These ground beef tacos are a quick and easy dinner option that’s perfect for busy weeknights. They come together in under 30 minutes and are always a crowd-pleaser.
What’s great about this recipe
This taco recipe stands out for several reasons, making it a family favorite and cook’s choice. Here’s why:
- Beef tacos are a classic with familiar flavors so they’re always a hit!
- They require minimal effort to make, with basically no prep work and quick cooking time.
- Ground beef is a cost-effective protein option, especially with current meat prices.
- They're easy to customize to please everyone’s tastes. Leftovers can be repurposed into taco salads, beef taquitos, or nachos.
Ingredients
- Oil – Use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point. We use canola oil
- Spices – Chili powder, salt (we use kosher salt), garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, and black pepper.
- Ground beef – Use ground sirloin if you want lean ground beef. If you don’t mind a little extra fat go with round or chuck. (See recipe tips and notes section below)
- Pantry – Tomato sauce and beef broth.
- Taco shells – Serve in hard taco shells, soft flour tortillas, or corn tortillas
- Optional toppings – Lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, green onions, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, avocado slices, black beans, corn, sliced jalapenos, black olives, fresh salsa, limes, and hot sauce all make suitable toppings.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make ground beef tacos
- Add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper to a small bowl.
- Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the ground beef and seasoning.
- Stir to combine and arrange the beef in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir well and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until browned. Stir occasionally and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth. Stir well to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The meat mixture should be saucy not soupy. If it has too much liquid, uncover and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reaches a thicker consistency.
Serve the ground beef with hard or soft taco shells and your favorite toppings.
Storing and reheating instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze, cool the meat mixture, place it in a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw the meat in the refrigerator overnight. Place the desired portion in a non-stick skillet. Add a tablespoon or two of beef broth to loosen it while reheating. Heat it covered on medium-low until hot, stir occasionally. Or reheat it in the microwave until hot all the way through.
Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
Recipe tips and notes
- If you are sensitive to salt substitute reduced sodium beef broth and tomato sauce. You can also cut the amount of salt in the seasoning mix.
- You can manage the fat content in the meat mixture by choosing different types of ground beef. For a lean mixture, use lean ground beef (less than 10% fat) or ground sirloin (90-92% lean to 8-10% fat). If you prefer a bit more flavor from fat, go for ground round (85-90% lean to 10-15% fat) or chuck (80-85% lean to 15-20% fat).
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out some of our other quick and tasty favorites.
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📖 Recipe
Ground Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt we used kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Oil use a neutral oil with a high smoke point we used canola oil
- 1 pound Ground Beef we used ground sirloin to keep it lean
- 8 ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Beef Broth
- 8-10 Taco Shells hard taco shells, flour tortillas, or corn tortillas
- Toppings Lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, green onions, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, avocado slices, black beans, corn, sliced jalapenos, black olives, fresh salsa, limes, and hot sauce all make suitable toppings.
Instructions
- Make the seasoning mix. Add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper to a small bowl.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet (preferably non-stick) with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the ground beef.
- Sprinkle it with the prepared seasoning mix (chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper).
- Stir to combine and arrange the beef in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir well and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until browned. Stir occasionally and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth. Stir well to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The meat mixture should be saucy not soupy. If it has too much liquid, uncover and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reaches a thicker consistency. Stir occasionally.
- Serve the ground beef with hard or soft taco shells and your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Lean ground beef: Less than 10% fat
- Ground sirloin – 90-92% lean to 8-10% fat
- Ground round – 85-90% lean to 10-15 % fat
- Ground chuck – 80-85% lean to 15-20% fat
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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