How to Make Ground Beef Tacos
Here are the basics of how to make our easy ground beef tacos. Refer to the recipe for all the specifics, so your tacos will taste perfectly seasoned with the just the right amount of filling:
Prepare the Taco Meat
Cook your ground beef with onion to add flavor in just one step—slashing time from cooking them separately. Add garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and tomato sauce to the drained meat mixture and simmer to bring out and balance the flavors perfectly.
Warm the Taco Shells
For the best texture and experience, warm the taco shells in the oven. In a hurry? You can skip this step and get right to filling the shells!
Assemble the Tacos
Spoon the taco ingredients into the shells, starting with the ground beef mixture and top with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Serve with Sauces
Offer salsa and sour cream so that each person can top their tacos as they wish.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
What is the secret to our delicious tacos? It’s the flavorful combination of ingredients simmered in the ground beef! We take simple seasonings like garlic and chili powder and add them in just the right amounts with onion, tomato sauce and salt to create the best-tasting ground beef taco recipe you can make. It creates the best flavor for all-family appeal, not too mild but not too spicy either. It's like an explosion of flavor in your mouth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Make My Tacos Spicier?
Want to spice things up a bit? Here’s how to make tacos spicier for everyone or for those who want a bolder flavor:
Spicier Tacos for All: If everyone loves the heat in Tex-Mex tacos, you can add a dash or two of red pepper sauce with the tomato sauce in the ground beef mixture. Serve hot salsa with the tacos for even more heat.
Spicier Tacos for Just a Few: Prepare the tacos as directed but serve them with hot salsa and red pepper sauce on the side so those who like heat can dial up the flavor as they wish.
Can I Make the Tacos Ahead?
You can make the ground beef mixture for the ground beef tacos recipe up to 2 days in advance. Cool it and place it in a food safe storage container. Store in in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. (The flavor of the taco meat can get even better, when the ingredients have time to hang out together.) When you’re ready to make the tacos, spoon the taco meat into a microwavable bowl. Cover and microwave on medium-high (70%) about 1 minute or until heated through. Continue as directed in Step 3.
Can I Make Ground Turkey Tacos?
This ground beef tacos recipe is very adaptable to other types of ground meat. You can use ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or even meatless crumbles instead of the ground beef. Use what your family prefers or what is on sale. If making taco meat with ground turkey, ground chicken, or meatless crumbles, spray your skillet with cooking spray before cooking, as these ground meats are lower in fat and therefore can stick to the pan without it. We don’t suggest using ground sausage for this dish, as the seasonings in the meat can fight the flavors of the taco seasoning.
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