Taco Meat Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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This is the BEST Taco Meat Recipe ever! A little unconventional, made with my homemade taco seasoning, tomato paste, vegetables like onions and peppers, plus a secret ingredient (shh…it’s potatoes!). More on that later, but I use this meat in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads…the possibilities are endless!

cooked taco meat in skillet

This is a copycat version of a taco meat I had in one of my favorite little Mexican restaurants years ago. I remember sifting through the meat trying to figure out what made it so delicious and creamy. And that’s when I found the onion, then the peppers and then…wait for it. Potatoes!! The potato skin to be exact. I asked the waiter about this and he said that’s what gives it its creaminess and that his mother used to add potatoes (and sometimes pinto beans) to their ground beef to make it go further. They had a lot of mouths to feed and potatoes were a lot cheaper than meat. Makes so much sense! I like to make it this way when I have a little more time to let it stew, and I hope you love it!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Move aside store-bought seasonings, we don’t need you anymore! My homemade taco seasoning tastes just as good *if not better* than the store-bought kind. I will admit that I try to keep at least one or two taco seasoning packets in my pantry for when I run out of the homemade or don’t have all the ingredients on hand to make it. It is definitely a life saver in a pinch, and there is no judgement here but once you make this homemade version, you really won’t want to go back to store-bought. A quick glance at pre-made taco seasoning packet ingredients can give you an idea of how to go about making your own. Only need a few handful of Mexican spices, some salt, and yellow cornmeal.

taco meat made into tacos on tablescape

How to Make Taco Meat

For full recipe details, including ingredients needed and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is step by step what to expect when making this ground beef taco meat recipe:

taco meat ingredients

Brown Ground Beef

Add ground beef (I used grass-fed 80/20 ground beef, but feel free to use what you prefer), onion, green pepper and potatoes in a skillet over medium high heat and brown meat until cooked through, breaking meat up as small as possible along the way. 

Add Garlic + Tomato Paste

Make a well in the ground beef to reveal some grease and add garlic and tomato paste, allowing to “fry” a bit before stirring throughout meat mixture. 

taco meat ingredients in skillet with wooden spoon

Remove Grease, Add Taco Seasoning + Water

Tip pan to one side to allow grease to gather and dab a paper towel to remove most of the grease. 

Turn heat down to medium low. Add taco seasoning and water and simmer.

Simmer Taco Meat

For best results, simmer meat for an hour or longer…adding more water as it evaporates. Adjust seasonings to taste.

cooked taco meat in skillet with wooden spoon and taco fixins surrounding it

Ready to Serve!

Serve hot with your favorite taco night fixins. Enjoy!

woman's hand dipping taco into sauce

Storing Leftover Taco Meat

Store leftover taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge. Stored properly, taco meat will stay fresh for up to 4-5 days. To reheat, microwave or warm in a skillet until heated through.

Make Ahead – Because you can store taco meat in the fridge for a few days, this is a great recipe to make a day or two ahead of when you want to use it.

To Freeze – allow meat to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight, freezer safe container with a lid. Cooked taco meat will stay fresh in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat, allow meat to thaw in the fridge overnight before heating in a skillet or microwave.

taco meat made into tacos on tablescape

More Taco Recipes to Try!

I’d love for you to try this and give it a star review! Be sure to save/bookmark/print/pin/share this recipe. The printable recipe card is below! Have a great week, friends! 🙂

cooked taco meat in skillet with wooden spoon and taco fixins surrounding it
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5 from 1 vote

Taco Meat Recipe

This is the BEST Taco Meat Recipe Ever! A little unconventional, made with a homemade taco seasoning, tomato paste, vegetables like onions and peppers, plus a secret ingredient (shh…it's potatoes!).
servings 6
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef I used grass-fed 80/20
  • 3 1/2 tbsp homemade taco seasoning or a packet of store-bought
  • 1 cup onion minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper minced
  • 1 small potato minced, not peeled
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup water + more as you stew meat

Instructions

  • Add ground beef, onion, green pepper and potatoes in a skillet over medium high heat and brown meat until cooked through, breaking meat up as small as possible along the way.
    taco meat ingredients in skillet with wooden spoon
  • Make a well in the ground beef to reveal some grease and add garlic and tomato paste, allowing to "fry" a bit before stirring throughout meat mixture.
    taco meat ingredients in skillet with wooden spoon
  • Tip pan to one side to allow grease to gather and dab a paper towel to remove "most" of the grease.
    cooked taco meat ingredients in skillet with wooden spoon
  • Turn heat down to medium low. Add taco seasoning and water and simmer.
    taco meat ingredients in skillet with wooden spoon
  • For best results, stew meat for an hour or longer…adding more water as it evaporates. Adjust seasonings to taste.
    cooked taco meat in skillet with wooden spoon and taco fixins surrounding it
  • Serve hot with your favorite taco night fixin's.
    taco meat made into tacos on tablescape

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 527mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Beef Tacos, taco meat
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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