Easy Beef Tacos are my go-to when I want a delicious dinner my whole family will eat. This taco meat is so flavorful and comes together in less than 30 minutes. Sure you can buy a flavoring packet, but it’s so much tastier to make your own. I’m all about about simplicity these days and this taco meat doesn’t take much effort at all. Shred some lettuce and slice a watermelon while the seasoned meat simmers and you will have a balanced meal on the table in no time at all! Use leftover taco meat for nachos or burritos and you won’t have to cook for days. Nice!
Here’s how they’re made!
The Meat
Start by browning 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef. You will want to look for 80/85% ground beef for this recipe. I like the higher percentage of fat in these tacos because it makes a juicier taco meat.
And even though I do appreciate the slightly fattier meat, at the end of the browning I like to drain off any excess fat and only leave 1-2 tablespoons behind for the taco filling. Just tip the pan to its side and carefully spoon the excess grease out with a large spoon. No one wants grease dripping all over their laps when they bite into their taco!
Tomato Paste
Next add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the drained ground beef mixture and stir until well combined. I like to use the tomato paste found in the small tubes. It’s called “double concentrate.” It’s essentially the same as the tomato paste found in a can, but when I’m only using 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time I like the convenience of a tube that I can put back in the fridge.
The Spices
Now we get to move to my favorite part – the spices! The only spice in this recipe that’s a little out of the ordinary is the Ancho Chili Powder. In this recipe I prefer it over regular chili powder because it adds a little extra spice and flavor. But with that being said regular chili powder will work well too if you don’t have any in your pantry, and don’t feel like making a special trip to the store. But I hope at some point in your life, your able to give ancho chili powder a try – it’s really good! As you can see, my bottle is almost empty…
The thing I love about this recipe is how customizable it is. If you don’t like your taco meat quite as spicy, reduce the red pepper flakes or leave them out all together. If you love the flavor of cumin, double it. If you want a smokier flavor, use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika. Think of these tacos like an empty canvas and add and subtract spices make them perfect for you!
Finishing the Taco Meat
After you have added the spices to the meat, let the mixture cook briefly until the spices become fragrant. Then add some water and simmer at a very low heat for about 5 minutes until the liquid has thickened and become flavorful. That’s it, you’re done!
Put the meat in hard or soft shells with all of your favorite toppings and it’s dinner time!
Easy Beef Tacos
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80 or 85% lean)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup water
Toppings:
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
Salsa
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Brown the beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the grease from the cooked meat. Add the tomato paste and stir until well distributed. Add the spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the water and simmer overa low heat for about 5 minutes until most of the water is absorbed and the meat is flavorful and juicy. You don’t want to cook all of the liquid out of the meat, saucy tacos are the best tacos! Serve in hard or soft shells with all of your favorite toppings.
If you’re looking for a Taco Salad recipe, this is my favorite because of the rich tomato sauce the meat simmers in! Can’t lose either way!
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