicken. Just add a little extra oil to compensate for the lower fat meat.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 469Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 101mgSodium 966mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 5gSugar 2gProtein 34g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
Get griddling! Try these Blackstone Recipes!
Never miss a recipe!
Join the GypsyPlate mailing list and get easy dinner recipes right in your mailbox. From homestyle comfort food to exotic dishes from around the world.