Ground Beef Tacos

Ground Beef Tacos are fried to golden perfection and filled with lettuce and tomatoes. They are a family favorite!!

Tacos are a staple at ourMexican meals, and sometimes we fill them withchicken, orpork, or roll them asFlautas. No matter which kind you make, ground beef tacos are sure to be a crowd favorite!!

Ground beef tacos filled with lettuce and tomato, served on a plate.


Tacos with Ground Beef – Easy and Delicious!

Tacos have always been a family favorite – we’ve been making them for as long as we can remember!!

Street Tacos are designed to be made quickly and eaten easily. A street taco is often made using two small tortillas with simple meat filling likeCarne Asada(grilled steak),Barbacoa(pork), orPollo(chicken).

定期在不同大小的饼炸玉米饼来。的y can be served soft or fried and are often topped with yummy fillings.

Our go-to may bechicken, but we’ve had ground beef tacos for as long as I can remember. In fact, my mom grew up with these kinds of tacos and my Great Grandma would even add diced potatoes to the mix!

Potatoes on cutting board.

Potatoes in Tacos

My Great Grandma, who we called Grandma Bean Burro, would add diced cooked potatoes to their beef tacos to help stretch them and feed more mouths.

My mom became accustomed to the taste and would often include diced potatoes inthe tacos I ate growing up. Now my sisters and I often add them as well.

  • Be sure to use cooked finely-diced potatoes.
  • Add ½ -1 cup of potatoes to the meat/cheese mixture.
  • Spoon the mixture onto the tortilla to be fried.

How to Make Beef TACOS

Serve our favorite beef tacos up on Taco Tuesday or any night!

BEEF.Cook the ground beef until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Drain, if needed.

PREP.Add meat and shredded cheese to a bowl and mix. (add the optional potatoes)

In a large frying pan heat up 1-1½ inches of vegetable oil.

FRY.Add about ⅓ cup of the meat mixture to the center of one tortilla. Fold the tortilla and clasp the top edges with tongs to keep it closed.

While holding the top of the tortilla, place the bottom in the oil. Rock the tortilla from side to side a few times and then lie the tortilla on its side to fry.

Fry each side until golden brown and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.

SERVE.Fill each taco with lettuce and tomatoes before serving.

Toppings.We stick to simple shredded lettuce and diced tomato topping. Use any of your favorite taco toppings:

  • diced avocados orGuacamole, green onions, sliced black olives, jalapenos, lime juice, or cilantro
  • Salsa,Pico de Gallo, sour cream, or cheddar cheese
  • black beans
Hamburger meat and cheese in bowl for filling ground beef tacos.

Alternative cooking methods

For a healthier cooking method, bake ground beef tacos in the oven or air fry them. The tortilla will cook up a little differently with each method:

Bake in theOven:Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  • Spray a baking sheet with oil.
  • Add the beef mixture to each tortilla, fold, and place the tacos onto the baking sheet.
  • Spray the exposed tortilla with cooking spray.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Bake in the Air fryer:Set the air fryer to 380°F.

  • Lightly spray one side of the tortilla with cooking spray.
  • On the opposite side add the meat mixture.
  • Fold and place the beef tacos in a single layer in the air fryerbasket.
  • Fry for 4-6 minutes or until the edges are crispy.
  • Repeat until all the tacos have been fried.
Ground beef tacos being fried up in a pan of oil.

Recipe Tips

Flavor.Add flavor when browning the ground beef. I like to simply use salt and pepper.

Add more spice with chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, orHomemade Taco Seasoning Blend.

Rolled.When Tacos are rolled they are referred to asFlautasor more commonlyTaquitos.

Corn tortillas.Corn tortillas are fragile and can easily break. To prevent this, warm them up before filling and folding them:

  • Microwave.Wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp paper towel and place them in a Ziploc bag. Do not close the bag. Leave it open and place it in the microwave. Heat for 30-60 seconds, or until warm and flexible.
  • Oven.Wrap a stack of tortillas in foil and place in a 325°F oven until warm and flexible.
  • Skillet.Throw tortillas in a cast iron skillet, and warm over medium-high heat, for about 15 to 20 seconds on each side.

Serve with:Spanish Rice,Esquites,Easy Refried Beans,Corn DiporBean Dip

Tacos for a crowd.When we make this Beef Taco Recipe for a large family gathering, we plan for two tacos per child and 3-4 tacos per adult.Leave about ⅓ of the tacos without lettuce, as most kids don’t like the lettuce and tomato topping.

