These easy ground beef tacos are a classic family dinner made with flavorful, homemade taco meat stuffed into a tortilla shell. It’s simple, delicious and ready in 20 minutes!

To complete this Mexican dinner, serve with pico de gallo, guacamole and end with sopapillas!

Ground beef tacos stacked in dish.

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Best Beef Tacos Recipe

This ground beef tacos recipe is a super easy dinner to whip up when the family is craving Mexican food. You only need this simple taco meat recipe, crunchy tortilla shells and any of your favorite toppings!

Whether it’s taco Tuesday or a super busy weeknight, this recipe can be prepped in ready in 20 minutes. The seasoned beef is so flavorful and a crowd pleaser!

Why You’ll Love These Tacos

  • Family friendly. Kids love tacos and they love it even more when they can top it how they like!
  • Easy to make. Perfect for busy weeknights this dinner can be on the table in 20 minutes!

Ingredients

  • Ground beef: I like to use 80-90% lean beef which has a little fat to flavor the meat but I don’t have to spend a lot of time draining the grease.
  • Onion: Onions are sauteed with the beef to add additional flavor.
  • Salsa: I like a little more spice so I use salsa, but feel free to use plain canned tomato sauce.
  • Taco seasoning: I like to use my homemade taco seasoning which is a mix of cumin, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and oregano but feel free to use your favorite blend.
  • Tortillas: I like to use yellow corn taco shells but feel free to use white corn tortillas or your family’s favorite.

Variations

These tacos are pretty customizable, so feel free to make any of the below swaps or additions.

  • Use ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter alternative.
  • Swap hard taco shells for small corn or flour tortillas that are around 6 inches.
  • Add a dash of red pepper flakes or cayenne in with the meat for some heat. Or use hot salsa instead of mild.
  • Spread a layer of easy refried beans (about 1-2 Tablespoons) in each taco shell before adding the meat.
  • If you are watching your carbs, wrap your taco meat in lettuce leaves like I do in taco lettuce wraps, swap the chicken in this taco bowl or make a Mexican salad.

How to Make Ground Beef Tacos

If you’re looking for an easy and tasty dinner recipe for your next taco night, these beef tacos are perfect for you! They’re simple, quick and taste absolutely delicious.

Showing how to make beef tacos in a 4 step collage.
  • Brown ground beef. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and onion and cook until browned, stirring occasionally to break up any large pieces. Once browned, drain off any extra grease.
  • Season meat. Add in the taco seasoning, salsa and water. Bring to a light simmer, adding more water as desired. 
  • For cheesy baked ground beef tacos. Place taco shells in a 9×13″ dish to bake, add a layer of cheese and refried beans. Top with about 2 tablespoons of your beef mixture and more shredded cheese. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. 
  • Serve: Serve the tacos with all your favorite toppings!  

Expert Tips

  • Drain the meat. If using 85/15 meat, you may want to drain excess grease after browning the meat before you add in your seasonings. You can also just use a paper towel to blot it.
  • Bulk it up. You can mix in some black beans and/or rice to stretch the meat even further. I do this sometimes when I want to have leftovers the next day.
  • Warm the shells. After assembling the tacos, I love to bake mine in a pan in the oven for about 10 minutes to get them extra warm and crispy. The cheese melts and gets super gooey, which tastes amazing.
  • Leftovers. When warming up leftover ground beef taco meat, try adding a dash of broth of water so that the meat stays moist. You can use leftovers to make more tacos, or make a totally new dish like stuffed peppers or a taco salad.
Ground beef tacos with cheese.

FAQ

How much meat should I plan on per person?

This recipe calls for a pound of ground beef, which will make about 12 tacos or approximately 12 ounces of taco meat. Use about 1 ounce (or 2 Tablespoons) of beef in each taco.

What toppings should I serve with beef tacos?

I like to keep it classic with shredded cheddar cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions and sliced olives. Add your favorites like salsa, jalapenos, black olives, fajita veggies, cilantro and more.

What do I serve as a side dish for ground beef tacos?

I love to serve a side of easy Mexican rice or refried beans year round. In the summer, Mexican street corn or street corn salad are favorites!

How to store leftovers?

Place leftover taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When reheating, add a splash of water to rehydrate meat. Store leftover taco shells separately from the meat. They are best store in an airtight container in the pantry.

To freeze leftover meat, cool completely then place in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy it in a taco shell.

Ground beef tacos cooked in a white baking dish.

Try these other Tex-Mex favorites such as chicken fajita bowls, beef burritos or ranch chicken tacos!

More Taco Recipes to Try

Ground beef tacos stacked in dish.

Ground Beef Tacos

5 from 15 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
These easy ground beef tacos are a classic family dinner made with flavorful, homemade taco meat stuffed into a tortilla shell. It's simple, delicious and ready in 20 minutes!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground beef , 80-90% lean
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning , more to taste
  • ½ cup salsa or tomato sauce
  • ¼ cup water , more as needed
  • 12 taco shells , or small tortillas

S&P to taste

Toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cilantro

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook until browned, stirring occasionally breaking up any large pieces. 
  • Once browned, drain off any extra grease. Then add in the taco seasoning, salsa and water. Bring to a light simmer. Add more water as desired. 
  • Serve in taco shells as-is or place in a 9×13" dish to bake. Then add cheese and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. 
  • Add desired toppings. 

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Optional: You can also add 1-2 Tablespoons of refried beans to the base of the tacos. If I’m adding them, I like to place them in a zip top bag and then snip the top off and place it on the bottom of the shell. 
This recipe should make enough for about 2 Tablespoons of meat in each taco. 
You can mix in some cooked rice and black beans to stretch the meat even further. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacos, Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 300mg, Potassium: 313mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 180IU, Vitamin C: 1.7mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 1.8mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.