Homemade Ground Beef Taco Meat Recipe (2024)

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January 23, 2024April 27, 2018 by Malinda Linnebur

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My Homemade Ground Beef Taco Meat is the best taco meat recipe ever! Plus, you can even make this recipe with turkey or ground chicken if you’d like. Quick, easy, and perfect for tacos, burritos, or nachos!

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The Best Taco Meat Recipe

This is my go-to beef taco meat recipe! And if you’ve ever wondered how to make taco meat at home, you’ve come to the right place.

I love it for so many reasons…it’s quick and easy and requires only a handful of pantry staples. Plus, there are zero packages of taco seasoning to be found!

Don’t panic, it’s just as easy as dumping pre-made taco seasoning into ground beef. Making it yourself means that you can adjust it to suit your specific tastes! It doesn’t get much better than that, in my opinion.

Most of the time I make my taco meat this way instead of storing taco seasoning. I just find it easier, and it’s one less thing for me to store. That said, I do have a Homemade Taco Seasoning that is really good as well. It’s really just a matter of preference!

You can always make a batch of taco seasoning to have on hand and ready to use at any time. Or use my best taco meat recipe if you don’t want to store a jar of taco seasoning.

Looking for some other great taco recipes? Check out my Spicy Chicken Tacos, Bean and Cheese Breakfast Tacos, and Easy Taco Soup.

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Why You’ll Love This Taco Meat Recipe

Tasty
Full of flavor thanks to the seasonings
Perfect for ground beef tacos
So easy to make
Made with simple pantry ingredients

Key Ingredients to Make This Ground Beef Taco Meat Recipe

GROUND BEEF – I like to use simple ground beef for this taco meat recipe, meaning 70-90% lean and 30-10% fat. You can use your preference!
CHILI POWDER – All good taco meat has a bit of heat. Get yours from the chili powder.
ONION & GARLIC POWDER – You can also replace the onion and garlic powder with fresh, which I also do sometimes. Use 1 small onion (chopped) and 4-6 cloves garlic (minced) in place of the onion and garlic powder.
OREGANO – I’m using traditional oregano here, but you could also use Mexican varieties if you want a more complex flavor.
CUMIN – This warm and earthy spice is one of my favorites.
TOMATO SAUCE – The secret ingredient for my filling for ground beef tacos! It adds so much flavor and the consistency is just perfect.
SALT & PEPPER – To taste.

You can also add cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to boost the heat. Change up the flavors by adding smoked paprika or chipotle powder.

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Instructions on How to Make Taco Meat

ADD THE GROUND BEEF TO A SKILLET: Place the ground beef in a skillet and sprinkle the seasonings on top. Brown the meat over medium heat and stir as it cooks.

FAQ

Can I freeze ground beef taco meat?

Yes! It is great to make ahead. When properly stored in a freezer-safe container, it will last 2-4 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as necessary. You can also make it ahead and store covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Do you add water to taco meat?

I prefer to use tomato sauce. It adds so much more flavor than plain old water. You could also use beef broth!

Do you add taco seasoning while the meat is cooking?

I add all of my seasonings along with the raw ground beef. I see no reason to wait until it’s cooked, and I find that my method allows the flavors to really infuse.

Should I use oil when cooking taco meat?

The meat itself already contains fat, so I don’t recommend adding any oil to it. Make sure to use a nonstick skillet to prevent the meat from getting stuck on the pan.

What to Serve with Ground Beef Tacos

Now that you know how to make taco meat it’s time to build your tacos! I recommend adding:

All the toppings! Lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado…you name it.
Homemade Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Quick and Easy Refried Beans
Spanish Rice

Tips for Making Taco Meat

This ground beef taco meat recipe also works great with ground turkey or chicken.
Remember that you can use any type of ground beef (although you can read about my preferences above). Just drain the grease well so your taco filling isn’t greasy.
A few extras that I like to add sometimes:
- An 8-ounce can of tomato sauce (as shown in these pictures) or 1/2 cup of salsa to make it a little spicy! This is our favorite way.
- A 4-ounce can of chopped green chilies.
- A 15-ounce can of pinto beans that have been drained and rinsed.

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More Mexican-Inspired Recipes To Try

Mexican Casserole
Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken
Mexican Dip
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas