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    🏠Home » Recipes » Mexican Recipes

    The Best Ground Beef Taco Meat in 25 Minutes

    May 3, 2022 | Last Updated May 3, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.38 from 43 votes

    Great Mexican for all—taco Tuesday will never be the same. Once you have the best taco meat, make the best tacos or excellent nachos, or use it in many other ways.

    image of taco meat on nachos

    Table of Contents
    • 🐄Ingredients for Ground Beef Tacos
    • 👨‍🍳How To Make the Best Ground Beef Taco Meat
    • 🍽️How to Make the Best Tacos and Nachos
    • ❄️Storage
    • 🇲🇽Mexican Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📖Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    The best beef tacos require the best ground beef taco meat—and it doesn't come in an envelope or ever dry homemade taco seasoning—you need some tomato and aromatics to get the best flavor. There is nothing like taco Tuesday or a full plate of nachos.

    This is a modified and simplified Cooks Illustrated recipe that tastes better than any ground beef taco meat you've ever eaten.

    You will never open commercial taco seasoning packets again. You can make tacos in less than 25 minutes for weeknight dinners or parties in about the same work and use what you already have in your pantry. Just follow the easy step-by-step instructions.

    My Rating

    My rating system. Great 5 out of 5

    An easy 5. I have done it over and over. And it is tough to stop eating and save the leftovers for tomorrow.

    🐄Ingredients for Ground Beef Tacos

    The Meat

    This recipe uses standard 80/20 ground beef. Lean ground beef tends to be a bit dry—the fat will add taste and moisture. The fat is mainly rendered during cooking and drained before adding the spices.

    Since the spices are intense in this recipe, if you use another ground meat like turkey or chicken, most people will not know unless told.

    Spicing

    This is about a 3/10 spicy when using one teaspoon of cumin and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne. Adjust to your taste. Go to 2 teaspoons of cumin, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne will get you to 6/10.

    I suggest using fresh onion and garlic if you can for this recipe. If you must, use onion powder, about 1 tablespoon for a medium to a large onion.  And ½ teaspoon of garlic powder for the 4 cloves of garlic.

    Tomatoes

    Excellent taco meat needs some tomato taste, and a good quality tomato sauce is the best choice. Crushed or diced tomatoes could be used. Some recipes will use salsa, but you must account for the spicing.

    The cheaper generic sauce tends to be very acid-tasting, and you might need a teaspoon or two of sugar to counter that.

    👨‍🍳How To Make the Best Ground Beef Taco Meat

    1. Chop a medium onion.
    2. Add the meat and the onion to a large non-reactive skillet over medium-high heat. While the meat and onion are cooking, prep garlic, and measure spices.
    3. Cook until the burger has no pink which is usually 8-10 minutes. Push the meat aside in the center of the pan and add the garlic and cook 1 minute to bloom the garlic. Drain excess grease.
    4. Add the spices and tomato sauce. Turn the heat to medium and simmer another 5 minutes until the sauce is incorporated.
    5. Serve as tacos, nachos, or any way you like.

    🍽️How to Make the Best Tacos and Nachos

    For tacos, use the hard taco shells, but usually, soft tacos are made with corn tortillas or soft flour tortillas. With corn tortillas, I like to give them a short sear in hot oil to add a slight browning and soften for easier serving.

    How to top tacos or nachos?

    Everybody will have their favorite taco toppings. I'm a fan of shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese mixture. Add a good dab of sour cream along with some salsa or pico de Gallo.

    If I have them on hand, chopped tomatoes or shredded lettuce, slices of avocado, and sliced green onions are good additions.

    Cilantro is frequently added, but some people (my wife and I) will find cilantro tastes like licorice.

    What side dishes to serve with tacos or nachos?

    Mexican rice, guacamole, refried beans, and black beans are favorites. The usual chips and salsa are also a great side dish, especially Pineapple Mango Salsa.

    Can I use a cast-iron skillet?

