Best Ground Beef Taco Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes tacos taste better? ›

Acid is key. In just about any dish, especially meat-rich tacos, you'll want acid as part of the flavor balance. Salsa lends acid. So does crema, vinegar-based slaw, grilled fruit, or a squeeze of lime.

Tips for Making the Best Taco Meat

If you prefer your taco meat a little spicier, add in a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes. If you like a more earthy flavor, add a few extra pinches of cumin. If you like it smoky, try adding ancho chili powder or smoked paprika.

What is the best ground beef for tacos? I prefer to use 90% lean ground beef for tacos for the best flavor and consistency. If it's any more lean, it may be too dry. If you use a less lean kind, make sure to drain off the fat after cooking the ground beef, before adding the seasoning.

Lime is probably the most essential of authentic Mexican taco toppings. A squeeze of lime adds a dash of acid that brings out the other flavors in a taco beautifully. Onions, cilantro, pico de gallo, sliced radishes or cucumbers, avocado, and chili peppers are also standard toppings for authentic tacos.

The key to making the best tacos is to start with high-quality ingredients. This means using fresh vegetables, good quality meat, and authentic seasonings. For the meat, you can use chicken, beef, pork, or even fish. For the vegetables, you can use lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.

The main players include chili peppers, crushed red pepper, black pepper, jalapeño peppers, paprika, poblano peppers, and spicy non-pepper seasonings, such as garlic, onion, and cumin.

Mix the seasoning into the meat before cooking!

To get the most seasoning flavor in your taco meat, mix it into the meat and let it rest in the fridge like you would ground sausage. This also helps keep more moisture in the meat because you risk squeezing the juices out of the meat when you mix it in after it's cooked.

To use the seasoning mix, brown 1lb ground meat then add 2 – 2-1/2 Tablespoons seasoning with 1/3 cup broth or water, then simmer until the liquid has thickened and reduced, 1-2 minutes.

“Salsa and guacamole are great, but look to mix it up with fresh radish, chicharrones, or pickled onion. A fresh, warm tortilla is made better by a crunchy counterpart.” One of Romero's favorite toppings is a morita pepper and peanut salsa, which lends a spicy, smoky, crunchy lift to any taco.

How much ground beef per taco? Each taco shell or small soft taco-size tortilla fits about 2 ounces or 1/4 cup of meat. If you add diced onions, you could stretch a pound of ground beef to make about a dozen tacos. With just the meat and spices, you can make about 8 tacos from a pound of meat.

Do you drain the fat from ground beef for tacos? ›

I usually do. It's because I don't want all the flavor of the seasoning going into the fat instead of adhering to the meat. The fat will drip out of your taco and with it goes half the flavor.

Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease. Pour water and seasoning mix over beef; stir to combine.

The number one reason why people end up with bland tacos is because the meat wasn't seasoned properly. Luckily, that isn't an issue with this dish. However, if you find that your tacos aren't spicy enough for your liking, feel free to adjust the seasoning as needed or add a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce.

Mexican Tacos: For authentic Mexican flavor, use a blend of spices that includes cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and/or onion powder. These spices will give your tacos a warm, earthy flavor and just a touch of heat.

For the most classic Tex-Mex style tacos, your filling needs a base of ground beef. However, even well-seasoned versions of this popular taco ingredient can lack dimension. To give your ground taco beef an extra layer of nuance and bold flavor, consider mixing in some spicy Mexican chorizo.

Ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano: Pretty straight-forward. Paprika: I prefer to use smoked paprika, but you could also use standard or sweet paprika if you prefer. Salt and black pepper: I used fine sea salt and finely-ground black pepper for this recipe.