Beef Taco Recipe

Ground beef tacos are the perfect meal for easy weeknight dinners, and they’re a tasty way to stretch your meal budget. For a family of four, you only need one pound of ground beef. You could also cook a big batch of beef and freeze your unused portion for a future meal. There are so many variations of this recipe that it can be prepared to fit any taste or diet preferences. I have one vegetarian in my family, so I omit the beef for her, and simply prepare extra beans with the taco seasoning. Sometimes, I put the beans in the blender for a texture variation. I also separate all of the toppings in different dishes and set them out on the table “buffet style” so each of my kids can choose whichever toppings they want. Taco nights are always a big hit around here. They’re a lot of fun to make and eat together, and we usually have enough to last us a couple of days. This quick taco recipe is not only delicious and simple, but it also calls for ingredients you probably already have on hand. Check out the recipe and our notes for variations below.

Prep Time Cook Time Total Time
10 min 15 min 25 min

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 (15-oz.) can fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tbsp. taco seasoning
  • kosher salt
  • 2 c. shredded cheddar or pepper jack
  • 8 Small flour tortillas
  • Sliced green onions, for serving
  • Sour cream, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion until soft, about 6 minutes.
  2. Add thawed ground beef and cook until it’s no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes more.
  3. Add the can of tomatoes, black beans, and taco seasoning, and sprinkle in a pinch of salt.
  4. Stir until combined.
  5. Add half of the shredded cheese, and stir until completely melted.
  6. Spoon the mixture into flour tortillas and fold in half. Garnish with green onions, and serve with sour cream and shredded cheese.

Nutrition

beef taco

Notes

  1. You can also use crunchy tortilla shells instead of tortillas. Or you can use both- a soft flour tortilla on top of a crunchy shell.
  2. This meal can also be made into a vegetarian option by omitting the beef and adding extra beans. For a texture variation, you could blend the beans in a blender.
  3. You could make a spicy version by either adding pepper flakes to your seasoning, by adding a can of sliced jalapenos, or by pouring salsa over the top before serving.
  4. You could serve the beef over a bed of lettuce for a taco salad.
  5. Feel free to add any of your favorite toppings, like avocado slices, chopped cilantro, freshly diced tomatoes,
  6. Squeeze a lime wedge over the top for extra pizazz.

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