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Ground Beef Tacos are one of my our favorite weeknight family meals, especially on Taco Tuesdays! I have a quick homemade taco seasoning that I love to use for this recipe so I can cook the taco meat in 10 minutes. Give it a try and it'll be your new go-to for taco night too!

top down shot of beef tacos on white background

Homemade taco seasoning

Making taco seasoning from scratch is super easy and can be cheaper than buying the prepared taco seasoning. Here are the spices I include in my recipe. Feel free to also add paprika, coriander, onion powder and crushed red pepper to give it some heat.

  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Mexican oregano
  • Salt and pepper

I provide suggested amounts in the recipe card below because usually there's more of the chili powder and cumin compared to the other spices. However, feel free to adjust the quantities, or use your favorite prepared taco seasoning.

seasoning for making homemade tacos: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper

How do you make ground beef taco meat

  1. Place the ground beef in a skillet with olive oil.
  2. Brown the beef with olive oil and then drain any fat.
  3. Add the spices along with the tomato paste and water (or tomato sauce)
  4. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then cook for a few more minutes until the sauce thickens.
Step by step shots to show how to make the beef in a skillet

And the end result is flavorful juicy homemade tacos that's ready to be served in less than 15 minutes.

homemade taco meat in a skillet

Toppings for Tacos

I like to keep it simple with usually a few different toppings when I'm making these just for the family on weeknights. However, I love having DIY taco bars with friends and family and I usually include the following toppings for tacos:

  • Shredded lettuce or cabbage
  • Tomatoes
  • Shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
  • Red onions
  • Guacamole (store bought or homemade) or avocado
  • Olives
  • Jalapeños
  • Sour Cream
  • Salsa or my Bean Tomato Salsa

Starting to assemble the tacos with lettuce

Tips for making ground beef tacos

  1. Be careful not to dry out the taco meat when you add the sauce. Once the beef is cooked, you want to cook it with the seasoning and liquid on medium low and just until the sauce starts to thicken. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't dry out.
  2. Heat up the tortillas before adding the ground beef on top. You can heat them up in the microwave, oven or on a skillet for 1-2 minutes per side. This makes the tortillas soft, pliable and much less likely to break.
  3. Add onions to the mixture to make it more savory. You'll want to cook the onions until they soften before adding the ground beef. It gives the taco meat a deeper flavor, but it's totally optional. Adding onion powder is a quick easy update as well.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best ground beef for tacos?

I prefer to use 90% lean ground beef for tacos for the best flavor and consistency. If it's any more lean, it may be too dry. If you use a less lean kind, make sure to drain off the fat after cooking the ground beef, before adding the seasoning.

How can make the tacos low carb?

The actual ground beef taco meat is low carb, so you can use low-carb tortillas or skip the tortillas all together as serve it as a taco salad or in a taco bowl.

How much taco meat do you need per person?

Using a traditional 6-inch tortilla or traditional size hard taco shell, you can use about 2-3 tablespoons of taco meat per taco. That means that depending on how much you load up the ground beef tacos with other ingredients, one pound of beef could serve between 8 and 12 people.

Ground beef tacos topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and onions

For more Tex Mex recipes:

  • Mexican Street Tacos
  • Baked Chicken Tacos
  • Tempeh Tacos
  • Beef Taco Burritos
  • Shrimp Fajita Bowls
  • Chicken Burrito Bowl
  • Walnut Tacos

This is one of those family friendly recipes that is always in our rotation. They kids love, and I love how easy it is to prepare. I'll often double or triple the recipe when I'm having people over, or to have leftovers for adding to a taco salad lunch bowl.

If you've tried this healthy-ish feel good Ground Beef Tacos recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don't forget torate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Anolon Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup water

For serving the tacos

  • 8 Corn or flour tortillas
  • Lettuce finely chopped
  • Shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese
  • Tomatoes chopped
  • Chopped red onions

  • Heat the olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any fat.

  • Add the chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, tomato paste and water. Stir to combine and continue cooking over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 3-5 minutes

  • Serve warm over tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and red onions, or your other desired toppings.

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last up to 4 days and can be reheated on the stovetop. To reheat, add a splash of water so the taco meat doesn't dry out.

Freezing Instructions: Allow the taco meat to cool down completely, then place in freezer-safe storage containers or ziplock bags for up to 3 months.

Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.

  • Instead of tomato paste and water, you can simply use tomato sauce.
  • Instead of chili powder, you can use paprika.

Calories: 142 kcal , Carbohydrates: 13 g , Protein: 14 g , Fat: 4 g , Saturated Fat: 1 g , Cholesterol: 35 mg , Sodium: 236 mg , Potassium: 304 mg , Fiber: 2 g , Sugar: 1 g , Vitamin A: 216 IU , Vitamin C: 1 mg , Calcium: 36 mg , Iron: 2 mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.