Easy Ground Beef Tacos
These easy ground beef tacos are a quick, crowd-pleasing meal for lazy weeknights. Make them with juicy beef, flavorful homemade taco seasoning, and your favorite toppings.
Servings: 4 people (8-12 tacos)
Ingredients
Ground Beef Mixture
- 1 lb ground beef best is between 80-95% lean;
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil or another neutral oil
- 1/2 Tbsp chili powder or adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Taco shells + Toppings
- 12 taco shells use hard taco shells, or soft corn tortillas or even flour tortillas
- lettuce shredded, Iceberg or Romaine lettuce
- lime wedges
- homemade salsa thick and chunky or Pico de Gallo or a Jarred salsa
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- cheese Monterey jack, Tex-Mex blend, Cheddar, or cotija
Instructions
- Make the taco seasoning by mixing chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.Now (or while the beef cooks), prepare your toppings.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 4-5 minutes or until it's completely browned. Use a spatula to break it down into crumbs.
- Drain or spoon out the excess grease.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the taco seasoning and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 3-4 minutes until all the excess water is evaporated. Then, taste and adjust any of the seasonings if needed.
- Optional step: Heat the tortillas for 20-30 seconds per side in a dry skillet or a few seconds per side over an open flame. Alternatively, 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.Optionally, add the cheese and heat the tacos to melt the cheese and crisp the shells. You can do this in the oven or Air Fryer at 350ºF/175ºC for up to 5 minutes.
- Add your favorite toppings. Serve the ground beef tacos and enjoy them immediately!
Video
Notes
To 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.
Any leftovers (including the taco meat and the toppings) can be used for other meals, like burrito bowls, leafy green taco salads, nachos, taco pasta salad, etc. To Freeze: You can freeze the cooked ground beef in a freezer-safe Ziplock bag or container for up to 3 months.
Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it in a skillet or the microwave. If it's a bit dry, add a little beef broth or tomato sauce. Check the blog post for FAQs!
Any leftovers (including the taco meat and the toppings) can be used for other meals, like burrito bowls, leafy green taco salads, nachos, taco pasta salad, etc. To Freeze: You can freeze the cooked ground beef in a freezer-safe Ziplock bag or container for up to 3 months.
Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it in a skillet or the microwave. If it's a bit dry, add a little beef broth or tomato sauce. Check the blog post for FAQs!
Nutrition
Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 692mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 447IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 5mg