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These Ground Beef Tacos are a weeknight game-changer! Delicious, juicy ground beef made with my homemade taco seasoning, fresh lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes are all stuffed inside crunchy taco shells. Perfect for Taco Tuesday and ready in just 20 minutes!
Classic Ground Beef Tacos with Homemade Taco Seasoning
These ground beef tacos are fast, flavor-packed, and perfect for busy weeknights. They’re the kind of beef tacos we (old folks) grew up eating before tacos became cool – the kind you’d expect from your favorite fast food drive-thru (except way better). Fortunately making ground beef tacos from scratch is super easy. The homemade taco seasoning—featuring chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and just the right kick of cayenne—gives the beef a deep, smoky flavor, and is cheaper than buying packets of taco seasoning from the grocery store (plus, you can use it to make other recipes like this taco spaghetti or chicken enchilada soup). Simmered in savory tomato sauce for richness, the meat turns out juicy, bold, and mouthwatering. The best part? These ground beef tacos are endlessly customizable with your favorite toppings and sides. So, no matter who you’re feeding, this recipe has room to adjust and still deliver big on flavor.
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Featured Comments
Without a doubt one of the best tacos I’ve ever made thank you for this recipe, I will definitely make it again!! -Brian
Delicious!!! I was SO TIRED of using store-bought taco seasoning that never actually tasted good! This is a great replacement! So good!!! – Whitney
Ingredients in Ground Beef Tacos
One of the absolute best parts about these tacos is how ridiculously simple they are. While I encourage you to try it with my homemade taco seasoning (it’s not too spicy, not overwhelmed by ground cumin, and salted just how you’d like it) it definitely isn’t a requirement. I’ve included sautéed onion and tomato sauce for flavor and moisture, but feel free to ditch them if they’re not your thing.
What Kind of Ground Beef is Best for Tacos?
Personally, I like to make my taco meat using 90% lean ground beef. The meat is still flavorful, tender, and delicious, but isn’t overly greasy. On the other hand, you can also use 80% lean ground beef. Readily available and extremely economical, be sure to drain any excess fat after browning. If beef isn’t your thing, any ground meat will work including chicken, pork, venison, etc. For a lighter version, you may want to check out my Ground Turkey Tacos.
How to Make Delicious Ground Beef Tacos
Since the ground beef taco meat takes just 10-15 minutes to make, I’ll usually prepare the toppings earlier in the day and store them in air-tight containers in the refrigerator until serving. This makes busy weeknight dinners super easy and prevents last-minute fast-food stops. You can also cook the meat up to 3 days in advance. Simply store it in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
The complete recipe (with step-by-step images) is in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Sautè the onion – Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and diced onion and cook until the onions just start to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Brown the meat – Add the ground beef and break it apart using a large wooden spoon or spatula. The smaller the crumbles, the more surface area for the seasoning, and ultimately more flavor. Once cooked, drain approximately 3/4 of the liquid and fat from the skillet.
- Season and simmer – Stir in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Assemble – Time permitting, warm your taco shells in a preheated 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 5 minutes to prevent them from cracking or turning soggy. Fill each taco with about 2-3 tablespoons of taco meat and all of your favorite fillings!
What are the Best Toppings for Tacos?
I am a firm believer in toppings. It gives you variety and choice and helps make food fun – which is especially important when little kids are involved! Here are some of my favorite go-to toppings:
- Shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend)
- Shredded lettuce or Cabbage
- Chopped tomatoes or homemade pico de gallo
- Sour cream (always)
- Avocado or Guacamole
- Cilantro
- Sliced Jalapeños
- Chopped onions (white, red, or green onions) or pickled red onions
- Salsa (like this salsa verde, classic tomato salsa, mango salsa, or pineapple salsa)
- Fresh lime wedges
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Absolutely. To freeze, allow the meat to come to room temperature. Once your taco meat is room temperature ready, divide 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 bag. When ready to thaw, transfer to the refrigerator and allow it to sit overnight, or place the bag in a large bowl filled with warm water. Allow the meat to loosen up enough to remove from the bag and either transfer to a skillet or microwave-safe bowl to reheat completely.
A good rule of thumb is approximately ¼ pound (4 ounces) of cooked ground beef per person. This is enough to fill 2-3 hard taco shells or regular 6-inch soft tortillas. If you’re feeding a bunch of heavy eaters (or teenagers), consider ⅓ pound per person.
Yes! Use lettuce wraps or serve the meat with cauliflower rice to keep it low carb. Use gluten-free tortillas (like corn tortillas) instead of flour taco shells. The meat is naturally gluten-free if your seasoning and tomato sauce don’t contain added gluten.
Looking for more taco recipes? Try these slow-cooker carnitas tacos, juicy shrimp tacos, or carne asada tacos.
Have any questions? Drop me a message in the comment section below! I’m happy to help. And, if you enjoy this easy beef tacos recipe, please rate it with some STAR LOVIN’ so other readers know to try it too! Tag me at #theforkedspoon. I’ll be sure to share! Thank you!
Easy Ground Beef Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
For the Ground Beef
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne, optional, omit if you're sensitive to spicy foods
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cornstarch, optional
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- salt + pepper, to taste
- 1 cup tomato sauce
For Serving the Tacos
- 8-12 crunchy taco shells
- monterey or colby jack cheese, shredded
- fresh tomatoes, diced
- Romaine or Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- sour cream
Instructions
For the Ground Beef
- Sauté the Onion: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and diced onion, sautéing for 4–5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir frequently to prevent browning.
- Brown the Beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet with the onions. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the beef into small crumbles. Cook until browned and fully cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain about ¾ of the excess fat and liquid from the skillet.
- Add Seasoning & Simmer: Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add all the spices—chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cornstarch (if using), oregano, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper—plus the tomato sauce. Stir everything together well to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Assemble the Tacos: Warm the taco shells according to package instructions. Spoon the seasoned beef into each shell, then top with shredded cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a spoonful of sour cream—or your favorite toppings.
Notes
- I highly recommend preparing a large batch of Homemade Taco Seasoning as it is super versatile and delicious in other taco-flavored recipes such as Taco Salad, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Enchiladas, and Baked Fajitas.
- Feel free to use your favorite ground meat for these tacos including turkey, pork, lamb, venison, chicken, or a mix!
- Storage: Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to prevent the meat from drying out.
- Freezing: Cool completely, then place in freezer-safe storage bags or containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is amazing!! Tasted so wonderful, so much better than shop bought! ๐
Absolutely loved it! As did my husband & his very picky foodie friend, too! I made the larger recipe & stored it for later. โก
Thank you for the lovely feedback Beth ๐
Delicious!!! I was SO TIRED of using store-bought taco seasoning that never actually tasted good! This is a great replacement! So good!!!