Last updated on July 5th, 2024 at 12:44 am
Indulge in the timeless goodness of Ground Beef Tacos showcasing homemade taco meat generously stuffed into crisp, freshly fried taco shells. Customize with your preferred toppings for a quick family-friendly meal ready in under 30 minutes.
We welcome Taco Tuesday at our house it’s an easy dinner for busy weeknights or relaxing weekends. We actually serve this quite often as a taco bar when entertaining friends.
Packed full of beefy flavor, crispy tortilla shells, topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato, and taco sauce. It’s the most basic recipe ever. Indulge in a flavor-packed journey with our cherished recipe for our favorite taco. We always eat too many, so I make extra. Each bite is a taste bud fiesta.
Easy and Quick Weeknight Meal for the Whole Family
Tacos are a great go-to weeknight meal for the entire family. They are also very easy to make. You can have dinner on the table in about a half hour. There will be plenty for everyone, good thing too, because it will be tough to have just one taco. I generally plan on everyone having at least 3 tacos.
Fresh Taste and Easy Meal for a Crowd
This recipe can be reduced or doubled and tripled. It just depends on how big of a crowd you must feed. These make great left overs too.
When I grew up, we added the taco seasoning packet to our meat with some water to make it more of a saucy taco meat. Then we would add salsa or other hot sauce on top. It was always so messy; the sauce would run up my arm as I was eating.
Occasionally, we will make the saucy version; however, our family seems to prefer the simply seasoned lean ground beef and add toppings of their choice. That way everyone can build their own unique taco.
Another option are Birria Tacos or even Vegan Tacos. Experiment with a variety of yummy recipes for these handheld meals.
Frying the Tortillas and Adding Fresh Toppings for Delicious Taco Taste
These beef tacos are packed with flavor. They have a beefy taste, and the toppings give it a fresh taste. Additionally, frying the flour or corn tortillas just a little bit brings out a slight sweetness in them and makes them a bit crunchy as well. I love the taste and texture of homemade tacos.
In a large skillet, I use a cast iron skillet, add the oil and cook on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, put in a flour tortilla and cook about 30 seconds on one side.
Using two forks, I fold it in half and flip from side to side making sure that both sides are starting to turn a light gold color. That is normally another 30 seconds total.
Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with a few pieces of paper towels to drain off any excess oil.
Continue cooking the tortillas individually like this. (Hint. Sometimes the flour shells like to get air bubbles. I lightly place the forks over them to make sure that they stay folded while cooking in the oil).
Heating Tortillas in the Microwave
Heating tortillas in the microwave is a quick and easy process.
The flour tortillas can be heated in the microwave just 20-30 seconds rather than fried.
Begin by stacking the tortillas together in a pile. You can place a damp paper towel or a damp kitchen towel between each tortilla to help retain moisture and prevent them from drying out.
Cover the stack of tortillas with a microwave-safe plate or a microwave-safe cover. This helps to trap steam and heat, ensuring even warming.
Microwave the tortillas on high for about 20-30 seconds. The exact time may vary based on your microwave’s wattage and the number of tortillas in the stack. Start with 20 seconds and check their warmth.
Carefully remove the plate or cover, and check if the tortillas are heated to your liking. If they need more time, continue microwaving in 5-second intervals until they reach the desired temperature.
Once heated, use the tortillas immediately for your favorite dishes.
Oven Bake Hard Shell Tortillas
If you enjoy the hard taco shells. Get those and pop them into the oven for 5-10 minutes to heat through on medium heat. They are just as scrumptious.
Ground Beef for Taco
If you watch the video, you will notice that I did not season my ground beef with anything beyond salt and pepper. That is how our family likes our tacos. Our family has discussed this at length. We feel that it takes away from the beefy flavor of the tacos and it over powers the fresh vegetable toppings. However, we do love to add the bottled hot sauce.
Add Taco Seasoning to Ground Beef
However, if you would rather season your ground beef with the taco seasoning, I will add 1 packet of premade taco seasoning mix or about 2 tablespoons of my own taco seasoning recipe. Additionally, add 1/2 cup of water at the same time, as this will help the seasoning get well incorporated with the beef.
Unique Family Recipe
My daughter asked me why I thought that I should post about how to make tacos. She said, “Mom, everyone knows how to make tacos. They are so easy to make.” My response – have you ever had the kind of tacos we make anywhere else? She said – you’re right, I have never had them this way anywhere else and these are by far my favorite. Clever idea to post about this recipe.
