Beef Tacos – Simple & Delicious Recipe
These Beef Tacos are a simple and delicious weeknight meal packed with bold flavors. Ground beef is seasoned with a mix of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano, cooked with onions and garlic, then simmered in tomato sauce. Served in warm taco shells with fresh toppings like shredded lettuce, cheese, salsa, and optional additions such as sour cream and avocado, these tacos make for a quick, fresh, and satisfying dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 12 tacos 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup (120 ml) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 12 taco shells (hard or soft)
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded lettuce
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- ½ cup (120 g) salsa
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Avocado slices
- Jalapeños
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Dice the onion finely and mince the garlic cloves to have them ready for cooking.
- Brown the Ground Beef: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking it apart, until no pink remains and the meat is browned evenly.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the diced onion to the skillet with the beef. Cook until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Then stir in the minced garlic briefly, cooking just until fragrant to avoid burning.
- Season the Meat Mixture: Sprinkle in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to evenly coat the beef and onion mixture with the spices.
- Add Tomato Sauce and Simmer: Pour in the tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Stir well and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Warm the Taco Shells: While the beef mixture simmers, warm the taco shells according to package instructions either in the oven or in a dry skillet until crisp and heated through.
- Assemble Tacos: Spoon the cooked beef mixture into each taco shell. Top with shredded lettuce, cheese, and salsa. Add optional toppings like sour cream, avocado slices, jalapeños, and cilantro as desired.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the tacos while warm and the shells remain crisp, for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For softer tacos, use soft taco shells or warm hard shells wrapped in a damp paper towel.
- Feel free to adjust spice levels by adding more chili powder or jalapeños.
- Ground turkey or chicken can be used as a leaner alternative to ground beef.
- Leftover beef filling can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Add fresh lime juice or diced tomatoes to toppings for extra freshness.
Keywords: beef tacos, taco recipe, ground beef tacos, easy tacos, Mexican tacos, weeknight dinner, taco seasoning
Find it online: https://lucabites.com/beef-tacos-simple-and-delicious-recipe/
