Use this tasty homemade taco meat recipe in six different meals your family will love! You can take this basic spiced taco meat and make tacos, taco salad, taco pasta bake, tostadas, burritos, and easy enchiladas with just a few added ingredients for each meal.
If you have time to make the taco meat recipe ahead and freeze it in meal-sized portions, it will save you so much time on weeknights! Grab a bag of meat to thaw, fix up the other ingredients you need for your meal of choice, and put dinner on the table fast. It’s like a homemade version of a good old-fashioned Hamburger Helper, but without the added sodium. Such a fast meal option!
How to Make the Taco Meat Filling
Making this homemade taco meat recipe is very easy and forms the base of six different inexpensive meal options. I’m including the recipes for the filling, the homemade taco seasoning, and all of the different meal options in this post. Print what you want now, and come back for more options later!
Taco Meat Recipe Ingredients
Ground Beef or Shredded Chicken.
Tomato Sauce.
Taco Seasoning. You can use either store-bought or homemade.
Instructions
Cook the ground beef fully. Drain the grease. Then add tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Simmer for five minutes.
Homemade Taco Meat Recipe
This homemade tasty taco meat recipe is super quick and easy. It’s so versatile, you can make lots of delicious recipes fast! Perfect for tacos, tostadas, burritos, enchiladas and more!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef or shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 pkg. taco seasoning or 5 tsp. homemade taco seasoning
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef fully.
- Drain the grease.
- Then add tomato sauce and taco seasoning.
- Simmer 5 minutes.
How to Make Your Own Taco Seasoning
If you don’t have a taco seasoning packet in the house, you can make your own by throwing all of these spices in a bowl and stirring it all up with a fork. Easy peasy. The amounts are listed on the recipe card. Make sure your spices were purchased in the last six months for best results.
If you are gluten-free, making your own homemade taco seasoning may be a necessity, but it is a happy one. You can control your spice level, ensure there are no unnecessary added ingredients in your food and have taco seasoning at your fingertips whenever you need it.
Ingredients for Taco Seasoning
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Dried Oregano
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Salt
Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe
This homemade taco seasoning is easy to make with ingredients you already have on hand, and it’s a lot cheaper than buying the taco packets at the store. Perfect for tacos, tostadas, burritos and more!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 3/4 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl with a fork, and add to ground beef to make taco meat filling.
Easy Meals To Make With This Taco Meat Recipe
Each of these options requires slightly different ingredients, timing, and varying degrees of effort. I’ve included a different recipe card for each and every option in this blog article. Print one or print them all!
- Tacos. Serve the filling in traditional taco shells with various toppings.
- Taco Salad. Serve the meat on a salad with crunchy tortilla chips.
- Taco Pasta Bake. Throw pasta and the meat filling into the oven for a baked pasta dish which is the ultimate comfort food.
- Tostadas. Crunchy bowl meat yummy meat.
- Burritos. Use soft shells for a different food experience.
- Easy Enchiladas. Serve enchiladas in the blink of an eye.
Use the Taco Meat Filling for Tacos
The most obvious way to use the base recipe is in tacos. If you’ve never made tacos before, here’s how it all comes together.
Easy Taco Recipe
Here’s an easy taco recipe you can make in just a few minutes using our homemade taco meat recipe or your favorite taco seasoning packet. Your family is sure to love it and you will be in and out of the kitchen fast!
Ingredients
- 12 taco shells
- 1 lb. taco meat filling
- 2 (15 oz.) cans refried beans or 3 cups refried beans, homemade
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1–2 avocados, chopped peeled and pitted, or guacamole
- 3 oz. cheese, grated
- 1 cup salsa, or 1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapenos
- handful fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Warm your taco shells and fill them with your choice of toppings.
Oven: Warm taco shells at 350º for 5 minutes.
Microwave: Warm taco shells 10-15 seconds for 3 shells. Layer
ingredients in shells and enjoy.
Use the Taco Meat Filling to Make Taco Salad
The fresh, light taco salad is a nice flavorful dinner when you are craving salad greens and the crunch of tortilla chips. It’s not mentioned on the recipe card, but I like to add a little sour cream to my salad, and skip a dressing. You can also use a cilantro or avocado ranch dressing if you like.
Taco Salad Recipe
This taco salad recipe makes an easy taco salad perfect for when you don’t have taco shells on hand or when you prefer more lettuce than just serving tacos. It’s quick and easy and your family will love it!
Ingredients
- 1 bag tortilla chips
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
- 1/2 lb. taco meat filling
- 2 (15 oz.) cans refried beans or 3 1/2 cups refried beans, homemade
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1–2 avocados, chopped peeled and pitted, or guacamole
- 3 oz. cheese, grated
- 1 cup salsa, or 1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapenos
- handful fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Lay a single layer of chips on a plate.
