Ground Beef Tacos

Ever since I was a young lad I have loved eating tacos. These homemade ground beef tacos are so yummy and definitely hit the spot when I am craving tacos.

Living in California and now Phoenix for the past 14 years I have been exposed to and have eaten lots of very good Mexican food. It is one of my favorite kinds of food to eat. And the awesome thing is good Mexican food is really easy to make at home.

If you have a hankering for Mexican food, give these ground beef tacos a try. The ground beef is super flavorful and there are so many different toppings you can use. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Gather the ingredients

In order to make these amazing homemade ground beef tacos you just need a handful of easy to find ingredients:

• Ground Beef – I use an 80% lean 20% fat ground beef.
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Oregano
• Ground cumin
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Tomato sauce
• Olive oil
• Tortillas – Either corn or flour tortillas either homemade or storebought.

And then whatever toppings/fillings you want for the tacos, such as dice fresh tomatoes, lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and avocados or guacamole.

Step 2: How to make ground beef tacos

Begin by taking a skillet and place about 1 tablespoon of olive oil or another oil in it. Set the heat to medium heat while you prepare the meat and spices. Although the meat has its own fat, the oil will add a bit of flavor.

In a bowl combine all the spices and whisk them together. I recommend trying the recipe as is at first and then later adjust the individual amounts of spices.

Step 3: Cook the ground beef tacos meat

Add the ground beef to the hot skillet and stir and cook the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon. It won’t take too long to brown. You only need to cook it until browned and it is no longer pink.

Once the ground beef has been browned, put the skillet at an angle so the fat and oil pools on the edge. Remove most of the oil and grease but leave a tablespoon which will help keep the meat moist.

Now finish off the ground beef tacos meat by adding all the spices and the tomato sauce. Turn the heat to medium low, and cook the meat for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. The meat will then be ready to go.

Step: Assembling the Tacos

Next, you need to prepare all of your toppings and fillings for the tacos. I have an awesome taco plate that I use to present the toppings. Some of my favorite things to have are sour cream, cheddar cheese, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and guacamole.

I always make homemade guacamole, because it is so easy to make and so yummy. For the shells, you can use pre-made hard taco shells, or flour or corn tortillas. You can buy them or make them. I love making homemade flour tortillas.

Next, all you need to do is assemble the ground beef tacos. I put the taco meat on first, and then layer up from there, but you can do it however you like.

How long do homemade ground beef tacos last?

The taco meat will last 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in a refrigerator. The other ingredients will last that long or longer, accept the guacamole will wind up getting really brown.

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5 from 3 votes

Ground Beef Tacos

Homemade ground beef tacos are so yummy and easy to make. If you love eating tacos and Mexican food, make some tacos!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: easy, meat, taco

Servings: 12 Tacos

Calories: 185kcal

Author: Matt Taylor

Equipment

• Bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Skillet

Ingredients

• 1 pound of ground beef I am using 80% lean (450g)
• 2 tsp. of chili powder 10g
• 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder 3g
• 1/2 tsp. of onion powder 3g
• 1/4 tsp. of oregano 1g
• 1 tsp. of ground cumin 5g
• 1 tsp. of salt 5g
• 1/4 tsp. of ground black pepper 1g
• 1/2 cup of tomato sauce 110g
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil for the skillet 15g
• Taco shells corn tortillas, or flour tortillas

Taco Filling

• Taco meat
• diced tomatoes
• lettuce
• grated cheese I like to use cheddar
• sour cream
• avocados or guacamole

Instructions

• Begin by cooking the meat. Add the oil to a skillet and set the burner to medium heat.
• In a small bowl combine all of the spices.
• Add the ground beef to the hot skillet and brown it. It won't take too long. Cook it and stir it with a spatula so it cooks evenly. Make sure there is no pink left. Tilt the pan and let the grease/oil fall in the corner of the pan. Then use a spoon to remove all but about 1 tablespoon of it. It will add moistness and flavor.
• Next, turn the heat down to medium-low, and then add all the spices and tomato sauce. Stir those ingredients in and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Then the ground beef tacos meat will be ready to go.
• Prep all of your toppings/filing, there are a variety that you can use. Some classic fillings are, cheese, tomatoes, guacamole or avocados, sour cream, lettuce, etc.
• You may need to bake your pre-made hard shells if you are using them, or just layout your corn tortillas or flour tortillas. Then fill them up with the meat and other toppings. Enjoy!

Video

How to Make Tacos | Easy Ground Beef Taco Meat Recipe

Notes

Note: The nutritional facts only reflect the ground beef tacos meat and a medium corn tortilla. Since the amount of filling/toppings and which ones you use will vary greatly. 

Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcal

Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it.  If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.

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