Ground Beef Tacos
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!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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
