Classic Ground Beef Tacos

Classic Ground Beef Tacos

Prep

10 min

Cook

15 min

Total

25 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 small flour or corn tortillas
• Shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar, diced tomato, sour cream and salsa, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and stir 1 minute.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and water. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, until saucy and thick.
4. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
5. Fill each tortilla with beef and top with lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream and salsa.

Why this recipe works

A homemade spice blend lets you control salt and heat. A spoon of tomato paste and a little water turn the browned beef saucy, so it clings to the tortilla instead of falling out.

Tips, substitutions & storage

• Swap: Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
• Swap: Hard taco shells or lettuce cups can replace the soft tortillas.
• Making your own seasoning lets you control the salt and heat.
• Ground turkey or chicken works too; add 1 tbsp oil when browning.
• Leftover taco meat keeps 4 days and is great on nachos or rice bowls.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

Calories

480

Protein

27g

Carbs

30g

Fat

28g

Fiber

3g

Sugar

3g

Sodium

820mg

Nutrition information is an automatic estimate based on typical ingredients and will vary with the brands and amounts you use. It is not medical or dietary advice.