    Cast-iron is "reactive," and heating an acid like tomatoes will lead to the metal reacting with the food. A non-reactive skillet like non-stick or stainless steel is the better choice.

    How else can taco meat be used?

    In addition to my usual tacos or nachos, taco meat makes great burritos, taco salads, Crock Pot Taco Soup, or even Easy Taco Casserole

    ❄️Storage

    It is an easy recipe to adjust to the amount you want, but I frequently do 3 pounds, but it stores well.

    It is good in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and freezes well for 3 to 4 months.

    🇲🇽Mexican Recipes

    Mexican Shredded Chicken in a Crock Pot

    Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Beef

    Chili Nachos

    Cinco de Mayo Recipe Roundup

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    101's Best Recipes, Easy Dinner Recipes, Mexican Recipes
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    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    Note: Images are from several days, so the pans may vary.

    spices for taco meat

    This is what you need, plus your meat, fresh garlic, and onion. Garlic powder and onion powder can be substituted.

    chopped onion on black board

    Chop a medium onion.

    adding onion to burger in pan

    Add the meat and the onion to a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

    mixing spices in a metal bowl

    While the meat and onion are cooking, prep the garlic and measure the spices.

    removing fat from skillet

    Cook until the burger has no pink, usually 8-10 minutes. Push the meat aside in the pan, add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute to bloom the garlic. Drain the fatty drainage well.

    adding tomato sauce to browned burger

    Add the spices and tomato sauce. Turn the heat to medium and cook another 5 minutes until the sauce is incorporated.

    taco meat cooked in a skillet

    Serve in tacos, nachos, or on a salad.

    plate full of nachos
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    📖Recipe

    taco meat on nachos

    The Best Ground Beef Taco Meat in 25 Minutes

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Great Mexican for all—taco Tuesday will never be the same. Once you have the best taco meat, make the best tacos or excellent nachos, or use it in many other ways.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.38 from 43 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 22 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 12

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 2 pounds ground beef
    • 1 onion-medium diced - Use powered if needed
    • 2-4 cloves garlic-crushed - Use powdered if needed

    Spices

    • 4 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1-2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • ¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 8 oz tomato sauce

    Instructions

    • Chop a medium onion.
      chopped onion on black board
    • Add the meat and the onion to a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
      adding chopped onion to burger in a fry pan
    • While the meat and onion are cooking, prep the garlic, and measure the spices.
    • Cook until the burger has no pink, usually 8-10 minutes. Push the meat aside in the pan, add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute to bloom the garlic. Drain the fatty drainage well.
      removing fat from skillet
    • Add the spices and tomato sauce. Turn the heat to medium and cook another 5 minutes until the sauce is incorporated.
      adding tomato sauce to browned burger
    • Serve in tacos, nachos, or on a salad.
      taco meat cooked in a skillet
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    My Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. Adjust to the amount you want in the serving area of this recipe card.
    2. 80/20 ground beef gives the best results.
    3. You may use ground turkey or chicken. Of course, there will be a slight taste difference but the spices in this meat will dominate.
    4. I suggest making a large amount and freezing it.
    5. This is about a 3/10 spicy when using 1 teaspoon of cumin and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne. Adjust to your taste.
    6. Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and freezes well for 3-4 months

    My Old Method

    The previous version of this recipe. Fussier with only a slightly different taste.
    1. Cook onion in 2 teaspoons of oil until clearing.
    2. Add the garlic and dry spices. Cook for 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices.
    3. Add the meat, break up and cook until no pink. Use lower-fat meat to decrease drainage.
    4. Drain.
    5. Add tomato sauce. 2 teaspoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Cook for about another 5 minutes until incorporated.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Calories : 210 kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates : 4 g (1%) | Protein : 14 g (28%) | Fat : 16 g (25%) | Saturated Fat : 6 g (30%) | Cholesterol : 54 mg (18%) | Sodium : 388 mg (16%) | Potassium : 335 mg (10%) | Fiber : 1 g (4%) | Sugar : 1 g (1%) | Vitamin A : 907 IU (18%) | Vitamin C : 2 mg (2%) | Calcium : 32 mg (3%) | Iron : 2 mg (11%)
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : Mexican

