The Best Taco Meat Recipe

Name: The Best Taco Meat Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon olive oil; 1 small yellow onion (petite diced); 4 cloves garlic (finely minced); 1 lb. 85/15 ground beef; 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/4 cup water; Kosher salt; fresh cracked black pepper; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

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You can create this tasty taco meat recipe in about 15 minutes with less than 10 ingredients and only one skillet, using homemade taco seasoning! It's quick, easy, and, most of all, delicious!

grey bowl filled with homemade taco meat garnished with fresh cilantro.

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Ingredients for Taco Meat
How to Make Taco Meat
Tips for Making the Best Taco Meat
You Will Love This Taco Meat Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Make with Taco Meat
Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
More Delicious and Easy Recipes
Recipe
The Best Taco Meat Recipe
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Ingredients for Taco Meat

This Taco meat recipe only requires a few ingredients. The full proportions are listed on the printable recipe card below.

White counter top with bowls of ingredients to make homemade taco meat.

Fresh onion and garlic provide the flavor basis for this taco meat. If you don't have fresh, add a few extra dashes of onion and garlic powder to the mixture.
Ground Beef: I usually use 85/15 lean ground beef, but you may substitute ground turkey, or chicken in this recipe. Taco meat can be made from any type of ground meat. Just remember that fat equals flavor, so don't choose something too lean or you'll lose flavor. If you wish to make it vegetarian, you can replace the meat with black or re-fried beans.
Homemade Taco Seasoning: My homemade taco seasoning is quick and easy to make, and it includes pantry staple spices that you probably already have on hand!
Tomato Paste: Tomato paste is essential for creating the perfect taco meat. It adds deep, rich, brilliant color and blends beautifully with the homemade taco seasoning to create a delightful flavor that your family will enjoy! Tomato sauce will do in a pinch, but the flavor will not be the same.

How to Make Taco Meat

Add the garlic and cook after sautéing the onions in olive oil.

Large sauté pan filled with sauteed diced onion.

Using a spatula, crumble the ground beef as it cooks through and turns browned. Add water, tomato paste, and taco seasoning. Mix thoroughly.

Browned ground beef with taco seasoning, water, and tomato paste.

Reduce the heat and simmer for three to five minutes, stirring now and then. Add salt and pepper to taste, then savor!

Large sauté pan filled with homemade taco meat.

Tips for Making the Best Taco Meat

Tailor the seasoning to your family's preferences! Add some red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like your taco meat a little hotter. Add a couple more pinches of cumin if you prefer a more earthy taste. Try adding smoked paprika or ancho chili powder if you prefer it smokey.
I don't drain my ground beef's oil. Keep in mind that fat doesn't make you fat; it only adds flavor! It turns up wonderful and not at all oily when I use 85/15 ground beef. To ensure that the meat is browning and not just boiling, you might need to drain off any extra grease at some stage if you're using beef with a higher fat content.
As necessary, add extra water. To prevent the meat from drying out, burning, or sticking to the pan, you might need to add a little extra water, depending on the type of pan you're using and the amount of fat in the ground beef.
After adding the taco seasoning, tomato paste, and water, the meat might appear to be done, but it's crucial to simmer it for three to five more minutes to give the tomato paste time to cook. Before cooking, tomato paste has a little raw flavor, but as it cooks, it takes on a rich flavor. Therefore, allow the meat plenty of time to simmer with the tomato paste and spices rather than rushing it.

You Will Love This Taco Meat Recipe

It's really wet! Even though we all detest the word "moisturized," this taco meat is just that! Taco meat can occasionally be overdone and dried out. This taco meat retains its moisture and tenderness while being expertly seasoned.
It has no preservatives and is bursting with flavor! Although I admit to occasionally using store-bought taco seasoning, I prefer to make a double or triple batch of my homemade seasoning and store it in a wide mouth mason jar in the pantry so that I can quickly and easily put something delectable together at the last minute! Best of all, since it's homemade, it doesn't require any preservatives like store-bought taco seasoning does to keep for months on the shelf.
Check out my Ground Beef Vegetable Soup recipe, homemade Hamburger Helper, and Homemade chicken taco seasoning if you enjoyed this dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to make taco meat?

Using an 85/15 lean ground beef and browning it over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet or large saute pan is the best method for making your own taco meat. Add the tomato paste, water, and my homemade taco seasoning, then boil for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, then savor!

What can I add to my taco meat?

I adore adding black beans, pinto beans, or chopped bell peppers. Since beans are such a simple method to add extra protein and fiber, I honestly doubt that my kid has ever eaten taco meat without them! Other family favorites include Rotel tomatoes, green chilies, and canned diced tomatoes.

How can make the tacos low-carbs?

Serve it as a taco salad or in a taco bowl. Since the ground beef taco meat itself is low in carbohydrates, you may use low-carbs tortillas or omit them entirely.

How much taco meat do you need per person?

You can use roughly two to three teaspoons of taco meat per taco when using a typical 6-inch tortilla or a traditional size hard taco shell. This implies that one pound of meat might feed eight to twelve people, depending on how many extra things you stuff into the ground beef tacos.

What to Make with Taco Meat

There are countless options! Among the favorites in our family are:

Walking taco casserole cooked in the oven
Mini chicken tacos
Cheesy Doritos casserole
Instant pot taco soup
Handmade crunch wrap supreme
Cheesy taco pasta
Ground beef flautas
Flatbread taco pizza
Cheesy Gordita crunch
Southwest taco salad

Serving this straightforward taco meat on corn tortillas or flour tortillas with traditional taco toppings like guacamole, pico de Gallo, hot sauce, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, cheese, and cilantro is another favorite of ours. It's also great with a squeeze of fresh lime juice!

Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Make-Ahead: This recipe for taco meat is ideal for making ahead of time! Just follow the cooking instructions and keep it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it!
Storage: Keep any leftover taco meat in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.
Freezing: Taco meat can be frozen for up to three months by simply putting it in a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container. Before reheating, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Warm the taco meat again by cooking it in a big skillet over medium heat until it's thoroughly heated. To keep it from drying out and to loosen it up, add a little water or broth. Another option is to microwave it for 30 to 60 seconds at a time, or until it is well heated.

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