This ground beef taco recipe is a delicious weeknight meal that’s easy to make and is ready in only 25 minutes. Made with a quick homemade taco seasoning and tomato paste (or tomato sauce) for the best flavor!
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On a busy weeknight, easy Mexican dishes like these ground beef tacos are such a time saver. From start to finish, including prepping the ingredients and toppings, this recipe comes together in 25 minutes! As a result, it is a weeknight staple in my house.
You can serve it on its own or with a side of refried beans and Mexican rice for a filling taco night meal!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground beef: I recommend using 85% lean ground beef to keep the ground beef juicy and flavorful.
- Oil: I used olive oil, but you can use any fat you prefer.
- Tomato paste and water: I like to add tomato paste for added flavor and moisture. If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use tomato sauce instead.
- Taco seasoning: My homemade taco seasoning is a blend of spices that includes chili powder, kosher salt, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.
- Lime juice: I like to add some fresh lime juice at the end to help cut the intense spices.
- Tortillas: Feel free to use any corn or flour tortillas you prefer. If you use flour, I recommend using the smaller 6-inch size.
How to Make Ground Beef Tacos
Step 1: Add some olive oil and the ground beef to a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until all the meat is browned.
Step 2: Stir in the tomato paste and water (or tomato sauce), chili powder, ground cumin, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano. Cook for 1 more minute.
Step 3: Cook everything for 1 more minute, then remove the skillet from the heat and stir in some fresh lime juice. Give it a taste and season it with more salt if needed.
Step 4: Serve the taco meat in warm corn or flour tortillas, and top them with shredded cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes, and shredded lettuce.
Helpful Tips
- Use 85% lean ground beef. This percentage of fat keeps the meat juicy and moist without it being overly greasy. Anything leaner and you’ll run the risk of the meat being too dry. If you plan to use leaner ground beef, or ground ½ to 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the skillet in addition to really paying attention to meat when it’s cooking so you can pull it off the heat when it’s done. As a result, it will help the meat stay a little juicier.
- Don’t have tomato paste? You can use ½ cup of tomato sauce instead of the tomato paste and water.
- You can also use 1 or 2 diced Roma tomatoes instead of the tomato paste and cook it down with the ground beef and seasonings until it’s reduced.
Taco Toppings
- Shredded cheese (a Mexican blend or Colby Jack are my favorite)
- Diced tomatoes or pico de gallo
- Shredded lettuce
- Sour cream, Mexican crema, or cilantro lime crema
- Hot sauce or your favorite salsa (like this roasted tomato salsa, or salsa verde)
- Cilantro
- Pickled onions
Variations
- Frying the tortillas: Another option for making this simple dish extra delicious is to shallow fry the tortillas in a little bit of oil to get them crispy. This is a traditional method in Mexican cooking. Not only does it add lots of flavor, but it also strengthens the tortilla and makes it more pliable so it won’t crack during assembly. After frying, make sure to pat the tortillas with a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
- Protein: Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken. You may need to add more oil while cooking so it doesn’t dry out.
- Veggies: If you want to add in some vegetables, diced bell peppers, zucchini, or even a handful of spinach or kale are great options.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
To store, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To freeze, allow the ground beef to cool completely and place it in a freezer-safe storage bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, warm the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until fully heated through. You may need to mix in a splash of water or broth if the mixture has dried out a little.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste (see notes for using tomato sauce)
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ lime)
For serving
- 12 warm corn tortillas
- Thinly shredded lettuce
- Shredded cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain and discard any excess grease if necessary.
- Add the tomato paste, water, chili powder, ground cumin, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano. Stir together until fully combined. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- Serve ground beef in warm corn tortillas topped with shredded lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream.
Isabel’s Tips:
- Beef: I like using 85% lean ground beef to keep the taco meat juicy and moist without it being overly greasy.
- Tomato paste: You can use ½ cup of tomato sauce instead of the tomato paste and water.
- Reheating: Add a splash of water or broth when reheating the taco meat to help prevent it from drying out.
Nutrition Information
Photos by Erin Jensen of The Wooden Skillet.
I really like this but I added a tsp of ancho chili powder and smoked paprika — it has become a family tradition.
Do you have a recipe for a big batch of diy taco mix?
Hi Cristina! Yes we have a recipe for homemade taco seasoning and you can double or triple it depending on what you need.
Your post about potato taco brought back a fond memory. My late husband and I drove a tractor trailer. Our favorite load was to Larado, TX. The taco truck served ground beef and potato tacos. We actually would not put ourselves available till after the morning taco run. We tried to recreate them at home but never found the right combination. If you have a recipe can you please share
Hi Susan! We’re glad this recipe brought back memories for you. We dont have a recipe that mixes both, but you can definitely make the potato taco filling, and this ground beef filling and then fill and fry them with the potato taco instructions.
When you say chili powder, is there a specific one that you use?
Hi Carol! Any chili powder you can find in your grocery store is fine. We usually use a regular chili powder that is a combination of different ground chilis.
I thought I already had the best taco seasoning that could be had, but I gave this one a try because of all the great recipes Isabel does every day. I’m forced to leave a comment after making this tonight. This is by far, the BEST I’ve had from anywhere (including restaurants). Excellent Isabel, many thanks.
I am very excited about the recipe for taco seasoning. I need to control my salt intake so this will give me the perfect seasoning without the sodium. My question is: after I have my double batch of mix how much per 1 lb of ground beef?
Hi Debbie! On the recipe page on the website, if you hover over the serving size number, you can adjust it to what you need. It then automatically adjusts the amount for the ingredients. I hope this helps!
Debbie K asked how much of the pre~made seasoning to use for 1 pound of ground beef. She has ALREADY made a double batch of the Taco Seasoning, now she wants to know how much of that bulk seasoning she should use per pound of ground beef.
I don’t understand how your response answers her question? How is hovering over the serving size and adjusting the amount of each individual spice going to help her figure out what amount should be used per each 1 pound of ground beef?
Hi Lyssa! I apologize for the confusion, I misread the response. We recommend 2 tbsp per 1 pound of ground beef.
Isabel. What is that specific hot sauce you have in this picture. I hope you have the recipe for that one. It looks very delicious.
I do! It’s this Toasted Red Chile Salsa – https://www.isabeleats.com/toasted-red-chile-salsa/. Enjoy!
making tacos tonight using your taco seasoning, thanks so much for sharing! do you make your own hot or chipotle or sriracha sauce?
Thanks, Abby! And I make my own hot sauce sometimes. Here’s a link to check out the sauces that I’ve shared – https://www.isabeleats.com/recipes/sauces-dressings-dips/. I also have a lot of different store bought hot sauces in my fridge, haha. I like Valentina, original Cholula, Frank’s Red Hot, and more! 🙂
This taco seasoning is delicious and tastes just like seasoning you’d buy in a packet. I’ve tried other recipes and they weren’t as good and also required a lot more spices. This one is perfect and makes for a super quick dinner. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!