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Originally Published May 6, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. INGE KOHL

      May 05, 2022 at 1:20 am

      2 stars
      Hate to say this, but I agree with Mary. Way too spicy to enjoy. At first I thought the computer hadn't calculated it correctly when I cut the recipe in half, but I just checked and it was correct, unless you meant to write tsp instead of TBSP for the chili powder. Had to add water to the pan and then drain it to get the extra spiciness out twice. Then I added more onion and garlic powder and oregano. It was still a little too spicy.

      Reply
    2. Mary

      September 02, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      3 stars
      I'm sorry, but I just didn't enjoy this recipe. I thought it was too heavy handed in the chili powder. I thought the chili powder ran the show and didn't let the other spices shine at all.
      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    3. Charlene

      May 05, 2019 at 1:05 am

      5 stars
      This looks really good - especially in the picture of nachos - could you tell me what to do to make the nachos in the picture please?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        May 05, 2019 at 10:47 am

        Hi Charlene,

        We make nachos way too often. Spread nacho chips over a plate. One layer only but with some overlap. A heavy sprinkle of taco meat (warm it a little if it is left overs). A good cover of cheese. You can add a second smaller layer in the center if you want but be sure these is cheese on the first layer before you do.

        Then microwave for about 60-70 seconds. Then all other toppings.

        Some people like to do it in an oven. Too slow for hungry me and the chips seem to get limp.

        Dan

      • Charlene

        May 06, 2019 at 3:07 am

        5 stars
        Thank you - will try!

      • Don Jose

        May 10, 2020 at 10:18 am

        When the taco filling is just about ready add about a quarter cup of chicken stock. The boiling stock steams the ground beef mixture, much softer, more tender. Stir around until the stock has reduced. Just a little mo' bettah.

        Taco Tuesday is right around the corner.

    4. Debbie

      September 05, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      This was delicious. First time making taco meat without the envelop but definitely not the last. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    5. Chris

      July 04, 2018 at 1:59 pm

      As a neophyte wannabe cook, I found the recipe easy to follow and . . . it turned out well.
      Packed taco shells with the spicy meat and even my food fussy wife said it was good! Thank you for a simple recipe that someone as inexperienced as me (or is it I) can cook and have it turn out well. And, thank you so much Dr. Dan for this wonderful website!

      Reply
    6. Loli

      January 30, 2018 at 6:48 pm

      Excuse my ignorance...but what is ATK?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 30, 2018 at 6:50 pm

        American Test Kitchen which is part of Cooks Illustrated.
        I just made this for dinner tonight.
        Dan

    7. joan

      May 15, 2017 at 8:26 am

      Made this last night -- perfect!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        May 15, 2017 at 10:54 pm

        Thanks Joan, it is one of my favorites.
        Dan

    8. Nancy

      January 18, 2017 at 12:48 pm

      I will be making this often! Love to freeze small portions for the two of us & have at the ready. This taco meat is so versatile for many, many recipes. We would like this over pasta, too.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 18, 2017 at 1:29 pm

        Thanks Nancy,
        I just did 3 pounds yesterday. I really need leftovers right now. I doubt we will freeze any.
        Dan

    9. SandyToes

      December 02, 2016 at 8:49 pm

      Hi DrDan,

      I'm so glad I happened on your site. I was cruising the 'net one afternoon, looking for a new taco filling, bored out of my skull with the one I'd been making for the last 6 years. I thought your recipe showed more promise than most others, which were just the same-old same-old. And it was serendipity that I had a half cup of leftover tomato sauce standing there in my fridge, mocking me from it's mason jar, knowing it's chances of being used were just about zero. The Universe is truly filled with wonders.

