Ground Beef Tacos

These ground beef tacos are easy and much loved. You'll find yourself making this over and over.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword ground beef taco filling, ground beef tacos, taco filling

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 17

Total Time 22

Servings cups

Calories 317kcal

Heat a large skillet or sautépan on medium-high heat. Once it heats up, add olive oil.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Once the oil heats up (shimmers) - add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 8 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent and the bell pepper softens.
1 medium onion, 1 medium red bell pepper
Add minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
2 cloves garlic
Add the ground beef (I use my hand to break it up as I add it) and sauté it for 3 - 5 minutes, while using the metal spatula to break up the meat further to small pieces.
1 pound ground beef
When you add the ground beef, add all the spices, herb, salt, and pepper.
2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons oregano, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Add the beans and corn, stir and cook for 2 minutes to heat them up.
15 ounces black beans, 15 ounces corn
Warm as many tortillas as you like. Build your tacos (all these are optional)
flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, Mexican crema, salsa
Serve, smile, and enjoy.

I use organic 80/20 (meat to fat) ground beef, and I don't need to drain off fat as there is never any excess after I brown the beef. If you use beef with a higher fat content, drain any excess to avoid greasy tacos.

If you don't like beef taco meat, you can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.

Rinse and drain the canned beans thoroughly for a firmer texture and to remove excess sodium.

You can use frozen corn, fresh corn cut off the cob, or canned corn. We like Trader Joe's canned corn, so make sure to drain and rinse it if you use canned.

Warm tortillas in a skillet or oven before serving. This makes them more pliable and enhances their flavor.

We like adding flavor layers by sautéing onions, red bell peppers, and garlic with the ground beef. This step builds a savory base for your taco filling.

We like to make our taco seasoning, but if you prefer premade seasoning packets, use what you want.

Adjust the seasoning of your beef and bean mixture to taste. A bit of salt, pepper, and lime juice can perfectly balance the flavors.

Prepping toppings like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, and sliced avocado ahead of time makes assembly quicker and more enjoyable.

To complement the tacos and allow for customization, offer sides such as salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, fresh limes, Mexican rice, fresh cilantro, and sour cream.

If you bring this taco filling to a potluck or BBQ, keep the ground beef mixture warm in a slow cooker.

We love our soft-shell tacos like smaller flour tortillas or corn tortillas. We also occasionally have hard taco shells.