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top view of finished beef tacos topped with salad and lime
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Beef Tacos

For a relaxed and easy weeknight dinner, give these easy beef tacos a try! They feature homemade taco meat with a simple homemade seasoning, loaded into crispy homemade taco shells. Serve with your favourite salsas, healthy sides and toppings for the ultimate crowd pleaser in less than 20 minutes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 10 tacos
Calories: 236kcal

Ingredients

For the taco meat

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 500 grams beef mince lean or regular
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2-3 tablespoons chipotle sauce

For the homemade taco seasoning

  • 3 tbsp homemade taco seasoning find the full recipe instructions here, or mix together 2 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 ½ tbsp onion powder, 2 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried chilli flakes, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Keep the rest in an airtight container for next time!

For the taco shells

  • 10 corn tortillas or use store bought taco shells or soft tortillas, if preferred.
  • canola oil for frying

For serving (choose any or all of the following);

  • 2 cups Mexican cheese shredded
  • 2 tomatoes diced
  • ½ iceberg lettuce shredded
  • pickled jalapenos
  • tomato salsa try this healthy homemade recipe here, or use store bought salsa.
  • guacamole
  • coriander

Instructions

  • Mix the taco seasoning ingredients together (this seasoning can be made in bulk and the extra stored in a jar or airtight container for up to a year). You will need 3 tablespoons for this recipe. Keep the rest for next time.

Taco meat, stove top

  • In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir until soft. Add the beef mince and stir until browned. Drain any excess liquid from the meat.
  • Add the taco seasoning, tomato paste and chipotle sauce and stir until combined. You can also add a teaspoon of cornflour to thicken, if needed. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside while you cook the taco shells.

Taco meat, pressure cooker/Instant Pot

  • Select the saute setting on your Instant Pot or pressure cooker and heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and stir until soft. Add the beef mince and stir until browned.
  • Add the taco seasoning, tomato paste and chipotle sauce and stir. Secure the lid, and cook for 15 minutes at high pressure. Allow 15 minutes for the pressure to build before the cooking process starts. I don't add any water, as the meat will release liquid while cooking.
  • Release the pressure and stir the meat. If the meat has released excess liquid, saute until it has reduced. You can also add a teaspoon of cornflour to thicken, if needed.

For the taco shells

  • Fill a large frying pan with oil (1-2 cm deep) and heat. Working one at a time, fry the tortillas on one side until puffed and lightly golden and then flip and cook on the other side (this should only take around30 seconds-1 minute).
  • Remove the tortilla from the oil and, using tongs, gently fold each tortilla in half. Rest on a paper towel (while still folded in half) to drain while you cook the other tortillas.

To assemble

  • Add the seasoned beef, cheese and your toppings of choice to the crispy taco shells and serve immediately. Top with salsa, guacamole or sour cream. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Corn tortillas – are fried to create a flavour packed taco shell that is soft and crispy at the same time. I used ‘One Night in Mexico’ corn tortillas, but you could also use Mission, Old El Paso or any other corn tortilla. Or, use ready-made taco shells, soft flour tortillas, low carb wraps or even lettuce cups for a lower carb option.
  2. This recipe uses homemade taco seasoning. It tastes amazing and only takes 2 minutes to make. If you prefer, you can certainly use store bought taco seasoning.
  3. For the filling - Ground beef can be used on its own, or you can make the meat stretch furtherby adding a can of lentils or black beans to bulk it out. This option adds extra protein and nutrients and is a cheap and filling option. For an extra veggie hit, add shredded carrot, capsicum, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini or your favourite vegetables.
  4. Adjust the taco seasoning to suit your preferred tastes. You can adjust the salt levels to suit and either leave the chilli out (or add more for spicy tacos).
  5. If using store-bought taco shells, they will be chewy when first removed from the packet. Pop them into the oven and heat them according to the packet instructions before assembling the tacos. Rather than pre-heating your oven, taco shells can be crisped in an air fryer at 180 °C for around 3 minutes.
  6. I use lean beef mince which releases less liquid when cooking. If using regular beef mince, drain the excess fat/liquid before adding the seasoning, or your meat will be wet and will make the shells soggy.
  7. Storage; Keep leftover taco meat in the fridge, covered, for up to 3-4 days.
  8. Freezing; Add the cooled meat to an airtight container and freeze for 2-3 months. To thaw, leave it in the fridge overnight or set it on the bench to thaw at room temperature.
  9. Leftover taco meat uses; You can use leftover taco meat in so many meals! Try it in burritos, nachos, baked potatoes, quesadillas, sloppy joes, taco spaghetti, pizza, pies, stuffed sweet potatoes, chilli or taco soup.
  10. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the recipe making 10 tacos, with one taco topped with cheese and salad being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sauces.
  11. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 389mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 608IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 2mg