The BEST ground beef tacos! Made with a perfectly seasoned tender and juicy beef filling in crunchy corn tortillas and loaded up with all your favorite toppings. They're a quick 20-minute, crowd-pleasing meal for taco Tuesdays and lazy weeknights!
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once hot, add the beef and cook it for 4-5 minutes, or until it's completely browned, using a spatula or spoon to break it down into crumbles.
Drain the excess grease before lowering the heat to low and adding the taco seasoning and crushed tomatoes/tomato passata. Stir well and simmer for a couple of minutes.
While the beef cooks, prepare your chosen toppings. Wash and shred the lettuce (by hand or with a mandoline/food processor slicing disk), slice the lime, and shred the cheese.
Optionally, heat the tortillas. You can do this for 20-30 seconds per side in a dry skillet, or a few seconds per side over an open flame (this will slightly char them and add smoky flavor). Or stack and wrap them in foil and then heat them in the oven at 350ºF/175ºC for 10-15 minutes.
Divide the ground beef mixture between the tortillas and add your favorite toppings, then enjoy!You can also heat the tacos (only filled with the meat and cheese) in order to melt the cheese and crisp up the taco shells. You can do so in the oven at 350ºF/175ºC for about 5 minutes. I also love using my Air Fryer to do this - just a few minutes at 350ºF/175ºC. Once the cheese is melted, fill the tacos with your favorite toppings.
Storage Instructions
Make ahead: You can prepare and store the cooked ground beef 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Fresh toppings, like lettuce, can be shredded a day in advance and stored in a paper-towel-lined airtight container.Store: Once assembled, enjoy the juicy tacos quickly to avoid them becoming soggy. Store leftover fillings in containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.Freeze: You can freeze the cooked ground beef in a freezer-safe Ziplock bag/container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it in a skillet or in the microwave until heated. Add a little beef broth or chicken broth or tomato sauce if it’s a little dry.
Notes
Adjust the spice: After cooking the taco recipe beef, taste and adjust the seasonings. i.e., add more taco seasoning or some extra chili/cayenne pepper for heat, salt, etc.
Drain the meat grease: Otherwise, the filling may be overly greasy/watery.
For lower-carb tacos: Swap out the tortillas for lettuce cups.
For a "dry" meat filling: Omit the tomato passata and add just a couple of spoonfuls of water or stock instead, for a juicy but not saucy beef filling.
When serving a crowd: Setting up a "taco table" with dishes of all the different toppings - this will allow everyone to assemble the best tacos with all their favorite toppings.
Add veggies: You could also use a thinly sliced onion for an extra aromatic flavor. Sauté it for 2-3 minutes to soften before adding the ground beef to the pan. To sneak more veggies into the taco meat filling, add some shredded carrot, diced zucchini, and/or bell pepper.