Nothing like classic, old-school Ground Beef Tacos. Seasoned ground beef, all the toppings, hard or soft shells, and lots of nostalgia in every meaty bite!
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Ground Beef Taco Recipe
- Tacos Always Bring the Good Vibes. Yes, we all know that Carne Asada Tacos are the real deal and Shrimp Tacos bring the gourmet appeal, but if you want tacos with a hefty dose of comfort food goodness, it’s going to be these ground beef tacos. They’ll remind you of childhood dinners, Taco Tuesdays at the school cafeteria, and late nights in college spent eating hard shell tacos at Taco Bell.
- Family-Friendly. Ground beef tacos make dinnertime battles a thing of the past. (Or at least a thing for tomorrow.) This recipe has just enough kick to make it zesty without being fiery, and kids love assembling their own tacos with their favorite toppings.
- Easy to Make from Scratch (and Tastier!). Instead of grabbing a seasoning packet, we’re going to mix our own homemade taco seasoning blend, which makes these ground beef tacos infinitely tastier. Fresh garlic adds a nice bite, while tomato paste adds concentrated tomato flavor and packs an umami punch.
How to Make Ground Beef Tacos
The Ingredients
- Onion. I use white or yellow; yellow onions have a slightly milder flavor.
- Garlic. Garlic powder is usually the go-to for taco seasoning, but I find the flavor of fresh garlic much better in this recipe.
- Homemade Taco Seasoning. Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper, along with the usual salt and black pepper.
- Tomato Paste. I like to use a tube of tomato paste so I can squeeze out exactly what I need for a recipe. You can find these at most Italian grocers. (Canned works too, of course. You can freeze the extra!)
- Lean Ground Beef. Ground turkey or a plant-based ground meat will also work in this recipe.
- Beefsteak Tomato. Or a similar tomato variety. I love adding tomato to the ground beef for extra flavor.
- For Serving. Hard or soft taco shells, shredded cheese, avocado or guacamole, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes or salsa (this Salsa Roja is a classic on tacos).
The Directions
- Cook the Onion. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then cook the onion until it’s softened.
- Add the Taco Seasonings. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, then add all the spices. Stir to coat the onions, then add the tomato paste and cook until it’s fragrant and darkens slightly.
- Brown the Beef. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef. Break it up as it cooks. Once it’s browned, stir in the tomato and cook for a minute.
- Simmer. Pour in the water, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Finish. Divide the meat into the taco shells, add your favorite ground beef taco toppings, and ENJOY!
Meal Prep Tip
Ground beef tacos are excellent for meal prep dinners and lunches. Make the ground beef filling and prepare the toppings, then refrigerate them in separate containers. Heat the taco meat, then assemble and devour!
Leftover Ideas
Use leftover taco filling to make this easy Taco Salad Recipe or reinvent it into a sheet pan nacho dinner the next day with all the leftover taco toppings.
What to Serve with Ground Beef Tacos
- Rice. Make your own Chipotle-style cilantro lime rice by adding chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice to brown rice.
- Beans. Add even more protein to your dinner by serving ground beef tacos with Instant Pot refried beans or crock pot pinto beans.
- Salad. Mexican Salad is always fantastic with tacos, or try this Mexican Street Corn Quinoa Salad.
- Veggies. You can’t go wrong with Grilled Corn or Corn Salsa.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Make Sure You Cook the Tomato Paste. Don’t just stir it in and move onto the next step! Cooking the tomato paste helps to develop and deepen its flavor.
- Don’t Assemble Them All. Just assemble what you’ll eat right away since assembled tacos don’t store very well. It’s best to keep any leftovers in separate containers.
- Warm the Taco Shells. It’s a simple little step, but it’s one that really makes a difference. It will make hard shells crispier and soft shells (AKA tortillas) more pliable.
Ground Beef Tacos
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
A classic recipe for ground beef tacos, with a few easy upgrades to make them extra tasty. Kid-friendly, but you'll love them too!
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Ingredients
- 1 large white or yellow onion ¼-inch diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced (about 4 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional; add more if you like a lot of spice
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large beefsteak or similar tomato finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup water
For Serving:
- Hard or soft taco shells warmed
- Shredded cheese
- Avocado or guacamole
- Plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes or salsa
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the onion. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the onion is translucent and softened.
- Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat the onions with the spices.
- Add the tomato paste and stir until super fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Increase the heat to medium high. Add the beef, breaking it into small pieces with a sturdy spoon or spatula. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the tomato and let cook 1 minute.
- Stir in the water. Reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the flavors to deepen.
- To serve, pile the ground beef into taco shells or tortillas and add your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Nutritional information is for the ground beef filling only.
- TO STORE: Leftover ground beef taco meat can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the toppings separately to keep them fresh.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm the taco meat on the stovetop over medium heat until heated through; you can add a splash of water if it seems a little dry. The microwave also works.
- TO FREEZE: Transfer the taco filling to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 289kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 26gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 70mgPotassium: 706mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1.317IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 4mg
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I’m so happy with these tacos! I just made these now for the first time and they were so wonderfully simple and delicious! The combination of spices is just right. Thank you for creating such a delicious, easy and quick recipe! I will absolutely be trying more of your recipes
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Vanessa! Thank you!
I was seriously surprised by how good these tacos came out! The spices are better than the store packets. I topped my tacos with some chopped tomato, guacamole & a little cheese. I froze the leftovers into two small containers so that we could use it on homemade nachos in the future! Definitely a keeper!
So happy to hear you enjoyed them, Kamilla! Thank you!
I made these for dinner tonight and was very impressed with the flavor of these ground beef tacos. My previous tacos have been pretty dry with my homemade taco mixture, but this was easy and delicious. Definitely a keeper, thank you!!
Wonderful to hear! Thank you Kylie!
This was easy and sooo good! The spices were spot on and everyone loved it!
Great to hear! Thank you Jill!