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    Home » Ground Beef Tacos

    Ground Beef Tacos

    Published: Apr 27, 2022 · Modified: Jan 17, 2023 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    It only takes 5 ingredients and 15 minutes to make this ground beef taco recipe. Mexican Ground beef tacos are an easy weeknight meal that the entire family loves. Use our homemade taco seasoning for the best flavor, and of course serve them with homemade guacamole and salsa!

    3 Ground Beef Tacos on a plate with sour cream, cheese, guacamole and tomatoes

    There isn't a meal we make more often in our house than this ground beef taco recipe. It takes 15 minutes to prepare, we always have the ingredients on hand (including this homemade taco seasoning) and my entire family loves it.

    These Mexican ground beef tacos are made with 5 ingredients - including the best homemade taco seasoning. They are an easy, healthy dinner to make when you are short on time and don't want to fight with your kids to eat a meal.

    Serve them with your favorite Mexican recipes like homemade guacamole, easy salsa, cilantro lime rice and refried black beans for true Mexican feast. Or, keep it simple and use store-bought toppings.

    3 Ground Beef Tacos on a plate with sour cream, cheese, guacamole and tomatoes

    Ground Beef Taco Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

    ingredients in this Ground Beef Taco recipe
    • Ground Beef. We typically use 85% lean ground beef, however any variety works well. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey to make this recipe.
    • Homemade Taco Seasoning. I always have a batch of this in a jar in my spice cabinet. My entire family agrees it's the best (and far better than any store-bought varieties). If you prefer to use store-bought, I suggest making sure you chose an organic variety without fillers/artificial ingredients. Two of our favorites are Siete Foods and Simply Organic.
    • Onion. We usually use sweet white or yellow onions, however red onion tastes great too.
    • Lime Juice. Choose an organic bottled lime juice or use freshly squeezed.
    • Minced Garlic. I buy organic minced garlic in a jar and use that since I don't ever seem to have time to mince fresh garlic. But you can choose whichever you prefer.
    Ground Beef Tacos in the pan after they are fully cooked

    How to Make Ground Beef Tacos

    These Mexican ground beef tacos are easy to make in 15 minutes! We'll walk through how to make ground beef tacos step-by-step, and don't forget to watch the video.

    Begin by cooking the ground beef, onion and garlic covered over medium-high heat until the ground beef begins to brown and is no longer pink in the center, stirring often.

    Depending on the fat content of your ground beef, you may want to strain some of the fat off as it cooks. Don’t drain it all, though. It adds flavor and absorbs/distributes the taco seasoning. Also, the meat mixture thickens as it cools slightly.

    two photos showing How to Make Ground Beef Tacos - cooking the ground beef, onion and garlic

    Once the ground beef begins to brown, add the homemade taco seasoning and stir until it’s evenly distributed.

    two photos showing How to Make Ground Beef Tacos - adding taco seasoning

    Next, add the lime juice and stir to combine. Cook, uncovered, until the mixture is browned, stirring occasionally.

    two photos showing How to Make Ground Beef Tacos - adding lime juice

    Once the ground beef is browned, transfer it to a serving dish and serve.

    Mexican Ground Beef Taco mixture in a pan after being cooked

    Serve

    Serve these ground beef tacos in your favorite tortillas or taco shells (or use it to make the best homemade nachos or a delicious taco salad). I recommend a dollop of sour cream and cheese of course, along with some of our favorite Mexican recipes:

    • Taco night isn't complete without the this easy homemade guacamole.
    • This blender salsa takes 5 minutes to prepare!
    • Cilantro lime rice is a delicious addition, especially if you want to make burritos!
    • Skip the can and make your own homemade refried black beans, they only take 10 minutes to prepare!
    • I always make this sweet potato and black bean taco filling to go with our ground beef tacos for extra veggies!
    3 Mexican Ground Beef Tacos on a plate with sour cream, guacamole, cheese and tomatoes

    Store/freeze

    Store leftover ground beef taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    a hand holding a ground beef taco

    Recipe FAQs

    Which ground beef is best for tacos?

    We usually use grass-fed, organic 85% lean ground beef. Any beef from 80% to 93% lean works well.

    How do you keep ground beef moist for tacos?

    First, do not drain off all the excess fat at it liquefies. Be sure to leave some in the meat mixture to keep it moist and soak in the taco seasoning. Second, do not over-cook the ground beef or it will become dry. Third, store the ground beef covered while serving.

    Do you drain grease when making tacos?

    Depending on how lean your meat it, you might want to drain off some of the fat when you're cooking these ground beef tacos. Just be sure you do not drain off all of it.

    How many pounds of beef do you need for tacos?

    This recipe is for 1 pound of ground beef, and can be easily scaled to the amount you need. I always make two pounds of ground beef for my family of 8 and we have leftovers.

    3 Ground Beef Tacos on a plate with sour cream, cheese, guacamole and tomatoes

    If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don't forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube - be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

    Ground Beef Tacos

    Mexican Ground Beef Tacos Recipe

    Laura
    It only takes 5 ingredients and 15 minutes to make this ground beef taco recipe. We make ground beef tacos at least once every week because it’s our family’s favorite meal! Use our homemade taco seasoning for the best flavor.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 8 tacos
    Calories 151 kcal

    Equipment

    • cast iron skillet
    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups
    • spatula

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound ground beef
    • ½ onion diced
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice
    • 8 tortillas
    • Toppings: guacamole salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, refried beans, etc.

    Instructions
     

    • Combine ground beef, onion and minced garlic in a non-stick fry pan or cast iron skillet.
    • Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the meat begins to brown and is no longer pink in the center, stirring often.*
    • Once the ground beef begins to brown, add taco seasoning and stir until it’s evenly distributed.
    • Add the lime juice and stir to combine.
    • Cook, uncovered, until the mixture is browned, stirring occasionally.
    • Fill taco shells with meat and toppings, as desired.

    Video

    Notes

    *Depending on the fat content of your ground beef, you may want to strain some of the fat off as it cooks. Don’t drain it all, though. It adds flavor and absorbs/distributes the taco seasoning. Also, the meat mixture thickens as it cools slightly.

    Ingredient Substitutions

    • Ground Beef. We typically use 85% lean ground beef, however any variety works well. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey to make this recipe.
    • Homemade Taco Seasoning. I always have a batch of this in a jar in my spice cabinet. If you prefer to use store-bought, I suggest making sure you chose an organic variety without fillers/artificial ingredients. Two of our favorites are Siete Foods and Simply Organic.
    • Onion. We usually use sweet white or yellow onions, however red onion tastes great too.
    • Lime Juice. Choose an organic bottled lime juice or use freshly squeezed.
    • Minced Garlic. I buy minced garlic in a jar since I don't ever seem to have time to mince fresh garlic. But you can choose whichever you prefer.

    Store/freeze

    Store leftover ground beef taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1tacoCalories: 151kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 10gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 89mgPotassium: 173mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

    The photos in this post were taken by Nyssa from Nyssa's Kitchen.

    « Homemade Taco Seasoning
    Easy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe »

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melanie Smith

      May 31, 2022 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      Made this recipe tonight for dinner. It was absolutely delicious and loved by all four of my kiddos!

      Reply
      • Laura

        June 01, 2022 at 7:37 am

        I'm so glad you love it as much as we do, Melanie!

        Reply

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    I’m Laura, a former chemistry teacher turned homeschooling mom of six beautiful babies! I create simple and delicious recipes that are tested and perfected to make cooking and baking joyful and fun!

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