This taco-seasoned ground beef is so quick, you could make it every day. And it’s so tasty, you’ll want to make it every day!

Social Learning:

The chili powder makes or breaks this recipe, and all chili powders are not created equal. I’m not saying that some are better than others, I’m saying that from one brand to the next, they don’t have a uniform flavor profile. They’re all different. Chili powders are made in part from ground chiles, and the types of chiles used will determine how the chili powder tastes. The one I commonly buy from a nearby mom-and-pop market is dark, earthy, and mild. I like its versatility. But my favorite for tex-mex foods is an amazingly vibrant, deeply flavorful, medium-heat powder that I get from The Spice House.

If your chili powder is spicy, you may not need any pepper or pepper flakes. 

Interesting additions: cocoa powder will move you into mole territory. Start with ½-teaspoon and go from there. Cinnamon is fantastic in this context. It’ll give you a what’s-your-secret kind of vibe. A mere ¼-teaspoon will do the trick; you don’t want to overdo it. Cocoa and cinnamon together are also great. If you have dried Mexican chilies on-hand – no matter what type they are – use a coffee grinder to grind them to dust, and use that in place of some or all of your store-bought chili powder. 

What Goes with It:

When it comes to additions, diced tomato, shredded lettuce, shredded mild cheddar, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime are the obvious ones. But consider corn, and/or avocado, and/or minced onion that’s been soaked in cold water for a few minutes and then drained.  

If you start with a flavorful chili powder that you really love, this taco meat is so complete and flavorful that you don’t need to garnish individual tacos with taco sauce. But maybe you love taco sauce. In that case, indulge! If what you’re looking to do is amp up the heat without changing the flavor a whole lot, a bit of Tabasco would be the way to go. 

Watch Out:

This amount of spice could be gut-busting for some people. 

Servings:

This makes enough for at least four pretty big tacos – depending on the size of your tortilla, how beefy you like your tacos, and how many other things you plan to add. I find I can easily stretch it to six servings, possibly eight if I use a lot of additions and am willing to go light on the beef. This taco meat is intensely flavorful, so that helps when it comes to using less.

Leftovers:

As you might expect, this taco-seasoned ground beef reheats flawlessly. So, as astonishingly quick and easy this is to make fresh, feel 100% confident in making it ahead. Microwave single portions for about 45 seconds. 

The Backstory:

Why would you do this, when you could just buy a packet of seasoning from the store? Well, if you don’t stock (or want to stock) these spices, then buying a packet may be the way to go. But if you’re an avid cook, then I’m guessing you probably do have these mainstream spices on hand, and if that’s the case, you can bespoke the hell out of this blend! With a bit of creativity and experimentation (both of which are admittedly dangerous qualities in these WTF times), you could have a better taco blend than anything you can pick up in a mainstream, everyday grocery store.

Taco-Seasoned Ground Beef

Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. Thank you, Kesor. Thank you, ⌘+C. Make It Like a Man! is ranked by Feedspot as #5 in the Top 30 Men’s Cooking Blogs. Would it make good pierogi? I think so. But not as a casserole; that’s too easy. Stuff them, and serve them with a Tex-Mex, sour cream dip. What goes in the pierogi? Shredded mild cheddar, corn, minced onion. What goes in the dip? Tomato. Squeeze of lime and sprinkling of cilantro over the finished pierogi. Maybe some of the taco seasoning goes into the dough, mainly to color it, so that they are easy to distinguish visually. 

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