Delicious ground beef is perfectly browned with various seasonings such as chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion, to create a flavorful beef taco meat mixture.
Serve leftover taco meat in multiple Mexican-inspired dishes.
Beef Taco Meat
Serve this taco meat with veggie rice, in traditional tacos, in taco salad, as a filling for stuffed jalapeno, peppers or mushrooms, or make beef enchiladas.
My favorite way is to add meaty filling to taco zucchini boats!
Looking for more ground beef recipes? Try our fulfilling Beef Enchilada Casserole, hearty Hamburger Casserole, and lazy Cabbage Roll Casserole next!
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Ingredients For Beef Taco Meat
- Ground beef - lean ground meat such as beef, pork, or for a leaner version, use chicken or turkey. You can also make a vegan modification by using lentils or a combination of black beans and lentils, similar to my Vegan Meat Tacos.
- Taco seasoning - you can also use homemade taco seasoning or store bought mix also works.
- Salsa - instead of tomato puree you can use enchilada sauce, hot or mild canned or fresh salsa.
📋 JULIA'S TIP Ground chicken and ground turkey are great substitutes for beef, but they won’t be as flavorful and taste slightly different from the original version.
How To Make Beef Taco Meat
Add olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the beef until it is nicely browned.
Drain any excess grease from the skillet. I prefer using lean ground meat for this.
Return to the stove and add water, tomato puree, and seasonings.
Take it to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- Related: Cabbage Roll Casserole
Serve in tacos, taco salad, as a filling for jalapenos, enchiladas, or other Mexican-inspired dishes.
Crock Pot Beef Taco Meat Variation
You can also make the taco meat in your slow cooker. use the same ingredients and brown the beef in a skillet first to lock in the juicy beef flavor.
Drain the excess fat and transfer the beef and the remaining ingredients to the crock pot.
Cover the crock pot and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is fully cooked and tender.
Once the taco meat is cooked, use a fork or a spatula to break it up into smaller pieces. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Recommended Tools
- Nonstick Skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight Food containers
- Mixing Bowls
🥗Make It Healthier
Use homemade taco seasoning rather than store-bought as these are often high in sodium and may contain fillers.
Serve with lots of vegetables, a simple side salad, or lettuce wraps instead of tortillas for tacos. Or if possible, make your own homemade tortillas.
Use organic meat whenever possible
When choosing tomato puree/sauce, check the ingredient list to ensure that there are no additional and "not needed" ingredients and fillers.
Tips For The Best Beef Taco Meat
- Vegetarian modification - you can use plant-based ground meat or crumbled tofu, tempeh, or lentils instead of meat.
- Bulk it up - add beans and lentils and serve this taco meat with lime cilantro rice.
- Add some Veggies - Add sauteed bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, zucchini, mushrooms, or carrots to the skillet and mix with taco meat and seasonings. You may need to adjust the seasonings and salt for a properly balanced flavor.
- Use high-quality ingredients - use organic and lean meat or buy the meat from your local butcher. This can improve the flavor quite a bit; organic meat is generally healthier.
- Don’t overcook - cook the taco meat until it's fully browned and cooked through, but be careful not to overcook it. Overcooking may result in a dry and chewy texture, which can affect the overall taste and quality of the dish.
- To add flavor to the taco meat and maintain its moisture, consider adding a modest amount of water or broth to the skillet. This helps to keep the meat juicy and tender, preventing it from becoming dry or tough. It depends on the meat you'll be using, you may need to add more than instructed in the recipe card.
- Adjust the amount of seasonings, especially hot spices to suit your personal taste preferences.
- Drain the fat. This can help make the dish healthier by reducing the fat content in the meat. The fat makes the ground beef taco meat too oily and greasy, affecting the taste later.
🌽 Try Also: Easy Sheet Pan Nachos
Ways To Use Leftover Beef Taco Meat
Our favorite ways to serve this perfectly seasoned taco beef recipe:
- In Tacos - for the best tacos, serve the beef mixture with soft or hard taco shells and add your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onion, guacamole, cheese, Pico De Gallo, and a dollop of sour cream. If you haven't started the tradition of swapping the classic dinner for Taco Tuesday, now it's a great time to start!
- As a filling for Burritos and Taquitos - use flour or corn tortilla wraps and load them with taco meat, rice, beans, cheese, and toppings.
