Easy Ground Beef Tacos
- PREP 10min
- COOK 10min
- TOTAL 20min
This is my family’s go-to beef taco recipe. We’ve called for lean ground beef below and prefer this when made with ground meat that has a little fat (7% to 10% is perfect). Any more, and it’s a bit greasy (any less, and it turns out dry). The onions and pepper are optional, but they add a bit of extra texture.
You Will Need
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 pound lean ground beef, 90/10 (450 g)
¾ cup finely chopped onion, a quarter of a medium onion, optional
1 Anaheim pepper, deseeded and finely chopped, optional
2 tablespoons tomato paste (35 g)
½ cup chicken stock or water (60 ml)
6 to 8 tortillas, corn or flour
Favorite taco toppings like cheese, cabbage, avocado, sour cream, pickled onions, pico de gallo, roasted tomato salsa, lime wedges, or hot sauce
Directions
1Make spice mix: In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
2Make taco meat: Heat the avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, pat it down into the skillet, and sprinkle the spice mixture over it. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks, stirring until it begins to brown.
3Stir in the onions and pepper, then cook, moving them around the pan until they begin to soften and the onions smell sweet, about 3 minutes.
4Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chicken stock (or water) and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Taste, then add more salt if you think it needs it.
5Warm tortillas: For a gas burner, turn the burner to medium, place the tortilla over the flame, and heat through. When it starts to blister a bit, flip and warm the second side. Continue with the remaining tortillas. Alternatively, to warm in a skillet, place a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, add the tortillas (one at a time), and cook until warm, soft, and toasty. Keep warmed tortillas wrapped in a clean dish towel to keep them warm.
6Build tacos: Divide the beef between warmed tortillas and top with your favorite taco toppings.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Make-ahead: Make the ground beef mixture up to 4 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving. Adding a tablespoon or two of additional stock or water helps to moisten the beef.
- Making thinned sour cream: To make it drizzleable, stir 2 tablespoons of sour cream with a teaspoon or two of fresh lime juice, then add a pinch of salt.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We included the taco meat and tortillas.