Storing Info

STORE.Remove any of the lettuce/tomato fillings and place them in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheatthe beef tacos in the oven to help get them crisp again. If you’re in a hurry, reheat them in the microwave.

Make ahead of time.I have never tried to freeze a fried taco, but I have prepared the taco meat in advance to store in the freezer.

  • Simply brown the taco meat and let it cool.
  • Mix it with the cheese and cooked potatoes, if desired, and store it in a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 4 months.
  • Thaw the meat mixture overnight in the fridge and fry the tacos up according to the recipe directions.
Ground beef tacos recipe topped with lettuce and tomatoes.

Recipe FAQ

What type of beef is best for tacos?

Ground beef is what we always use and the fat content is totally a preference! We use a leaner option, but my Great Grandma always used 80/20 since it was more cost effective and had a little more flavor. Just make sure to drain the oil after browning the meat.

Do you add seasonings before or after cooking the meat?

Always add the seasonings before you cook the beef so the flavors really meld into the meat!

More delicious Mexican Food:

Ground Beef Tacos Recipe

5from18votes
Ground Beef Tacos are fried to golden perfection and filled with lettuce and tomatoes. They are a family favorite!!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 15minutes
Cook Time 20minutes
Total Time 35minutes
Servings 12
Calories 202kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 1lbground beef
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1cupshredded mexican cheese
  • 1-2cupsvegetable oil
  • 12yellow corn tortillas
  • lettuce and tomato
  • cooked cubed potatoesoptional

Instructions

  • Cook the ground beef until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Drain, if needed.
  • Add meat and shredded cheese to a bowl and mix. (add the optional potatoes)
  • In a large frying pan heat up 1-1½ inches of vegetable oil.
  • Add about ⅓ cup of the meat mixture to the center of one tortilla. Fold the tortilla and clasp the top edges with tongs to keep it closed.
  • While holding the top of the tortilla place the bottom in the oil. Rock the tortilla from side to side a few times and then lie the tortilla on its side to fry.
  • Fry each side until golden brown and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
  • Fill each taco with lettuce and tomatoes before serving.

Video



Like this recipe?

Pin it now to remember it later!Share it with your Facebook friends (you know they’ll love it). Or tweet it to the world. Maybe even email it to your favorite cousin!

Related Posts

Family Dinner Ideas

的se family dinner ideas will bring your family together to eat, talk, laugh, and build relationships! It doesn’t have to be fancy or take hours to prepare, all you need…

Cheeseburger Soup

Sink your teeth into this hearty cheeseburger soup. Filled with meat and veggies, it’s cheesy and completely crave-able! There’s nothing better than soup on a cold day! This cheeseburger soup…

4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

4.63from8votes

Pizza Muffins

Cheesy pizza muffins are made with canned biscuit dough for a delicious kid-friendly dish that’s ready in minutes! Pizza muffins are like a slice of Pepperoni Pizza but without the…

15 minutes minutes

4.80from5votes

Greek Orzo Salad

Orzo Salad is a Greek pasta salad loaded with orzo, veggies, and feta topped with an easy, homemade Greek dressing. Similar to our Greek Pasta Salad, this fresh salad comes…

20 minutes minutes

5from11votes

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

Join the Conversation

Rate and Comment

Your email address will not be published.Required fields are marked*

Recipe Rating




Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    My husband would prefer ground beef over chicken any day. Other than being economical he likes the taste of hamburger and diced potatoes. They cook up pretty fast and taste so good.

  2. 5 stars
    iS THERE A TRICK TO THE CORN TORTILLAS NOT SPLITTING WHEN YOU ARE FRYING THEM? i END UP WITH BEEF FALLING OUT AND A SMOKEY KITCHEN.

  3. 5 stars
    I love potatoes with my Mexican food, too! It really helps me keep it low fodmap…but also I love potatoes with a passion. Great tacos! Yum.

  4. 5 stars
    的se were a huge hit! I have always bought hard shells before but decided to give this version a try and my family wouldn’t stop raving over them. Thanks for the potato tip too. I have 4 hungry boys in my house so I need to stretch everything as far as I can.

  5. 5 stars
    this is such a classic and it brings me back to my childhood when I asked my mom for these tacos on my birthday! thank you so much for sharing