If you’ve been stuck in the rutt of fast food tacos, time to change that with Homemade Taco Meat that cooks up quickly, freezes beautifully, and tastes amazing. You’re gonna love making your favorite tacos with ground beef, chicken, turkey, or plant based grind and seasoning it with our homemade taco seasoning.
Use this turkey or beef taco meat in Home Fried Taco Shells or Homemade Corn Tortillas, on tostadas, or in enchiladas. It’s great in Taco Casserole and for stirring into Bean and Rice Soup.
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Is Taco Night a favorite of yours? Then make sure you’ve got lots of different taco fillings to choose from. This recipe is quick, easy, and delicious.
You can cook taco meat easily to include in any number of main dishes, including Turkey Taco Salad and Chili Stacks. Freeze taco meat that’s leftover to quickly include in soup, salad, and other taco meat recipes.
Be sure to add it to your next Nacho Bar!
Why Make This
It’s delicious. This ground beef Taco Meat is super tasty. Swap out the beef for your favorite ground meat or plant-based grind.
It’s easy. With just two ingredients, this cooked Taco Meat comes together in about 15 minutes, freeing you up to make all kinds of tasty meals.
It’s cheap. While it’s quick to grab fast food tacos, it’s no longer the cheaper option. Instead, you can whip up homemade tacos for just a fraction of the cost. This is a key component in many budget meals kids love.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy recipe:
ground meat – You can use ground beef, pork, turkey, chicken, or a plant-based grind to make this easy taco filling. Be sure to check out these 5-Ingredient Ground Beef Recipes for more inspiration.
Taco Seasoning Mix – I like to make a homemade spice blend for this recipe, but you can buy the commercial packets if you like.
Variations
- There are lots of ways to make meat filling for tacos. Some people prefer a tomato-based meat mixture. If you’d like, stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste or a few tablespoons of tomato sauce if you perfer.
- If your taco seasoning doesn’t already contain onion or onion powder, you may like to add some finely chopped onion. Freeze onions to make it more convenient to add to your recipes.
- Want more heat? Add crushed red pepper flakes or ground cayenne pepper.
- To stretch your meat purchase, consider stirring in cooked beans or lentils, riced cauliflower, chopped potato, or finely chopped mushrooms to add fiber and stretch your meat to go farther.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this:
Place the meat and taco seasoning in a large skillet over medium heat. Break up the meat with the back of a spoon and stir to incorporate the seasonings mix.
Cook until the meat is cooked and browned in bits. Serve hot or store for a future meal.
To make ahead: If you’d like to make this in advance, prep it and store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage. To serve, reheat in the microwave, instant pot, slow cooker, or in a skillet atop the stove.
What to do with leftovers?
Leftovers are good in the fridge, for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.
FAQs
You can use whatever meat you like for tacos, including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and a plant-based grind. Fast food tacos typically contain a ground beef that is 80% lean or less.
You should not need to add water to taco meat when cooking unless you choose to add some tomato paste. In that instance, you may want to dilute it with a bit of water.
Each taco doesn’t need a lot of cooked taco meat, about 2-3 tablespoons. You can usually get by with ¼ pound ground meat per person, provided you provide other taco fillings and side dishes, such as Refried Beans or Mexican Rice.
Uses
Tell us what you think!
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Homemade Taco Meat
Equipment
- skillet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken
- 2 tablespoon Taco Seasoning Mix
Instructions
- Place the meat and taco seasoning in a large skillet over medium heat. Break up the meat with the back of a spoon and stir to incorporate the seasonings mix.2 pounds ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken, 2 tablespoon Taco Seasoning Mix
- Cook until the meat is cooked and browned in bits. Serve hot or store for a future meal.
Notes
- Some people prefer a tomato-based meat mixture. If you’d like, stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste or a few tablespoons of tomato sauce if you prefer.
- If your taco seasoning doesn’t already contain onion or onion powder, you may like to add some finely chopped onion. Freeze onions to make it more convenient to add to your recipes.
- Want more heat? Add crushed red pepper flakes or ground cayenne pepper.
- To stretch your meat purchase, consider stirring in cooked beans or lentils, riced cauliflower, chopped potato, or finely chopped mushrooms to add fiber and stretch your meat to go farther.
Nikki
Great recipe. I did this once with some ground turkey, and then made a pot of chili several weeks later…no fresh ground meat, so I put the turkey in! Saved the chili from being “vegetarian.: 🙂
Just one question, Jessica…I notice you often put black olives on top of Mexican dishes, like your enchiladas and nachos. Is that how they serve Mexican food where you’re from, or is that your own invention? Is there a particular nuance it adds to the flavor blend?
Thank you so much!
Nikki