These ground beef tacos are packed full of skillet cooked ground beef taco meat made with homemade beef taco seasoning. You can use crispy taco shells or flour tortillas, and of course, all your favorite taco toppings. Best of all, they only take about 15 minutes to prepare!
You don't have to wait for taco Tuesday to roll around when delicious ground beef tacos are this easy to make at home. As long as you have a great beef taco seasoning, the rest is a breeze!
Not to mention, this beef taco meat can be used in so much more than tacos. Add it to your favorite Tex-Mex casseroles, roll it up in burritos, put it in quesadillas, or whatever you like.
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🥘 Ingredients
The short list of ingredients is one of the best things about this recipe. You could use your preferred taco seasoning, but I highly recommend my simple and delicious beef taco seasoning blend for the best flavor.
- Ground Beef - 1 pound of ground beef. I used 80/20 ground chuck, but you can use what you have on hand.
- Beef Taco Seasoning - 1 tablespoon of beef taco seasoning (or more to taste).
- Water - ¼ cup of water.
- Taco Shells - 6 taco shells (or taco-sized tortillas).
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Ground Beef Tacos
It only takes about 15 minutes to prep and brown this ground beef taco meat. To get started, grab a skillet, a colander, and a wooden spoon or spatula.
1 pound of ground beef makes 4-6 tacos depending on how much you fill them.
Step 1: Brown the beef. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 pound of ground beef. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks.
Step 2: Drain and season. Once the meat is cooked through and no pink remains, drain the grease from the ground beef then return it to the pan and add 1 tablespoon (or more) of beef taco seasoning.
Step 3: Simmer. Pour ¼ cup of water into the skillet with the beef and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and let simmer until the water reduces, then remove from heat.
Step 4: Assemble your tacos. Add the ground beef taco meat to 6 taco shells or tortillas and finish with your favorite taco toppings.
Put the taco meat in your preferred type of shell and add your favorite toppings like cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, or pico de gallo. For more suggestions, take a look at my page on the best taco toppings. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- I recommend using 70-80% lean beef for making taco meat. The fat adds flavor, and you will drain off the excess grease before adding the seasoning.
- For extra flavor, you can saute the beef with ¼ cup of diced onion (white or yellow) or chopped green chilis.
- You can swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken and these tacos will still be delicious!
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Leftover ground beef taco meat can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To freeze, place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air, use within 6 months.
How To Reheat Ground Beef Taco Meat
Thaw frozen taco meat in the fridge overnight before reheating. You can reheat the ground beef in the microwave, or in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, you will want to brown the ground beef then drain the grease. Wait to season your beef until after you drain it so none of the tasty seasonings go down the drain!
Ground beef tacos will be delicious with any of your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex toppings! Common choices are shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream. However, you certainly aren't limited to those! You could also try a variety of salsas, jalapenos, or roasted peppers and onions!
Yes, you can! After preparing the meat, let it cool off before transferring it to a heavy-duty freezer bag and squeezing out the air. It will keep well frozen for up to 6 months, just make sure to thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating it.
🌮 More Mexican Dinner Ideas
- Mexican Torta - This hearty beef sandwich is delicious with french fries or chips and queso.
- Mexican Cornbread Casserole - Two layers of fluffy cornbread sandwiched around seasoned ground beef, chiles, tomatoes, and melted cheese.
- Caldo de Pollo Mexicano -This rich and satisfying chicken soup is perfect for cold weather.
- Steak Fajitas - Juicy strips of perfectly seasoned pan-seared steak, bell peppers, and onions!.
- Picadillo Mexicano - A versatile blend of ground beef, veggies, and potatoes that can be used to make tacos, burritos, and more.
- Ground Beef Mexican Casserole - This family-favorite casserole is loaded with ground beef, corn, tomatoes, beans, and plenty of cheese.
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📖 Recipe Card
Ground Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tablespoon beef taco seasoning (or more to taste)
- ¼ cup water
- 6 taco shells (or taco-sized tortillas)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks.
- Once the meat is cooked through and no pink remains, drain the grease from the ground beef then return it to the pan and add the taco seasoning.
- Pour ¼ cup of water into the skillet with the beef and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and let simmer until the water reduces, then remove from heat.
- Add the ground beef taco meat to taco shells or tortillas and finish with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
- I recommend using 70-80% lean beef for making taco meat. The fat adds flavor, and you will drain off the excess grease before adding the seasoning.
- For extra flavor, you can saute the beef with ¼ cup of diced onion (white or yellow) or chopped green chilis.
- You can swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken and these tacos will still be delicious!
- To store: Leftover ground beef taco meat can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To freeze, place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air, use within 6 months.
- To reheat: Thaw frozen taco meat in the fridge overnight before reheating. You can reheat the ground beef in the microwave, or in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
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