Tacos aren’t just for Tuesday! These Ground Beef Tacos are an easy dinner for any night of the week. They’re filled with flavorful seasoned ground beef, topped with fresh veggies and grated cheese, and they’re ready in 20 minutes!

Ground beef tacos on a platter

My family is crazy about Mexican food, and tacos are the meal that they request the most. It doesn’t matter if they’re baked turkey tacos or grilled fish tacos — they love them all.

These Ground Beef Tacos are definitely a family favorite. They’re so quick and easy to pull together, and they’re completely loaded with flavor.

I love that I can top them as simply or elaborately as I wish. They’re amazing with an array of fresh veggies or with homemade guacamole or pico de gallo.

They’re fresh, satisfying, and it simply doesn’t get better than taco night. 🙂

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Tacos with ground beef on a platter with lime and cilantro.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • This ground beef taco recipe is complete with flavorful ground beef taco meat and is topped with fresh veggies and grated cheese.
  • It’s an easy, family-friendly dinner that’s on the table in 20 minutes.
  • It can be easily customized with your favorite meat, veggies and tortillas.
  • Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten or grain free tortillas. Omit the cheese to make it dairy-free.

Recipe ingredients

The foundation of this recipe is ground beef and tortillas, but the options are endless when it comes to how to top them!

See below for some easy ideas on how to customize them.

Ground beef taco recipe ingredients.
  • Ground beef. The best ground beef for tacos is lean grass fed beef as it has a lot more flavor and it’s a healthier, more sustainable choice. I cooked the beef with onion, garlic and homemade taco seasoning, then added fresh lime juice and cilantro for bright, bold flavor.
  • Tortillas. This recipe calls for (8) soft taco sized tortillas, but you can use your favorite size and variety. Siete cassava tortillas are a personal favorite of mind because they’re grain and gluten-free, and they have amazing texture.
  • Veggies. I chose shredded lettuce, diced tomato and green onions for these beef tacos, but they would be amazing with corn, avocado or your favorite salsa!
  • Cheese. Omit the cheese to make this recipe dairy-free, or use your favorite non-dairy cheese or sour cream.

How to make tacos with ground beef

Making tacos with ground beef is incredibly easy. Simply cook the ground beef with taco seasoning according to the instructions below, then finish with fresh lime and cilantro.

The fun part is piling on the toppings!

Pro tip: Prep the veggies and warm the tortillas while the beef cooks so you’re ready to assemble tacos when the beef is done.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

How to make ground beef tacos.
  1. Prep your ingredients.
  2. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, taco seasoning, salt and pepper to taste and cook 30 seconds longer.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and cilantro until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Ground beef taco meat in a skillet surrounded by condiments.

Recipe FAQs

What ground beef is best for tacos?

The best ground beef for tacos is lean grass fed beef because it has a ton of flavor and less fat. Grass fed beef is sustainably raised, which means it’s a healthier choice as well.

How much water do I add to ground beef for tacos?

Ground beef has enough fat content to prevent it from becoming dry, therefore there’s no need to add water to beef taco meat while it cooks.

Do you drain ground beef for tacos?

It’s best to drain any excess fat from ground beef taco meat to avoid greasy tacos. Simply remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl for serving.

What are toppings for tacos?

The sky is the limit for beef taco toppings. I like to serve mine with grated cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion. Sour cream, avocado and chili peppers are great options as well.

Serving suggestions

This beef taco recipe is plenty satisfying as-is, but it can also be served with a variety of sides or customized with your favorite meat and toppings!

Recipe notes

  • Pro tip: Prep your veggies and warm the tortillas while the beef cooks so you’re ready to assemble tacos when it’s done!
  • Nutrition information is an estimate only based on the type of tortillas that you use.  
  • Substitute the ground beef with shredded chicken or your favorite ground meat such as turkey, chicken or pork.
  • Customize these tacos with your favorite toppings.
Ground beef tacos garnished with cilantro and lime.

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

Ground beef tacos on a platter

Easy Ground Beef Tacos

Ground Beef Tacos are an easy dinner the entire family will love! Tortillas are filled with seasoned ground beef, fresh veggies and grated cheese and it's ready in 20 minutes!
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1.5 tablespoons taco seasoning homemade or your favorite store bought brand
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 lb. grass fed ground beef
  • 1 lime juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro plus more for serving (optional)
  • 8 soft taco size tortillas your favorite (I used Siete cassava tortillas)
  • 1 cup grated cheese omit for dairy-free
  • 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
  • 1 large tomato seeded and diced
  • 1 green onion sliced thinly on the bias

Instructions 

  • Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, taco seasoning, salt and pepper and cook 30 seconds longer.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1.5 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Add the ground beef to the pan and break it up into chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and cilantro until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
    1 lb. grass fed ground beef, 1 lime, 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
  • Warm the tortillas if desired, then divide the ground beef evenly between them. Top with grated cheese, lettuce, tomato and green onion. Enjoy!
    8 soft taco size tortillas, 1 cup grated cheese, 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce, 1 large tomato, 1 green onion

Notes

  • Pro tip: Prep your veggies while the beef cooks so you’re ready to assemble tacos when it’s done!
  • Nutrition information is an estimate only based on the type of tortillas that you use.  
  • Substitute the ground beef with shredded chicken, pork carnitas or your favorite ground meat.
  • Customize these tacos with your favorite toppings.  They’d be great with guacamole and pico de gallo as well!

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacos, Calories: 530kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 105mg, Sodium: 655mg, Potassium: 648mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1881IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 282mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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