Best Taco Meat Recipe
Learn how to make taco meat in under 30 minutes. It's super flavorful and juicy and perfect for all your tacos, burritos, or nachos.
Servings 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes
- ⅓ cup beef or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Taco Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon minced onion
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
Taco Seasoning (if needed)
- Mix: If you don't already have taco seasoning prepared, combine chili powder, minced garlic, ground cumin, minced onion, oregano and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl.
Taco Meat
- Heat: Heat a large cast-iron skillet or stainless steel pan over medium heat. If using stainless steel, add a tablespoon of avocado or extra virgin olive oil.
- Brown: Add ground beef and break it and cooking until thoroughly cooked and browned, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Season: Add taco seasoning, salt and tomato sauce over the meat, broth, and reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Stir to combine, breaking up the diced tomatoes if using.
- Simmer: Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened and moisture absorbs into the meat, approximately 3-4 minutes. Adjust salt if needed. Serve.
Notes
Storage: Store leftover taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days. If you anticipate not consuming the leftovers within that time, it's best to freeze it for up to 3 months to extend shelf life.
To reheat: Transfer the refrigerated meat to a small saucepan with a lid. Add a few tablespoons of water or broth, cover, and heat on low-medium. Stir and break up the meat until warmed through, then remove from heat promptly.
Helpful tips:
- Use room-temperature beef - Pull the meat from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Start with a hot pan - Heat your cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan for a few minutes first before adding the meat. This will help it cook and brown properly.
- Brown properly - Don't disturb the meat as it cooks and browns, only occasionally when necessary. Stir and give time to brown again.
- Season last - Salt pulls moisture and creates steam and will produce rubbery, dry taco meat. Instead, wait until the ground beef has been browned to add seasonings and tomato sauce.
- Use minced garlic and onion - When re-hydrated from the tomato sauce and ground beef, these small flakes of alliums create amazing flavor and texture. I would not suggest subbing them with powdered garlic and onions.
Nutrition
Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 714mg | Potassium: 359mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 509IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg