How To Use Taco Seasoning With Ground Beef

Easy, delicious and perfect for all your taco needs, this mouthwatering 20-minute Ground Beef Taco Meat is made with lean ground beef, tomato sauce, and seasoned with homemade taco seasoning.

Fully cooked ground beef taco meat in a large black cast iron skillet.

Tacos

Tacos aren't just for Taco Tuesday…at least not at my house. And this kid-friendly footing beef taco meat isn't only for tacos, either.

Set in just 20 minutes, this super versatile footing beef is mixed with taco seasoning and pureed tomatoes and loves being added to taco salads, taco pasta, and fifty-fifty taco soup.

I love to double (or fifty-fifty triple!) this recipe and use it to meal prep both lunches and dinners for my family to last the whole week!

What is the all-time basis beef for tacos?

Deciding which basis beefiness to use in this recipe depends entirely on you.

Personally, I like to make my taco meat using 90% lean ground beefiness. The meat is still flavorful, tender, and delicious, and it isn't overly greasy.

On the other mitt, yous can also utilise 80% lean ground beef. Readily available and extremely economical, this option comes with more fatty to drain away mid-fashion through the cooking process.

If beefiness isn't your affair, whatsoever ground meat volition work with this recipe to make the all-time e'er taco meat. Venison and ground turkey are 2 of my personal favorites.

Ground beef and onions cooking in a large black cast iron skillet.

Ingredients in this Taco Meat Recipe

1 of my favorite parts about this homemade taco meat recipe is the small ingredient list.

Yous may make this recipe a few unlike ways- with store-bought taco seasoning, homemade taco seasoning (highly recommended- it's SO easy!), or by measuring out the individual seasoning and spice amounts needed to make up approximately 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning.

I had a jar of homemade taco seasoning and so that's what I used and this recipe turned out perfect! Not too spicy, not overwhelmed by ground cumin, and evidently awesome enough for a 5-year-one-time.

Onion. I will always and forever add onion to my taco meat. Cooked until super soft and tender, onions add loads of awesome added flavor to any basis taco meat recipe.
Ground Beefiness. What you lot see hither is 90% lean basis beef, but it'southward ever best to option what will work best for you and your family. One pound of footing beef will be enough for approximately 3-4 people to relish a couple of tacos packed full with all your favorite toppings.
Taco Seasoning (chili pulverization, garlic pulverization, dried oregano, paprika, stale cumin, crushed red pepper, salt + pepper, cornstarch). Store-bought or homemade, y'all can't really accept taco meat without seasoning.
Tomato plant sauce. Sometimes I'll use canned diced tomatoes, only I much prefer using tomato sauce. My 5-yr-old doesn't complain nearly the carmine things in his food and it helps proceed the taco meat nice and juicy (even when leftover and refrigerated).

Tin you add anything else to this taco meat?

Absolutely!

Sometimes I'll try to sneak in additional veggies similar carrots, or added protein from beans or lentils. Unfortunately, this volition change the overall taste and texture of your taco meat – at least a little.

If you love these things, then you should be skilful to become and love it mixed in there with the ground beefiness. If yous're new to lentils and beans, I recommend starting on the lower side. For example, fourscore% ground beef and 20% institute protein.

How to make the all-time taco meat

This recipe is super simple and couldn't exist easier to brand! As everyone has their own personal gustatory modality preferences, use the seasoning amounts that I take listed as a guide.

Permit'south become cooking!

To get started, catch a large skillet or bandage atomic number 26 skillet (shown here) and set it over medium-high heat. Drizzle with olive oil and add your onion. I similar to die my onions super pocket-size, but if you prefer to have larger onion chunks, go for information technology! On the flip side, if y'all don't care for onion at all, skip this stride.

Cook the onion until soft and translucent. Times will vary simply it took mine approximately 5 minutes.

Add your basis beefiness and immediately offset to suspension it apart using a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook your meat, stirring and breaking into smaller pieces, until cooked- approximately v-seven minutes.

Remove the skillet from heat and very carefully drain excess fat or liquid from the skillet. If some liquid is left in the skillet, that'south ok.

Return the skillet back to medium heat and add the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Mix well to combine.

Allow the taco mixture to simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Stir often and flavour with additional common salt, pepper, or taco seasoning, to taste.

Overhead image of a large cast iron skillet filled with cooked ground beef.

Can you freeze leftover taco meat?

Yes! Totally. In fact, this is super easy to practice.

To freeze whatsoever leftover taco meat, allow your meat to come up to room temperature. Once your taco meat is room temperature gear up, carve up between the desired number of freezer-friendly bags (I love these freezer friendly reusable silicone bags). Remove as much air as possible from each bag and seal completely. Label how much taco meat is inside each purse.

When set up to thaw, transfer to the refrigerator and allow your taco meat to sit overnight, or place the bag in a large bowl filled with warm h2o. Let the meat to loosen upwards enough to remove from the handbag and either transfer to a skillet or microwave-safe bowl to reheat completely.

Overhead image of a black cast iron skillet filled with cooked ground beef, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce.

If y'all attempt making this Ground Beef Taco Meat , please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.

For moreMexican recipes check out,

Albondigas Soup Recipe (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Refried Beans (How to Brand Refried Black Beans)
Drunken Beans with Poblanos
Spicy Mexican Stewed Shrimp (Shrimp Camarones)
Pork Dark-green Chili Recipe with White Beans
Salsa Verde Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos with Mango Pomegranate Salsa
Shrimp Enchiladas with Jalapeño Cream Sauce
Chicken Mole with Bootleg Mole Sauce

DON'T FORGET TO Pivot AND SHARE THIS Like shooting fish in a barrel TACO MEAT RECIPE AND Add together It TO YOUR Adjacent WEEKLY MEAL Programme!

Large black cast iron skillet filled with ground beef taco meat.

Footing Beefiness Taco Meat

Like shooting fish in a barrel, delicious and perfect for all your taco needs, this mouthwatering 20-minute Ground Beef Taco Meat is made with lean ground beef, lycopersicon esculentum sauce, and seasoned with homemade taco seasoning

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Fourth dimension 20 mins

Class Main Form

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Calories 201 kcal

▢ ii teaspoon olive oil
▢ ½ yellowish onion - diced
▢ 1 pound lean ground beef
▢ ii teaspoon chili powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon stale oregano
▢ ¼ teaspoon paprika
▢ ½ teaspoon dried cumin
▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper - optional
▢ common salt and pepper - to sense of taste
▢ ¼ teaspoon cornstarch - optional
▢ one loving cup tomato sauce

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Estrus a large skillet over medium-loftier heat. Add together the oil and diced onion and sauté for four-5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Stir often to prevent called-for and reduce rut to medium if needed.
Add the ground beef to the skillet. Use a big wooden spoon or spatula to break the beef into smaller and smaller bits and pieces. Fully melt your footing beef before draining approximately 3/four of the liquid and fat from the skillet.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add together the spices and tomato sauce to the beefiness and mix well to combine. Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes or then, stirring often.
Serve with all your favorite taco dinners! Relish!

Feel free to apply your favorite ground meat for this recipe including pork, lamb, venison, or chicken!
Make your ain taco seasoning mix! Per one pound of ground meat, yous'll desire to use approximately ane - 1.five tablespoons of taco seasoning.