By Becky Hardin
Published Aug 31, 2020
Ground Beef Tacos are made with deliciously seasoned ground beef, wrapped in golden corn tortillas and topped with melty cheese. It’s all baked to perfection for the easiest, crunchiest tacos. Serve with all your favorite toppings. Pure. Simple. Perfection.
Make Taco Tuesdays that bit easier with these Ground Beef Tacos. Crunchy tacos with crispy tinged ground beef, all slathered in melted cheese. These are great for a go-to weeknight treat, game day, movie night or party time!
If you’re looking for more Mexican inspired recipes, why not also try my Cheesy Creamy Chicken Enchiladas or my Easy Chicken Fajitas Recipe !
Why you’ll love these Ground Beef Tacos
- An easy taco recipe. You can whip up a big batch of these beef tacos in 30 mins.
- Versatile. Keep the tacos simple or go load ’em up with all your fave toppings.
- A succulent filling. The ground beef is mixed with a delicious tomato sauce, so it stays moist and doesn’t dry out.
- Perfect for parties. Easily double up the recipe for a bigger batch, this beef taco recipe is a real crowd pleaser.
How to make these Ground Beef Tacos
Be sure to scroll down to the bottom for the full recipe
- Cook your ground beef – In a pan on medium heat, cook your beef until it’s not pink, then stir in the seasoning. Finally mix in your tomato paste and sauce.
- Assemble your tacos – In a casserole dish place in the taco shells, fill with the ground beef mix and top with cheese.
- Bake – Bake for around 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve with your favorite toppings – enjoy!
Toppings
We all have our favorites! Here’s some of the most popular toppings:
- Shredded Lettuce
- Grape Tomatoes
- Diced Avocados
- Caramelized Onions
- Cheese: Cheddar, gouda, monterey jack, cotija or queso blanco
- Taco Sauce
- Salsa
- Sour Cream
- Guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Hot Sauce
- Refried Beans
Do I have to use ground beef?
This is one of my favorite ground beef recipes ! But if you want a slightly leaner option, you could also go for ground turkey or ground chicken. Just make sure you don’t use really lean turkey, as it’s likely to come out grainy. Ground turkey won’t sear as brown as beef.
We have also made Baked Chicken Tacos ! Our most popular recipe of all time. So delicious!
What sides are good for a Beef Taco recipe?
Beef tacos are great with a whole host of sides, you can go light or a bit heavier, depending on your appetite! Here’s some ideas:
- Confetti Corn Salad
- 3 Bean Salad Recipe
- Olive Garden Salad with Copycat Dressing
- Easy Mexican Rice Recipe
- Mind Blowing Grilled Corn Salad Recipe
And don’t forget the dip! I love this spicy poblano queso , or this classic white queso dip .
Recipe notes and tips
- With this amount of tomato puree the sauce is a tad more (not much) on the juicy side, so don´t let the filled up tacos sit too long before eating, otherwise the tacos might break. If you want it less juicy just cut the amount of tomato puree in half.
- 90% lean ground beef is great for tacos. The meat is packed with flavor and still tender, but not overly greasy. You could us 80% lean ground beef, but you’ll have much more fat to drain off at the end of the cooking process.
- Use whatever cheese you like best and melts well. You can also mix different cheeses. Use more if you like – cheese is an individual choice.
- Add some diced jalapenos to the sauce, for a spicy kick.
- Have fun with your toppings!
- Top with some fresh cilantro
Other Taco Recipes we Love
- Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Crispy Turkey Tacos
- Steak Tacos
- Slow Cooker Beef Tacos
- Margarita Fish Tacos
- Buffalo Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 pound ground beef
- ▢ 1 cup tomato puree note 1
- ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- ▢ 1.5 cups grated cheese cheddar, gouda or similar (note 2)
- ▢ 12 taco shells
Video
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Heat a pan over medium to high heat add the ground beef and cook until the beef is not pink anymore, keep on breaking it up while cooking.
- Once the ground beef is cooked add all the spices and stir.
- Add the tomato paste, mix it in and keep cooking for 1 to 2 minutes (this will remove bitterness from the tomato paste)
- Pour the tomato sauce into the pan, stir again and cook for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Put all the taco shells in your casserole from and fill them with the ground beef mixture – 1 to 2 tablespoons each.
- Top with the grated cheese and bake for around 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately with toppings of your choice (sour cream, salsa, avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce, beans, corn…)
Becky’s Tips
- With this amount of tomato puree the sauce is a tad more (not much) on the juicy side, so don´t let the filled up tacos sit too long before eating, otherwise the tacos might break. If you want it less juicy just cut the amount of tomato puree in half.
- 90% lean ground beef is great for tacos. The meat is packed with flavor and still tender, but not overly greasy. You could us 80% lean ground beef, but you’ll have much more fat to drain off at the end of the cooking process.
- Use whatever cheese you like best and melts well. You can also mix different cheeses. Use more if you like – cheese is an individual choice.
- Add some diced jalapenos to the sauce, for a spicy kick.
- Have fun with your toppings!
- Top with some fresh cilantro
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Baked Ground Beef Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup tomato puree note 1
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1.5 cups grated cheese cheddar, gouda or similar (note 2)
- 12 taco shells
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Heat a pan over medium to high heat add the ground beef and cook until the beef is not pink anymore, keep on breaking it up while cooking.
- Once the ground beef is cooked add all the spices and stir.
- Add the tomato paste, mix it in and keep cooking for 1 to 2 minutes (this will remove bitterness from the tomato paste)
- Pour the tomato sauce into the pan, stir again and cook for 1 - 2 minutes.
- Put all the taco shells in your casserole from and fill them with the ground beef mixture - 1 to 2 tablespoons each.
- Top with the grated cheese and bake for around 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately with toppings of your choice (sour cream, salsa, avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce, beans, corn…)
Video
Notes
- With this amount of tomato puree the sauce is a tad more (not much) on the juicy side, so don´t let the filled up tacos sit too long before eating, otherwise the tacos might break. If you want it less juicy just cut the amount of tomato puree in half.
- 90% lean ground beef is great for tacos. The meat is packed with flavor and still tender, but not overly greasy. You could us 80% lean ground beef, but you’ll have much more fat to drain off at the end of the cooking process.
- Use whatever cheese you like best and melts well. You can also mix different cheeses. Use more if you like – cheese is an individual choice.
- Add some diced jalapenos to the sauce, for a spicy kick.
- Have fun with your toppings!
- Top with some fresh cilantro
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