- Layer ingredients in order given dividing between plates.
- Serve and enjoy. Serves 6-8.
How to Make Taco Pasta Bake using our Taco Meat Recipe
This delicious taco pasta bake is comfort food that kids especially love. Use pre-cooked pasta, even leftover pasta if you have it. Some frozen corn, drained black beans, or a can of diced tomatoes can be added to this dish for variety.
PrintTaco Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 4–6 cups pasta, cooked (can use macaroni, spiral, or any kind)
- 1 cup taco meat filling
- 4 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated (or Mexican mix)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Stir taco meat filling* and cream cheese together.
- In a casserole dish mix pasta, taco filling mixture, and cheese (reserving 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top).
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- *1 lb. ground beef and 1 pkg. taco seasoning may be used instead.
Make Tostadas Like A Restaurant
This seems like such a fancy dish, but you can actually buy the shells at your grocery store, so why not get fancy at home? It’s a fun way to combine salad and crunch with tacos.
Easy Tostada Recipe
This easy tostada recipe is another variation on tacos that is very versatile. It makes a quick and easy restaurant quality meal that families love! Easy to make with our homemade taco meat recipe or your favorite taco seasoning packet.
Ingredients
- 12 tostada shells
- 1/2 lb. taco meat filling
- 2 (15 oz.) cans refried beans or 3 1/2 cups refried beans, homemade
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1–2 avocados, chopped peeled and pitted, or guacamole
- 3 oz. cheese, grated
- 1 cup salsa, or 1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapenos
- fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Warm tostada shells in the oven or microwave.
- Oven: 350º for 5 minutes.
- Microwave: 10-15 seconds for 3 shells.
- Layer ingredients on shells and enjoy.
Burritos
Make a delicious burrito meal your whole family will enjoy.
PrintEasy Burrito Recipe
Ingredients
- 6–8 large soft four tortillas or round wraps
- 1/2 lb. taco meat filling
- 3 cups cooked rice, warm
- 3 cups iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
- 1 cup black beans
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Warm tortillas in the microwave between two wet paper towels.
- Layer ingredients into each tortilla as desired.
- Fold the bottom up to cover filling and tightly roll.
Easy Enchiladas for a Busy Weeknight
When you want something fast and you are tired of tacos, make these instead.
PrintEasy Enchilada Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. ground beef, cooked* or taco meat filling
- 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can enchilada sauce
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated and divided
- 1 (4 oz.) can of chopped green chilies
- 1 1/2 cups corn chips, crushed
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 cup sour cream
- additional corn chips (for dipping)
Instructions
Mix everything but 1 cup of the cheese and the sour cream.
Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring once.
Top with the rest of the cheese and the sour cream.
Uncover and heat again until the cheese is melted, about 1-2 minutes.
Serve with chips.
Other Recipes to Enjoy
Easy Enchilada Casserole Recipe – Mexican Lasagne
Mexican Summer Squash Recipe and Slow Cooked Chicken Menu
Easy Homemade Fajitas Recipe – Quick And Easy $5 Dinner Recipe
Everything sounds delicious will have to try. Tonight I made the chicken and dumpling soup . It was filling. Watched the show tonight my prayers are with everyone , glad everyone is alright. Also I hear your Birthday is this Friday so HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY Tawra and many more to come.
Thank you so much Dale for the birthday wishes – from Tawra
Hi Jill and Tawra I have just finished going through this News letter and seeing if I could find the Taco recipe , which I could, wrote down the Glutten free Brownie Recipe and Frosting. Have a question what does Xanthan Gum do…? (if not in flour). Also wrote down the soft scrub recipe for tub cleaning . On FB I always save anything that might save time and money. Thank you for these posts I really appreciate them and they keep me busy.
Xanthan can do different things but one of them is to add thickness. Gluten helps things like bread to rise and with the texture of the bread so Xanthan gum helps in that area.
I loved your taco mix. We don’t care too much for oregano so I substituted with paprika. I made up a bunch of the mix, over 2 cups worth, and put it in an empty spice container. The next day I cooked up 5 lbs of hamburger with onion and bell peppers, added the taco spice mix and ended up with 10 bags of taco meat in the freezer with plenty of the taco spice mix left in the jar. I used to cook 1 lb of hamburger meat for the three of us for dinner. Now I only use 1/2 lb for the three of us. (Thanks for sharing this frugal tip with us, Jill and Tawra.) Better for our wallet and figure. We just add extra lettuce and salsa.