Ground Beef Tacos

So much tastier than a packet, and almost just as easy, these Ground Beef Tacos are perfect for any taco night! Top with your favorite taco toppings for tacos everyone will beg for.

We LOVE taco night! And while I love getting creative with tacos, like these Honey Garlic Chicken Tacos, sometimes you need the traditional ground beef taco!

I love to get creative in the kitchen, but sometimes, I like to just go back to basics.

And these Ground Beef Tacos are the definition of basic – but way better!

I’ve probably made ground beef tacos hundreds of times over my lifetime. And for the longest time, it was just with a pound of ground beef and a packet of taco seasoning.

But then I started using my own spice blend. Plus some tomato sauce and broth. And I’ve never looked back.

Does this take a little more effort than a packet? A little bit. But trust me – it’s totally worth it!

Ingredients

• Oil: You will need a little bit of oil to cook the onion in. I used olive oil, but will sometimes use avocado oil.
• Onion: This adds flavor. I tend to use yellow onions, but a white onion would work, as well.
• Ground Beef: I like to choose a lower fat ground beef, mostly so that I don’t have to drain out the fat once the meat has cooked. If you do use a higher fat ground beef, you will want to drain out any excess fat before seasoning.
• Spices: I use a mixture of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, oregano, and garlic powder. I love my homemade taco seasoning, but funny enough, when I’m making these tacos, I grab this spice mixture. But if you do want to use taco seasoning, you will need about 2 tablespoons.
• Cornstarch: I like to add in some cornstarch to thicken up the mixture a bit.
• Tomato Sauce: This is a little different than most taco seasoning mixtures, but I think it is what brings it all together.
• Beef Broth: The broth will add good flavor, but you could also just swap in water. I definitely prefer the extra flavor from the broth, though.
• Tortillas: We tend to be a flour tortilla family, but you can definitely use corn tortillas. Or even hard shelled tortillas!
• Toppings: Use what you love – we tend to go for shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, more onion, avocado, and cilantro. But you could also add sour cream, salsa, guacamole, etc.

How to Make Ground Beef Tacos

STEP 1: Heat the oil in a skillet, then add the onion and cook until soft.

STEP 2: Add the ground beef. Break the meat up as it cooks.

STEP 3: Once the beef is cooked through, sprinkle in your spices. I like to mix the spices into the meat here to make sure they get distributed evenly.

STEP 4: Add the tomato sauce and the beef broth. Stir to combine, and let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes. Serve on tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

Tips and Tricks

I will often double this recipe, as it makes for great leftovers.

You can also use the taco meat in burrito bowls, burritos, nachos, or even quesadillas!

If you like it spicy, add in some cayenne pepper.

If the meat mixture starts to get too dry as it is simmering, feel free to add in a little bit of extra beef broth or water.

More Taco Recipes

Potato Tacos with Sausage
Black Bean Tacos
Flank Steak Tacos

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