By Laurel Perry
Published May 5, 2025
This easy, cheesy, beefy taco skillet recipe is the easy weeknight dinner I’ve been craving! Just like my favorite tacos, this Mexican skillet dinner is loaded with ground beef, black beans, salsa, and plenty of cheese. Best of all, I can whip up this meal in just 30 minutes! This is my favorite recipe for when I’m craving tacos but don’t have any tortillas on hand. Plus, it all comes together in one skillet, so I have way fewer dishes to clean at the end of the night.
Tacos are my love language, so imagine my surprise when I went to make my favorite beef tacos one night and discovered we didn’t have any tortillas! After my initial shock wore off, I rolled up my chef sleeves and made. it. work. And the rest is history. This easy taco skillet is in regular rotation at my house!
Tips for Success
- Using an oven-safe cast iron or stainless steel skillet makes this recipe so easy to take from stovetop to oven to table!
- This recipe is easy to adapt to any dietary preference. Swap the beef for ground turkey, chicken, or pork instead of beef. You can also omit the meat altogether and add more beans and veggies for an easy meatless meal .
- Try stirring in some salsa verde for a slightly different flavor!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 pound lean ground beef
- ▢ ½ yellow onion chopped
- ▢ 1 red bell pepper chopped
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ▢ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ 15 ounces salsa (1 jar)
- ▢ 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed (1 can)
- ▢ 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese divided
- ▢ 1 cup freshly shredded Monterey jack cheese divided
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro optional
- ▢ 1 jalapeno pepper sliced; optional
Video
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat breaking apart the meat with a spoon until the beef is cooked through. 1 pound lean ground beef, ½ yellow onion
- Add in the bell pepper and cook until it begins to soften, 1-2 minutes. Add in the garlic, taco seasoning, cumin, and salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 1 red bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Stir in the salsa, black beans, and half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and sliced jalapeno pepper (if desired) and serve. 15 ounces salsa, 15 ounces black beans, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup freshly shredded Monterey jack cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 1 jalapeno pepper
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Becky’s Tips
- You can use 2 cups of Mexican cheese blend in place of the cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses.
- You can use a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes in place of the salsa if desired.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make a Taco Skillet Step by Step
Cook the Beef: Cook 1 pound of lean ground beef and ½ of a chopped yellow onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking apart the meat with a spoon until the beef is cooked through.
Season the Beef: Add in 1 diced red bell pepper and cook until it begins to soften, 1-2 minutes. Add in 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, and ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the Cheese: Stir in 15 ounces (1 jar) of salsa, 15 ounces (1 can) of drained and rinsed black beans, and ½ cup each of the cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.
Serve: Garnish with 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley and 1 sliced jalapeno pepper (if desired) and serve.
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftovers from your taco skillet in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop set over medium-low, or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
Freeze this cheesy taco skillet in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This tasty taco skillet is delicious served over cilantro lime rice , tater tots , or Mexican macaroni and cheese . And don’t forget a big pot of our favorite queso dip , and fresh tortilla chips for dipping!
More Taco Recipes To Try
Birria Tacos Recipe
Crockpot Taco Soup
Crockpot Beef Carnitas
Turkey Tacos
Taco Skillet Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 15 ounces salsa (1 jar)
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed (1 can)
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 cup freshly shredded Monterey jack cheese divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro optional
- 1 jalapeno pepper sliced; optional
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat breaking apart the meat with a spoon until the beef is cooked through. 1 pound lean ground beef, ½ yellow onion
- Add in the bell pepper and cook until it begins to soften, 1-2 minutes. Add in the garlic, taco seasoning, cumin, and salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 1 red bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Stir in the salsa, black beans, and half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and sliced jalapeno pepper (if desired) and serve. 15 ounces salsa, 15 ounces black beans, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup freshly shredded Monterey jack cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 1 jalapeno pepper
Video
Notes
- You can use 2 cups of Mexican cheese blend in place of the cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses.
- You can use a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes in place of the salsa if desired.
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
