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    Home - Recipes - Main Course

    Classic Ground Beef Tacos

    Aug 14, 2020 · Modified: Aug 11, 2022 by Courtney · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    114 shares
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    These classic ground beef tacos are similar to taco dinners we all know and love, but with a homemade seasoning that packs a more well rounded flavour and is way better than store bought.

    Homemade ground beef tacos - just like the box kit, but better! These classic tacos take less than 30 minutes from start to finish and you likely already have the spices in your pantry.

    Three dressed beef tacos standing in front of a bowl of taco meat.

    Growing up, my absolute favourite night was taco night. Who am I kidding, it still is!

    If your household was like my household, tacos growing up were of the kit variety. Seasoning, shells, and taco sauce all in one box. Easy enough.

    Now that I've grown, I prefer making my own tacos from scratch. It really is just as easy, more economical, you can control the amount of salt in them and you can make sure your tacos are filled with wholesome ingredients and not flavour enhancers.

    An extra special ingredient

    My taco mix is a little unconventional - it calls for turmeric. While it may not be a traditional beef taco ingredient, it's something that I add to a lot of dishes because I like the earthiness it adds to dishes. This is totally optional in the recipe - if you skip it, you wont really miss it. But be sure not to forget the cinnamon - it adds such a nice depth to the flavour. I'm pretty sure that's the secret ingredient that made James tell me these were the best tacos he had ever had.

    How to make them

    Gather up your spices. Your going to need chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion, powder, oregano, turmeric and cinnamon.

    A top down view of a bowl of taco spices.

    Heat a large skillet to medium low heat and add the ground beef. Use a spatula to break the beef up into small pieces and push it around the pan for a few minutes until it has mostly browned and crumbled.

    When the beef is pretty much brown, and the spice mixture and long with the sea salt and pepper.

    Browned beef cooking in a skillet with spices on top.

    Add in the water and give everything a good stir.

    Seasoned ground beef simmering in a skillet.

    Bring the heat to high and let the sauce bubble. Once it's bubbling, reduce the heat to low and let the meat simmer uncovered until the sauce has reduced and thickened - about 5-8 minutes.

    Serve the meat along with tortillas and your favourite toppings.

    A top down view of a ground beef taco bar with all the toppings in bowls.

    Toppings for tacos

    I served my tacos pretty classically with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, cheddar cheese, guacamole and my favourite jarred salsa to keep things easy and simple.

    Some other great topping ideas are:

    • pico do gallo
    • pickled jalapenos
    • diced red onion or pickled red onion
    • avocado salsa verde
    • roasted jalapeno salsa
    Three tacos in front of a bowl of taco meat.

    Tips & Tricks

    Want to switch it up? Try these tacos with ground chicken or turkey instead of the beef.

    Cooking ahead? Try making a double batch and throwing half in a well sealed freezer bag for a later meal - it stays fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw and heat in a skillet with a bit of water to loosen things up.

    Cutting back on the carbs?? Ditch the taco shells for lettuce wraps.

    Are you on Pinterest? Follow me for more fresh and tasty recipe ideas.

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    More Taco Recipes You'll Love

    If you like these ground beef tacos, you might want to check out some of our other delicious taco recipes!

    • Grilled Chicken Tacos
    • Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
    • Instant Pot Lentil Tacos
    • Easy Fish Tacos

    If you have made this recipe we’d love to see it! Tag us on Insta @loveandgoodstuff.
    Loved this? Don’t forget to rate it below!

    Three fully dressed ground beef tacos standing next to a bowl of taco meat.
    Print Recipe
    4.67 from 3 votes

    Classic Ground Beef Tacos

    classic ground beef tacos with a homemade seasoning mix.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Mexican
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 352kcal
    Author: Courtney
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    large skillet

    Ingredients:

    • 1 pound lean ground beef
    • 2 Tablespoons chili powder
    • ¼ Tablespoon smoked paprika
    • ½ Tablespoon turmeric powder
    • ½ Tablespoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 teaspoon oregano
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • sea salt - (season to taste)
    • 12 taco shells

    Optional Toppings

    • lettuce
    • chopped tomato
    • shredded cheddar cheese
    • guacamole
    • diced onion
    • cilantro

    Instructions

    • Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and add the ground beef. Using a spatula, break up the beef into cumbles as it cooks and browns.
    • When the beef hs browned, add the chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, oregano, and cinnamon to the skillet along with the water.
      browned beef and taco seasoning in a skillet
    • Stir to mix everything together, then turn up the heat to high.
    • Let the sauce come to a boil, then reduce the heat down to low.
    • Simmer the beef in the sauce until it reduces and thickens - about 5 minute. Season with sea salt to your taste.
    • Serve with the tortillas shells and toppings like lettuce, tomato, cheese and guacamole.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 352kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 28gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 230mgPotassium: 621mgFiber: 5gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1418IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 5mg

    * nutritional information is calculated by online tools and may not be 100% accurate.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @loveandgoodstuff or tag #loveandgoodstuff!
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    About Courtney

    I'm Courtney and I love great food!

    Creating delicious meals, photographing them, and sharing them with friends and family are some of my favourite joys ❤️
    More about Love & Good Stuff

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alex says

      August 31, 2020 at 1:15 am

      Taco night is always a hit in our house, and these were so good!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        August 31, 2020 at 3:14 pm

        I'm so happy you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    2. Talia says

      September 28, 2021 at 9:36 am

      good! very spicy! 🙂

      Reply

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