These Ground Beef Tacos are our go-to recipe for Taco Tuesday! The taco meat is flavorful and juicy (never dry) with authentic Mexican flavor. It’s also versatile for serving in taco shells, burritos, or over taco salad. Serve with your favorite toppings for a crowd-favorite meal you’ll make on repeat.
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Like my Ground Beef Stir Fry and American Goulash, this easy taco recipe transforms a package of ground beef into a family favorite dinner!
Beef Tacos Video
This staple beef taco recipe is my go-to for Taco Tuesdays, especially when I serve them in homemade crispy taco shells. They add the perfect crispy crunch with minimal effort! Let me know in the comments if you are on team soft tacos or hard taco shells, or if you prefer a low-carb Taco Salad.
Taco Recipe
My Taco recipe tastes so much better than the packet instructions, using simple ingredients, and it takes about the same amount of time to cook. You can use a store-bought taco seasoning, but I hope you try my easy Homemade Taco Seasoning – you’ll taste the difference in each bite!
Serve the taco meat divided into taco shells, or make it a fun taco bar with a variety of everyone’s favorite taco toppings (see ideas below) – my kids love a good taco bar because they can customize it to their preferences, and no one complains. I find that my kids enjoy their dinner more when they help create it and add their favorite flavors.
Ingredients for Ground Beef Tacos
You need just 5 ingredients to make my saucy ground beef taco meat, plus any toppings or tortillas. Check your pantry, you may have it all!
- Ground beef – 85/15 is the most flavorful for beef tacos, but you can use leaner packets too. If you use 80/15, remove some of the grease after the meat is browned.
- Onion – white onions or yellow onions work fine.
- Garlic cloves – mince fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Tomato paste – just 1 Tbsp helps the filling come together and gives it depth–it gives the meat great flavor and depth.
- Seasonings – Try my Homemade Taco Seasoning or store-bought taco seasoning.
- Water – to ensure the perfect flavor of the meat. You can also use Chicken Stock or Beef Broth for more flavor
- To serve – Soft or hard taco shells (corn or flour tortillas) and all your favorite toppings.
Pro Tip:
For gluten-free beef tacos, be sure to check the labels on all seasonings and swap the tortillas with lettuce or gluten-free tortillas.
How to Make Ground Beef Tacos
You can make this ground beef tacos recipe in just a few minutes, so it’s perfect for a weeknight 30-minute dinner.
- Make the taco seasoning – combine all the taco seasoning ingredients in a small bowl, and store all but 3 Tbsp. If using store-bought seasoning, you can skip this step.
- Brown beef in a large skillet until very little red remains and you see browning in spots – this is extra flavor that develops in the pan.
- Add onion & garlic and cook until soft and the beef is all browned. Drain excess grease if needed, leaving 1 Tbsp of grease in the pan (this gives great moisture and flavor).
- Add seasoning and tomato paste – Add the taco seasoning and tomato paste, and stir for a minute to evenly coat. This toasts the seasonings, developing more flavor.
- Add water and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until all the water is evaporated (3-4 minutes), but the meat is still moist. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.
How to Warm Tortillas for Tacos
Make this beef taco recipe authentic by warming the tortillas. Follow these easy directions:
- Warm corn or Flour Tortillas – place in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until soft and pliable, and then stack and cover with a towel to keep warm. You can also wrap a stack in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds.
- Warm store-bought hard taco shells – toast on a baking sheet in a 325°F oven for 4-6 minutes until lightly toasted
- For Homemade hard taco shells – follow my easy Hard Taco Shells or Taco Salad Shells tutorial for restaurant-quality tacos with just oil, tortillas, and kosher salt.
Toppings for Beef Tacos
Build a taco bar with the toppings in individual cups or bowls. You can prep all of these toppings a day ahead (except the avocado), cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes, Pico de Gallo, or Salsa
- Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- Sour cream and hot sauce
- Guacamole or sliced avocado
- Garnish: Jalapeños, cilantro, lime wedges
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Black Beans
This is your go-to recipe for ground beef tacos because it’s perfectly seasoned and authentic! Serve with your favorite toppings or use it as the base for other Mexican favorites. It’s a quick weekend meal and perfect for doubling for a large crowd.
Ground Beef Tacos
Ingredients
For the Beef Taco Meat:
- 1 lb ground beef, preferably 85/15
- 1 small yellow onion, or white onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water, or broth
- 3 Tbsp taco seasoning, homemade or store-bought
For Serving Tacos:
- 8 taco shells or small tortillas*
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes or pico de gallo, and jalapenos for spice
- shredded cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese
- guacamole, or sliced avocado
- extras: hot sauce, sour cream, cilantro, and lime wedges
Instructions
- Make taco seasoning: If making your own taco seasoning, stir together all of your seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. If using store-bought, measure out 3 Tablespoons.
- Brown beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until mostly browned, about 4 minutes.
- Add onion & garlic: Stir in the diced onion and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is softened and the beef is fully cooked. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. If there is a lot of grease in the pan, carefully spoon off most of it, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
- Add seasoning and tomato paste: Add the 3 Tbsp taco seasoning and 1 Tbsp tomato paste. Stir well and cook for 1 minute, until the beef is evenly coated.
- Add water and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is juicy and lightly saucy. It should not look dry, but there should not be excess liquid in the pan.
- Warm the shells: Warm your taco shells or tortillas*, or make your own Hard Taco Shells. Fill each shell with taco meat and add your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Heat corn or flour tortillas in a dry medium-heat skillet for 30 seconds per side and then cover with a towel to keep warm, or you can wrap a stack in damp paper towels and heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
- Heat store-bought hard taco shells in a 325°F oven for 4-6 minutes until crispy
- See my full tutorial for making Homemade Hard Taco Shells
- Make-Ahead: Cook the beef taco meat, allow it to cool, then refrigerate for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing: package in a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To Reheat: Add the meat and a splash of water to a skillet. Heat and stir until 165°F to prevent the meat from drying out.
Nutrition Per Serving
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More Taco Tuesday Recipes to Try
Once you try this Classic Beef Tacos recipe, try these other Mexican-inspired recipes for Taco Tuesday:
- Taco Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Shrimp Tacos
- Fish Tacos
- Breakfast Tacos
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
- Homemade Taquitos
I made your shredded chicken taco recipe last week and it was phenomenal! I love the idea of toasting the tortillas in the oven. seriously it was better than just TACO
It was heaven in the mouth!
I cannot wait to try this recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that!! You should also try the Taquitos if you loved the chicken tacos. I’m just here to keep your Taco Tuesdays exciting!