These Ground Beef Tacos are a total weeknight win—loaded with flavor thanks to a simple homemade taco seasoning and on the table in under 30 minutes! Perfect for Taco Tuesday and guaranteed to be a family favorite. 🌮
For more taco recipe ideas, try these Ground Turkey Tacos, Carnitas Tacos, or Fish Tacos. Your whole family will love them too!
Ground Beef Tacos have been a staple in our dinner rotation for what feels like forever. One of those “default” meals that I can whip up super quickly without having to do much planning or prep work.
Plus, I know everyone in my house is always on board for taco night. My husband and son absolutely enjoy my carne asada, chicken tacos with homemade marinade and shrimp tacos. They ask me to make them at least once a week.
We love loading up our ground beef tacos with all the toppings—especially homemade guacamole and fresh pico de gallo. This recipe is super flexible, so mix and match your favorite seasonings, salsas, and extras to make it your own!
The leftovers are even better the next day and super versatile! You can make taco salad with it for lunch. So good too!
Key Ingredients For The Best Taco Meat
Ground Beef – I like using extra-lean ground beef for tacos because it’s moist and flavorful without being too heavy. But if you’re using ground beef with a higher fat content, be sure to drain the fat before seasoning the meat.
Tomato Sauce – Tomato sauce is what makes this ground beef taco recipe so moist and flavorful. I’ve experimented with adding different liquids, but tomato sauce always brings the best balance of richness and juiciness.
Taco Seasoning – It’s so easy to make taco seasoning from scratch! I use chili powder, ground coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and salt to taste. If you like your tacos spicy, you can also add cayenne pepper, ground cumin, or crushed red pepper. If you’re short on time, seasoning packets from the store can work just as well.
How to Make Ground Beef Tacos
First: Heat your olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook until it’s completely done, breaking it up into small pieces.
Second: Stir in the tomato sauce, all the seasonings, salt and pepper.
Then: Cook all together for another minute.
Finally: Warm your tortillas before adding a base of taco meat. Then, pile on your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Tortillas & Toppings
Tortillas – I usually reach for corn tortillas, but flour tortillas or crunchy taco shells work just as well—go with what you love!
Veggies – I like to keep it classic with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, red onions and bell pepper. You can also throw in cabbage, or some sliced jalapeños for a kick.
Fresh herbs – Big cilantro fan here, so I pile it on! Not into cilantro? No problem—fresh parsley is a great alternative.
Cheese – Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack are my taco go-tos. You really can’t go wrong with either.
Sour cream – Adds a nice cool contrast to the warm taco meat. You can swap it for plain Greek yogurt too!
Salsa – Want to level up the flavor? Try it with my avocado salsa or mango salsa—you’ll love the extra punch!
First and foremost, chips and salsa are a must! If you have fresh avocados on hand, whip up this easy avocado salsa – it’s a nice contrast to the taco meat.
I also love to whip up these 30-minute pressure cooker beans and a side of Mexican rice.
In the summer, I tend to go with lighter sides like a fresh corn salad or this sweet and savory black bean mango salad. Not only are they delicious, but these salads are so beautiful as well.
More Tacos Recipes:
Ground Beef Tacos – With Homemade Seasoning & Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt to taste
For serving
- Warm corn tortillas
- Guacamole
- Diced tomatoes and white onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
- Thinly shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. If needed, drain and discard any excess grease.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, ground coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano and salt. Mix until fully combined and cook for an additional minute. Take the skillet off the heat.
- Put ground beef in corn tortillas, add guacamole, then top with shredded lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions, and sour cream. Serve warm.
Notes
- You can warm the tortillas in a skillet or wrap them in foil and warm them in the oven.
- Add onions and garlic to the taco meat for a more savory flavor.
- Don’t skip the tomato sauce, because that’s what keeps the taco meat so moist.
- Store: Keep leftover taco meat in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Use fresh toppings after a couple of days.
- Freeze: Freeze taco meat for up to 3 months in freezer bags or containers.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave or skillet until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Love this
It’s so good! We love it too 😉