Ground Beef Tacos Packed with Flavor
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
Beef
- 2.5 Lbs. Ground Beef
- 1 Small onion Diced
- 1/2 Tsp. salt
- 1/2 Tsp. pepper
Tortillas
- 2 Cups Vegetable Oil
- 40 6″ Flour Tortillas the smaller ones that are about 6 inches in diameter
Toppings
- 3 Cups Lettuce shredded
- 3 Cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 2 Cups tomatoes diced, I prefer cutting cherry tomatoes in half and using that
- 1 Small onion diced
- 1 container Sour Cream
- 1 Bottle Ortega Taco Sauce Mild (I am specific on this taco sauce as it is the family favorite)
- 1 Bottle Hot Sauce
text ingredients
Instructions
Beef
- Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up beef until it is relatively small crumbles of cooked hamburger.2.5 Lbs. Ground Beef
- About ½ way through cooking the ground beef, add the diced onion, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking and breaking up the beef until it is cooked through (no pink showing).1 Small onion, 1/2 Tsp. salt, 1/2 Tsp. pepper
Tortillas
- In a 10” skillet, I use a cast iron skillet, add the oil and cook on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, put in a flour tortilla and cook about 30 seconds on one side.2 Cups Vegetable Oil, 40 6″ Flour Tortillas
- Using two forks, I fold it in half and flip from side to side making sure that both sides are starting to turn a light gold color. That is normally another 30 seconds total.
- Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with three squares of paper toweling. Cook the tortillas individually like this until all 40 flour shells are cooked. (Hint. Sometimes the flour shells like to get air bubbles. I lightly place the forks over them to make sure that they stay folded while cooking in the oil).
Toppings
- Dice the onions and tomatoes and put them in separate bowls. Shred chop the lettuce in thin strips. Shred the cheese. (Time saving tip. I do this as I am cooking the hamburger.)3 Cups Lettuce, 3 Cups Cheddar Cheese, 2 Cups tomatoes, 1 Small onion, 1 container Sour Cream, 1 Bottle Ortega Taco Sauce, 1 Bottle Hot Sauce
Assembly
- Once the tortillas are cooked. Start putting the tacos together.
- 1 – 1 ½ tablespoon of hamburger in each shell.
- Then top off your crunchy tacos with one or all of the delicious toppings: try shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, onion, taco sauce, hot sauce, or sour cream.
Your Own Private Notes
Video
Notes
Serving Hint
I generally get everything out on the table and put spoons and tongs in the containers and let everyone assembly their taco the way they like it.Refrigerator Storage of Leftovers
By keeping all the ingredients separate, I can put each item away in the refrigerator for leftovers later. The taco shells we microwave about 30 seconds. The hamburger we heat up about one minute. The rest does not require heating. Once those the shells and hamburger are heated up, we assemble our tacos again.Nutrition
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Taco Topping Ideas
I typically like to add just lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese and a good amount of taco sauce. However, if I am cooking these for a crowd, I will put out a toppings bar and let everyone create their own unique taco. Here are a few topping ideas for the best tacos at a party to get you started:
- Shredded cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Minced red onion
- Jalapenos
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Olives
- Shredded lettuce
- Cilantro
- Diced avocado
- a variety of hot sauces
- fresh pico de gallo
- a variety of fresh salsa and salsa Verde options
- Sides of refried beans, Mexican rice, and cilantro lime rice
Assemble the Tacos
In a taco shell of your choice, start with the cooked ground beef, add your favorite toppings. That’s it! Enjoy.
Serving Hint
I generally get everything out on the table and put spoons and tongs in the containers and let everyone assembly their taco the way they like it.
Use Leftovers the Next Day
By keeping all the ingredients separate, I can put each item away in the refrigerator for leftovers later. Just store in an airtight container.
The taco shells we microwave about 30 seconds. If you prefer crispy shells, just get out your skillet and quickly fry them again.
The hamburger we heat up about one minute in the microwave.
The rest does not require heating. Once those the shells and hamburger are heated up, we assemble our tacos again.
So, here is our family favorite taco recipe.
How Long is Taco Meat Good for?
If you store leftover taco meat in the refrigerator, it is generally safe to consume within 3-4 days. Make sure to place it in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Freezing Taco Meat
If you want to extend the shelf life, consider freezing the leftover taco meat. Properly sealed and stored in the freezer, it can last for 2-3 months. Use a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
Always use your best judgment when assessing the quality of leftover taco meat. If it shows signs of spoilage, such as an off smell, unusual color, or unusual texture, it’s safer to discard it. Additionally, if the meat has been left at room temperature for an extended period (more than 2 hours), it’s advisable to err on the side of caution and discard it to avoid potential foodborne illnesses.
Enjoy your crispy ground beef tacos.
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I hope that you liked this recipe. If you are looking for more ideas on what to make, here are a few other recipes that you may enjoy.
You can find Victoria crocheting, quilting, and creating recipes. She has cooked in restaurants for over 20 years, including many larger parties. She learned to crochet when she was just 11 years old and has been crocheting ever since; over 50 years now. Over 40 years ago, she loved her first class in sewing and continues to hone her skills in quilting. Many have enjoyed the handmade gifts over the years. In her professional career, she has worked in management in a wide variety of businesses including higher education as a dean of a division. All the while attending college part-time to achieve her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in e-learning.
These look delicious! We usually use corn tortillas, but fried flour tortillas look so much better.
Our family has had the corn tortillas too, but we have all decided that this does the trick for our taste buds. Enjoy!