Classic Mexican Beef Tacos (Printable Version)

Seasoned ground beef in soft or crunchy shells with fresh lettuce, cheese, and zesty salsa

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
05 - 2 tsp chili powder
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - ½ tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - ¼ tsp black pepper
11 - ⅓ cup water
12 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Taco Assembly

13 - 8 small taco shells (soft flour or crunchy corn tortillas)
14 - 1 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
15 - 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
16 - 1 cup salsa
17 - 1 medium tomato, diced
18 - ½ cup sour cream
19 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - Lime wedges

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened.
02 - Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through (about 5–7 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
05 - Pour in water and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
06 - Warm taco shells according to package instructions.
07 - Fill each taco shell with a generous spoonful of the beef mixture. Top with lettuce, cheese, salsa, tomato, sour cream, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
08 - Serve immediately while shells are warm and filling is hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The beef filling freezes beautifully so you can double the batch and have taco filling ready for those nights when cooking feels impossible
  • This seasoning blend hits that perfect nostalgic fast food flavor while being made entirely from pantry staples you probably already own
02 -
  • Letting the beef simmer a few minutes longer than you think necessary helps the tomato paste caramelize and deepens the overall flavor
  • Draining too much fat from the beef makes the filling dry so leave at least a tablespoon of rendered fat in the pan
03 -
  • Mix a tablespoon of taco seasoning into your shredded cheese before serving to infuse it with flavor throughout
  • Double the beef filling and freeze half in airtight containers for future taco nights or quick burrito filling
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