Ground Beef Tacos
Ground Beef Tacos are made with seasoned lean ground beef, tomato paste, and simple spices.Cook the beef in one skillet until browned and saucy, then spoon it into warm tortillas.Finish with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and red onions for a quick homemade taco dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
- Finely chopped lettuce
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese
- Chopped tomatoes
- Chopped red onions
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon or spatula, until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste.
- Pour in the water and stir everything together until the seasonings and tomato paste are evenly distributed.
- Continue cooking for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the taco meat thickens and becomes saucy.
- Warm the tortillas according to the package directions.
- Spoon the seasoned beef into the tortillas and top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and red onions.
- Serve the Ground Beef Tacos warm with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
For a lighter meal, serve the seasoned beef in lettuce cups or over a simple salad instead of tortillas. You can also add cooked black beans or corn to stretch the filling.
For a more traditional taco-night spread, serve the tacos with salsa, guacamole, lime wedges, cilantro, and extra cheese.