This is the recipe I reach for most often when we're making ground beef taco, burritos or nachos. It's full of flavor, saucy, and not much harder than reaching for that big bottle of taco seasoning!
If you're tired of reaching for the Costco-sized container of taco seasoning every time you want need ground beef for tacos, enchiladas, or nachos, you have to try this recipe!
I know I'm guilty of going the easy route too, but this recipe is really not that much harder than stirring in premade seasoning.
It is perfect for a myriad of Mexican ground beef recipes and tastes so much better than anything you can shake out of a canister.
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📋 Why This Recipe Works
This recipe uses cumin, paprika, chili powder, and dried onion which are all elements in traditional taco seasoning. What sets it apart is the use of green enchilada sauce! The enchilada sauce adds acidity, moisture, and tons of flavor making these ground beef tacos saucy and delicious.
🔪 How To Make The Recipe
1.) Gather your ingredients
You'll need ground beef, paprika, cumin, chili powder, dried onion, and green enchilada sauce.
2.) Brown and crumble the beef
Place the meat in a skillet, cook, and use a spatula to break up and crumble the meat.
3.) Remove the excess fat
I like to fold up a paper towel and move it around in the pan to absorb the excess fat. Sometimes it takes a few paper towels, but it's much easier than transferring the meat into a strainer, in my opinion.
4.) Add the seasoning!
Stir the spices, onion and enchilada sauce into the meat.
5.) Let it it simmer
Let the meat simmer on low to soften the onion and allow the sauce to thicken up a bit. Allow it to simmer as long or little as you'd like or until it's your desired consistency.
6.) Assemble!
See my serving and topping tips below for suggestions on how to use this super versatile meat.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Salsa or Enchilada Sauce: Use what you have on hand! I've used both salsa and enchilada sauce with great results. Sometimes salsa is thicker and you may need to add a little bit of water to the meat while it simmers.
- Bake the Shells: If you're making crunchy tacos with this meat, remember to bake or heat up the crunchy shells before assembling. It makes a huge difference!
👪 Scaling The Recipe
Cooking for two or a crowd? This recipe is easily adaptable. Use the slider on the recipe card to change the quantity and the ingredient amounts will change accordingly.
🍽 Serving and Topping Suggestions
I love to eat this taco meat in basic taco form with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese but here are some other ideas:
- Wrapped up in a tortilla with beans, spanish rice, and pico de gallo for burritos.
- On top of corn chips with refried beans and cheese for some epic nachos
- Mixed with red enchilada sauce and stuffed inside corn tortillas for beefy enchiladas
- Served on greens with beans and veggies for fresh taco salads
Want Super Fine Taco Meat?
Ever wonder why some taco meat found at restaurants or in chili is ground SUPER fine and how they get it that way? That is the result of actually boiling the hamburger first. This method of cooking brings the temperature of the meat up slowly and prevents it from clumping, keeping it finely ground.
If you'd like to try this method with this recipe, place the beef in a deep pan and add enough cold water to cover the meat. Slowly bring the pan to a boil, stirring often to separate the meat into small crumbles. Once it's to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the meat is brown and fully cooked.
At this point, you'll drain off the water and add the remaining ingredients to the meat, following the recipe card below.
💭 FAQs
Can I use red enchilada sauce instead?
Yes! The finished meat won't be as tangy, but will be saucy and flavorful!
What kind of ground beef should I use?
It's totally up to you! Both lean and fatty ground beef works well with this recipe. I prefer about 10% fat to keep things lean but still flavorful.
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes! Standard ground turkey works wonderfully! Ground turkey breast doesn't work AS well because it's so lean but will work.
🥘 Leftovers and Storing
This taco meat can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days. It can also be place into a freezer zip-lock bag and kept frozen for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat, place in a skillet with a little bit of water, bring to a simmer, and serve!
🥣 Handy Tools For This Recipe
- Lodge 10" Cast Iron Skillet: Cast Iron Skillets are your BEST friend and are totally underrated. Cast iron retains heat really well and allows you to get that irresistible sear on steaks and other meats you can usually only get at a restaurant. Pair this with the fact that they are CHEAP it's a no-brainer.
- Chop Stir: This strange little tool makes short work of browning ground meat with its odd shape that allows it to crumble the meat quickly as it cooks.
📖 Recipe
Mexican Style Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 10 ounces green enchilada sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced dried onion
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brown and crumble ground beef until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
- Return meat to pan and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Let simmer for 5-6 minutes over medium-high heat or until most of the liquid is absorbed and is the consistency you like.
Chef's Notes:
- Salsa or Enchilada Sauce: Use what you have on hand! I've used both salsa and enchilada sauce with great results. Sometimes salsa is thicker and you may need to add a little bit of water to the meat while it simmers.
- Bake the Shells: If you're making crunchy tacos with this meat, remember to bake or heat up the crunchy shells before assembling. It makes a huge difference!
- Add Water: If the meat seems a little dry after adding in the spices and enchilada sauce, add ½-1 cup water and stir to combine. Allow the meat to come to a simmer and reduce down to your desired consistency.
I love this idea! I had never heard of boiling meat. When you drain it do you pour it down the sink grease and all? I usually avoid putting grease down the sink for fear of clogging, but maybe the water dilutes it enough?
Life hack: Shape a piece of aluminum foil to fit like a cup in/over your sink's drain. Pour hot grease into foil- as it cools it becomes solid and just throw it away!
Absolutely awesome !!!!??
I tried this sauce on turkey meatballs last night and served them to my very picky children and their even pickier cousins. What a HUGE hit! I cannot thank you enough – you’ve added a new staple to their diets …
Finally! The perfect taco recipe. Thank You,
Great on Nachos!!
Made this last night. It was delicious! Thank you!
just to clarify, does this recipe use red or green enchilada sauce? the recipe reads green, but the link attached to the green enchilada sauce is a recipe for the red kind.
Yes, I use green enchilada sauce. My recipe card sometimes pulls links incorrectly. Sorry. Thanks for checking!
thanks! im going to make this after my next shopping trip 🙂
Thanks for the tip on draining ground beef. That’s the part I hate about cooking bulk amounts of ground beef and I never thought of lining a bowl to catch the grease