      I tried the original ATK taco filling back in the early 2000-sies and thought it was bland and boring, with hardly any Mexican flavors, and didn't taste much like any taco I'd ever eaten. It was reminiscent of one from Chi-Chi's, arguably the most anglo of all Mexican Restaurants. I chalked it up to Chris Kimball's stunted Yanqui tastebuds.

      What I longed for was the spice combo from my formative years, the 1960's, in SoCal, when walk-up taco stands abounded and they all served a similar 100% ground beef filling, encased in a hard corn tortilla and wrapped in the same yellow paper. Back when Taco Bell still had the BellBeefer and Del Taco's Bun Taco wasn't a secret menu item. Those were the days.

      I'm so glad that the folks at ATK seem to have discovered spices and that you took the time to tinker with them. Talk about a blast from the past! Your filling is as close to those classic SoCal tacos as I've ever tasted, albeit a little spicier. I like the heat, but my Swedish-English dude wants me to back it down a notch. I'm sure if I cut the cayenne in half to a dash, it'll be perfecto. Gringos. What can you do?

      Anyway, thanks from the bottom of my taco-loving heart, DrDan, and thank you for indulging my little trip down memory lane and for concocting the recipe for my bread-and-butter, everyday tacos. Ground beef was the last filling I needed to perfect. With your recipe, my taco canon is now complete. Know that you've got a fangirl in me.

      BTW, tonight I served it on Martin's Potato Rolls. The BellBeefer lives!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        December 02, 2016 at 9:08 pm

        Thanks for the ramble...
        I found the ATK recipe good but just not quite right. Now I'm from Iowa and no taco truck memories for me. But it had that ATK fussiness without the huge reward they promise. But they frequently just don't quite deliver. I would do taco meat about twice per month and modify that recipe some every time until I felt it was right.

        I do admit to skipping the vinegar and brown sugar frequently anymore. It is the spiciness I want.

        You might want to check my Kick Tail Taco Soup at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/kick-tail-taco-soup-in-crock-pot/
        It is a thick soup/chili based on this recipe.

        Dan

    10. Laura R

      April 12, 2015 at 5:01 pm

      I like this method, I am going to try adding in the brown sugar and vinegar next time. A nice quick moist taco meat you can throw on anything. My spouse is an onion hater so I just use onion powder to blend it in better. :)

      Also a cooking for two tip, if you don't want to eat the same thing the next day, taco meat freezes well to eat at a later time.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        April 12, 2015 at 5:10 pm

        Thanks for the note. I always do 2-4 pounds and freeze frequently.

        DrDan

    11. Inspired by eRecipeCards

      August 07, 2011 at 8:27 pm

      It's exactly the way i make and serve tacos when it's just my wife and myself... fast easy and i could indeed eat this often

      Reply
    12. Dr Dan

      May 16, 2011 at 9:20 pm

      I really can't do mix anymore after this.

      Reply
      • Steve

        May 12, 2020 at 9:52 pm

        5 stars
        I like this, I’m gonna try it, I usually make it with potato pieces(Picadillo), but I learned to make Gorditas and this will work very nicely in stuffing them thank you

    13. Dr Dan

      May 11, 2011 at 8:58 pm

      This is one of my favorites. So easy and good. I personally believe that taco meat is a requirement for life.

      Reply
    14. umbrellalady

      May 09, 2011 at 10:33 pm

      I like your recipe and will be trying it. I have a problem with using taco seasoning mixes and have been looking for an alternative - this just might be it!

      Reply
      • Leslie

        May 02, 2020 at 1:51 pm

        I have lived in Arizona for my entire life and don’t remember any cooks I knew to be fussy about taco meat. Always s&p, garlic, and red chili powder or flakes...adjusted for heat to suit your family. Never used cumin or cilantro. We generally relied on the salsa and toppings for much of the flavor. Only in the last 10-12 years have I seen a multitude of recipes for taco meat. I’ve tried many, and will, likewise, try yours as I generally like your recipes. I don’t know where you live but if you can find it, you MUST try “El Pato” Mexican tomato sauce. Just a hint of acidity and added heat and you’ll never use anything else.

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