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–+ servings
close up of wooden ladle in frying pan full of taco beef.

Taco Meat recipe

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 94cal
Author: Ashley Fehr
Make the juiciest Taco Meat with this easy recipe! It's made with lean ground beef, onion, spices, and tomato paste and is ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for slapping on tacos, salads, nachos, or anything else you like!
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 small onion (finely diced)

Taco Seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • ½ tablespoon cumin
  • ½ tablespoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon onion powder
  • ½ tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add ground beef and onion and cook until onion is translucent and beef is browned, about 6-8 minutes, stirring often.
  • Drain excess fat from the pan or use a paper towel to absorb it.
  • In a small bowl, combine seasoning ingredients. Add one tablespoon seasoning to ground beef mixture, along with tomato paste and water. Stir and taste, adding additional seasoning as needed. Store remaining seasoning for another use.
  • Use in tacos, taco salad, wraps, or refrigerate or freeze for later.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:
  • Ground beef: you can swap the ground beef for ground pork, chicken or turkey, or boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. If using a leaner meat, you may need to add oil or spray the pan for cooking.
  • Onion: since there is onion powder in the seasoning, you can omit the diced onion if you prefer. 
  • Tomato paste: I like my taco meat a little saucy and tomato-y -- you can easily skip the tomato paste and water if you prefer. 
  • Additional vegetables: there are so many ways to customize this recipe! I like to add chopped bell peppers and black beans to stretch the recipe even further, but you can also added shredded carrots, zucchini, chopped mushrooms, fresh garlic, and so many other things if you prefer.
  • Added spice: for extra kick, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or some red chili flakes. 
Storage:
Refrigerate up to 4 days in a sealed container.
Freeze up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. 

Nutrition

Calories: 94cal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 518IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg