Easy Taco Meat
This taco meat is one of those recipes that earns its place in your kitchen not because it’s fancy but because it’s endlessly useful. Seasoned ground beef cooked in about 20 minutes that works in tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, taco bowls, loaded fries and about a dozen other meals. Make a big batch and you’ve got a week’s worth of dinners from one pan.
It also freezes brilliantly, which is why it’s one of the four recipes in my Freezer Meals with Ground Beef series. Freeze it flat in zip-lock bags and you’ve got ready-to-go taco meat that defrosts in minutes and reheats in a pan. One batch on a Sunday, easy dinners all week.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground beef. I use an 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio. A little fat keeps the meat juicy and flavorful. Extra lean beef works but the result will be drier. Drain any excess fat after cooking if you prefer.
- Seasonings: To keep this recipe as simple as possible, I use mostly spices and seasonings to add flavor. You can of course use finely diced onion and fresh garlic for this (and this is what I do when I have a little more time). I used garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chilli flakes and dried oregano but my taco seasoning would be excellent here too. If you want to use the meat in a different dish, using any of my homemade seasonings would work!
- Tomato paste. A tablespoon stirred in toward the end adds body, richness and a deeper color. It also helps the seasoning cling to the meat.
- Water or stock. A small splash added with the tomato paste creates a saucy coating on the meat rather than it being dry and crumbly. Let it simmer until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
- Salt and pepper. Season generously. The meat needs enough seasoning to carry flavor through whatever you’re serving it in.
How to Make Taco Meat
Step 2: Brown the beef. Add the ground beef to a large skillet or frying pan set over medium-high heat and break it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no pink remains, about 5 to 7 minutes. Don’t stir it constantly. Let the meat sit in contact with the pan long enough to actually brown rather than just turning grey. Drain any excess fat if needed.
Step 2: Add the tomato paste. Move some of the meat to the side and add the tomato paste straight to the pan. Allow to brown with the meat for a minute.
Step 3: Add the seasoning. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant and coating the meat evenly.
Step 5: Add liquid. Stir in the stock or a splash of water. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes until the liquid has mostly absorbed and the meat is saucy and well coated rather than dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
What to Make with Taco Meat
This is where one batch turns into a week of different meals:
- Tacos. The obvious choice. Load up corn or flour tortillas with the meat, shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa and whatever else you love.
- Burritos. Roll the taco meat into a large flour tortilla with rice, beans, cheese, guacamole and sour cream for a fully loaded burrito.
- Nachos. Scatter tortilla chips on a sheet pan, top with taco meat and shredded cheese, bake until melted and bubbly. Finish with jalapeños, sour cream and guacamole.
- Taco bowls. Taco meat over rice or crispy air fried potatoes with all the toppings. This is my go-to when I want tacos without the tortilla.
- Burger bowls. Roasted crispy potatoes as the base, topped with fried onions, cheese and burger sauce. A family favorite!
- Quesadillas. Taco meat and cheese pressed between two tortillas and pan-fried until golden and crispy. Ready in about 5 minutes.
- Loaded fries. Pile taco meat, melted cheese, sour cream, jalapeños and green onions over crispy fries. Weekend food at its finest.
- Taco salad. Warm taco meat over crisp lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, corn, avocado and a drizzle of ranch or a squeeze of lime.
How to Freeze Taco Meat
This is the recipe that freezes the most efficiently of anything I make.
- Freeze flat in zip-lock bags. Spoon the cooled taco meat into zip-lock bags, press out as much air as possible and lay them flat on a baking tray to freeze. Once solid, stack them upright like files in a drawer. Flat bags take up a fraction of the space that round containers do and they defrost significantly faster because the meat is spread thin.
- Portion by meal. I freeze in portions that feed my family for one dinner (about 2 cups per bag). This way you defrost exactly what you need without thawing the whole batch.
- Keeps for up to 3 months. Label each bag with the date. The meat is safe beyond 3 months but the flavor and texture are best within that window.
- To reheat: Defrost overnight in the fridge or place the sealed bag in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water if the meat looks dry. It comes back to life quickly.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2lb) ground beef/beef mince
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1-2 tsp chilli flakes depending on preference
- 1½ cups beef stock or water
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet or frying pan set over medium-high heat and break it into pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Cook until browned and no pink remains, about 5 to 7 minutes. Don't stir it constantly. Let the meat sit in contact with the pan long enough to actually brown rather than just turning grey. Drain any excess fat if needed.
- Move some of the meat to the side and add the tomato paste straight to the pan. Allow to brown with the meat for a minute.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant and coating the meat evenly.
- Stir in the stock or a splash of water. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes until the liquid has mostly absorbed and the meat is saucy and well coated rather than dry.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Both work well with this seasoning. Turkey and chicken are leaner so the meat may be slightly drier. Add a little extra oil when cooking and don’t drain the fat afterward. You might also want to increase the seasoning slightly since poultry has a milder base flavor than beef.
As written, it has a gentle warmth but it’s not spicy. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne, some diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce. For kids or anyone sensitive to spice, reduce the chilli flakes.
You can but there’s no real advantage since the stovetop version only takes 20 minutes. If you want to use the slow cooker, brown the beef first, drain, add the seasoning and a little extra liquid and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. The texture will be softer and more saucy.
Taco seasoning is the spice blend. Taco meat is the finished product: ground beef cooked with the seasoning. This recipe makes its own seasoning from individual spices rather than using a store-bought packet, which gives you more control over the flavor and lets you avoid the fillers and additives that most packets contain.
Stored in an airtight container, cooked taco meat keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Beyond that, freeze it. If you know you’re not going to use it within a few days, freeze it the same day you make it for the best quality.
Absolutely. Black beans or pinto beans stirred in during the last few minutes of cooking stretch the recipe further and add fiber and protein. Drain and rinse canned beans before adding. If you’re freezing the meat, the beans freeze well mixed in.