If you want to nail your taco game on Tuesdays, you’ve gotta start with the perfect Taco Meat. And guess what? I’ve got you covered!
This taco filling is seasoned to perfection with my own homemade taco seasoning blend. It only takes about 20 minutes to whip up, and let me tell you, it’s incredibly versatile.
It seems like taco night comes along pretty often here at the Beisers’. I love them all, from simple Chicken Tacos to the ultimate epic Birria Tacos.
There’s no end to the variety of tacos you can make. But for today, l am going to cover the basic and most simple taco meat.
Ingredient Needed
- Homemade Taco Seasoning: chili powder, cumin, garlic and onion powders, oregano, paprika, red chili flakes, salt, and black pepper.
- Ground Beef: I like to use 85/15 ground beef for our taco meat. Take note that leaner beef might require a little more water. If you’re using fattier ground beef, skim off some of the grease before adding the other ingredients.
- Tomato Sauce: Adds tanginess. You can also use tomato paste or salsa instead.
- Water: I just add a dash of water. You can use broth instead (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
How to Make Taco Meat
1. Make a quick taco seasoning: I start by mixing together all the herbs and spices.
2. Brown the beef: I add ground beef to a greased skillet, break it up with a spoon or spatula, and cook it until it’s no longer pink.
3. Add the flavors: Time to stir in the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and a little water. Then, I mix everything well and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
Can I Use Different Meats?
Absolutely! You can follow the same recipe for ground turkey or ground chicken. Note that you want to use basic ground turkey or chicken, not ground breast, which would be too dry.
For a vegetarian option, any ground meat substitute can be used.
Way to Use this Taco Filling
This homemade taco meat is incredibly versatile. Here are some of my other recipes which you can make with it:
Want more ideas? Check out our collection of taco meat recipes!
A Few Tips and Tricks
- Brown the Meat Well: When I’m browning the beef, I don’t rush it. I let it cook undisturbed for a few minutes before stirring. This gives the meat a chance to develop a deeper flavor and a nice sear.
- Drain Excess Fat: If you’re using a higher fat content beef, drain some of the fat after browning for a less greasy finish.
- Adjust Consistency: If the taco meat seems too dry, I add a bit more water or tomato sauce. If it’s too wet, I let it simmer a bit longer.
- Taste and Adjust Seasoning: As my taco meat cooks, I make sure to taste it along the way. If needed, I adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, pepper, or spices. It’s all about getting the flavor just right!
- Make it in Bulk: This recipe scales up nicely. I often make a large batch and freeze portions for convenient future meals. It’s a great way to save time and always have taco meat on hand.
When you try this taco meat recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know your favorite way to use it. I love to hear from you!
For more dinner inspiration, check out our collections of favorite taco recipes and Mexican recipes. Until next time…
Homemade Taco Meat, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
The BEST Taco Meat Recipe
This homemade Taco Meat recipe is perfect as a taco filling, but is also versatile enough to be used in a number of other ways.
Ingredients
Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Meat
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1lb ground beef
- Taco seasoning
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup water
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.
Notes
- Leftovers and Storing: You can refrigerate leftover taco meat in an airtight container for 3-4 days. When reheating, add a tablespoon or so of water. If you wish to freeze it for later use, first allow to cool completely. Transfer to a freezer safe zip top bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before use.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 365Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 101mgSodium 944mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 32g
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.
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Y’all have a pretty decent recipe, definitely solid. I add a few other interests that kick up the richness and taste and really together to create full flavored meat you’ll want to eat start eating on a big spoon with sour cream, medium or higher cheddar, tomato and at least a jalapeno or serrano slice.
I didn’t see one thing really missed: Fresh ground ancho chili powder and another life guajillo. Smoke Paprika for sure, Mexican oregano, for your oil beef tallow.
for the added ingredients you want fresh minced garlic cooked in your tallow with the garlic powder and a couple tsp of red wine vinegar, it opens the flavors of them way up.
Then you want to add a good dash or three of more sodium soy or Maggis seasoning it’s like soy sauce in its look.
The next is balsamic de Modena or the syrupy balsamic it richens it further and sweetens, about a tsp.
Then some Knorrs chicken bullion, this is where your salt and msg mostly come from so go very easy, like a 1/2 tsp at first and remember it’s going to cook down more.
Finally a little sugar, trust me, about an even tsp or little less.
when these flavors all blend down to make this taco magic you’ll really have something special but super savory, spicy, broad flavored awesomeness. This is probably for a little over a pound of meat 1 1/4. I usually make two pounds though and never measure I’ve done it so much I just eyeball it. anyway, if you end up to salty dip some of your juice out before you cook it down. I’ve even in the beginning had to wash out the meat in a strainer. Anyway, just adding a few of these things really kicks it up a notch.