- As a topping for Nachos - a classic party appetizer with tortilla chips loaded with homemade taco meat, cheese, jalapenos, and other toppings for a tasty and easy snack or meal.
- In Quesadillas, you can make simple quesadillas loaded with taco meat and cheese or add more veggie toppings for flavor.
- In Salad - this meat is perfect for my Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing.
- Rice Bowls/Taco bowls are similar to tacos or burritos but without tortillas. Cooked rice is served in a bowl with beans, corn, veggies, and other toppings for a balanced and flavorful meal.
- As a fulfilling Breakfast, Use taco meat as a filling for breakfast burritos or omelets. Add eggs, cheese, and salsa for a delicious and filling breakfast.
- In Sandwiches - we love to make cheesy taco meat Crunchwraps.
Freezing And Storing Leftovers
- To Store. Let the meat cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container or food-safe storage bag. The meat will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Let the meat cool, and transfer it to freezer bags. When ready to reheat, allow the beef to thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or the stovetop.
Beef Taco Meat Variations
- Lime and Cilantro Taco Meat - add lime zest and freshly squeezed lime juice to the mix.
- Chipotle Taco Meat - similar to chili recipe, add canned chipotle peppers in adobo or green chiles to your taco mix. Or use a good chipotle powder instead of chili powder to quickly add a smoky and spicy flavor.
- Beer-braised taco Meat: -For extra depth of flavor, use a bottle of beer instead of water when cooking your taco meat.
- Buffalo Taco Meat - for classic buffalo flavor, use buffalo sauce (or hot sauce of choice), in addition, or instead of tomato puree/salsa, and serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing.
- Fajita-style Taco Meat - saute sliced onions and bell peppers with your taco meat for a fajita-inspired flavor. Serve with warm tortillas, guacamole, and salsa.
- Korean BBQ Taco Meat - you can marinate the beef in a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and sesame oil before cooking. Serve with kimchi, Korean cucumber salad, and sliced green onions for a Korean-inspired twist on taco night.
Beef Taco Meat: FAQs
Lean ground beef. Less popular options include chicken, turkey or pork.
Typically around 2 ounces of meat is considered a good amount for one taco. One serving would include 2 tacos per person.
it depends what brand and where are you buying your meat. There are different options as well as leaner meat and often it includes some sort of seasonings and spices. Check the ingredient label to be sure that you are buying the real deal.
Mexican-Inspired Recipes
If you like Mexican food recipes like me, try these readers' favorite recipes next!
I do take liberties in adapting the recipes to suit our family's taste preferences and making these more Yummy Bowl-appropriate, hope you enjoy them!
For a full collection hop on to our Dinner recipe collection.
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Recipe Card
Best Beef Taco Meat Recipe (With Homemade Taco Seasoning)
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound of ground beef, lean
- ½ cup tomato puree, or sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon water or beef broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a nonstick large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and cook the beef until it is nicely browned. Drain any excess grease from the skillet. I prefer using lean ground meat for this.
- Return to the stove and add water, tomato puree, and seasonings. Take it to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- Serve in tacos, taco salad, stuff jalapeno, mushrooms, or use as a stuffing in enchiladas.
VIDEO
NOTES
- Beef substitutions - Ground chicken and ground turkey are great substitutes for beef but this won’t be as flavorful and the taste is slightly different than the original version.
- Taco seasoning - Your own taco seasoning or use a pre-mixed store-bought taco seasoning mix.
- Salsa - Instead of tomato puree you can use enchilada sauce, hot or mild canned or fresh salsa.
- Crock Pot Taco Meat - You can also make the taco meat in your slow cooker. use the same ingredients and brown the beef in a skillet first to lock in the juicy beef flavor. Drain the excess fat and transfer the beef along with the remaining ingredients to the crock pot. Cover the crock pot and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until the meat is fully cooked and tender. Once the taco meat is cooked, use a fork or a spatula to break it up into smaller pieces. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- To Store. Let the meat cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container or food-safe storage bag. The meat will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Let the meat cool, and transfer it to freezer bags. When ready to reheat, allow the beef to thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or the stovetop.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
This recipe is adapted from A Mindful Mom.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Incredibly flavorful ground beef for tacos, enchiladas, sandwiches and wraps!