Taco Meat Recipe (quick and easy)

Taco meat on a wooden spoon sitting on top of more taco meat.

Taco Meat Recipe (quick and easy)

This easy homemade taco meat recipe is perfect for busy weeknights! Whether you use ground beef, chicken, turkey, or pork, it turns out flavorful and delicious! It’s quick to make, seasoned just right and guaranteed to make taco night a family favorite!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword homemade taco meat, how to make taco meat, taco meat recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Author Ivory

Equipment

Large Pan

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (or ground pork, ground, turkey, or ground chicken)
2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning (or 1 packet of store-bought taco seasoning)
½ cup chunky salsa
¼ cup water (or more as needed)

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until browned.
Add the taco seasoning, salsa, and water. Stir until well blended.
Let the taco meat simmer, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until taco sauce slightly thickens.

Notes

Recipe Variations And Substitutions:

Spicy taco meat: Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Taco meat with beans: Stir in a can of drained black or pinto beans to make it heartier.

Storage And Reheating Instructions:

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
To reheat: Place the taco meat in a skillet on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated thoroughly. To reheat in the microwave, place the taco meat into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 25 seconds at a time until heated thoroughly.
To freeze: Place cooled taco meat into freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Pro Tips:

Customize: Add salt to taste, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes to spice it up.
Make a big batch: This recipe can be scaled up for a bigger batch.
Cooking oil: I used 80/20 ground beef but if you are using a leaner ground meat, you can add a little cooking oil to the heated skillet before adding the ground meat to avoid sticking.

Nutrition