Beefed Up Taco Meat 🥩🌮 is how you can beef up (pun intended 😂) a pound of ground with extra veggies so you’ve got high protein + veggies for nutrients and fiber so you can STRETCH the meat over more meals or more people and make it more nutrient dense! Easy one skillet recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes to use in tacos, burritos, salad bowls, lettuce wraps and more!
Easy 15-Minute Beef Taco Meat Recipe
- The price of groceries has gotten out of control the past few years and in my area it’s easy to pay $9.99/pound and up for extra lean ground beef. 😳 So on the fairly rare occasion I do buy ground beef I like to beef it up and stretch it so I can get more meals out of it.
- Plus I like to incorporate extra veggies to make it more nutrient dense, add fiber, and make it have more volume. If you’re on a budget, feeding a family, or just want to make taco meat that’s healthier, this is perfect.
- It’s amazing how BIG a pound of ground beef looks when you beef it up with some simple veggies! I use onion, mushrooms, bell peppers, and canned tomatoes so it almost takes on a cheater’s chili quality which I love. More on easy swaps and substitutions below.
Ingredients in Ground Beef Taco Meat
- Onion: I like yellow onion or sweet Vidalia onions for this but white onions will work.
- Mushrooms: If you don’t like them, skip them. However, mushrooms help to bulk up the taco meat appearance and I love the flavor they add but not everyone does. I use 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms and I recommend them. Slice button or sliced white mushrooms may be subbed.
- Bell pepper: Another key to volume is diced bell pepper. Red (what I used), orange, or yellow is what I recommend because green will change the flavor a bit.
- Wondering about using other veggies? You can! Diced zucchini or diced yellow summer squash are two that “blend in” without adding noticeable flavor and so do shredded carrots. Canned beans such as black beans or kidney beans also are great.
- Ground beef: I use extra-lean ground beef in the 93% lean range but it can vary and sometimes I’ll use 90% or 95% and just depends what I find at my grocery store and the price. If you use 85% lean, you may have to drain fat but this is a recipe where it will be a little tricky to drain fat based on the other ingredients already in the skillet. Would this work with ground turkey or ground chicken? It certainly will, noting you may need to drizzle in a bit of olive oil or vegetable oil as necessary.
- Taco seasoning: Use a packet of your favorite taco seasoning or homemade taco seasoning. Ignore the directions on the taco seasoning packet. I use medium heat with regular sodium, but you can use reduced mild or spicy, reduced sodium, etc.
- Seasonings + Spices: I also added cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Everything is to taste and as desired. Garlic powder, paprika, chili powder,
- Canned diced tomatoes: A 15-ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes takes the taco meat into a saucy, chili vibes direction which I love. Saucy and juicy over dry – any day! This reads more like a chili on the day you make it but leftovers dry out as the liquids absorbs and it sits in the fridge which is normal. If you don’t want any heat, use plain petite-diced tomatoes.
- Garnishes: Normally I say that they’re optionally but in this case a bit of lime juice and fresh cilantro really takes this easy ground beef recipe to the next level. Homemade salsa or your favorite toppings are welcome.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How To Make Ground Beef Taco Meat Recipe
- To a large nonstick skillet (<— I love my Caraway pan because I literally did not use a drop of oil!) add the onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and saute for about 5-7 minutes. I also love a vegetable chopper for recipes like this – takes prep and chop time from 10 minutes to 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef and brown it, crumbling it as you cook.
- Add the canned tomatoes, evenly sprinkle the taco seasoning, add a bit of water, seasonings to taste, stir, and allow it to simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with lime juice, cilantro, stir, and serve the best taco meat!
How To Use Beef Taco Meat
There’s no stopping you – use it however you’d like. Of course in ground beef tacos and tortillas but don’t stop there!
Use it in these fun Mexican inspired recipes: cheesy smothered burritos, beef enchiladas, in cheesy beef taquitos, and tacos.
For lighter options: use it in lettuce wraps, cottage cheese and beef bowls, stuffed in zucchini boats, loaded beef taco salad bowls, layer it in taco salad which is what I did here and one of my favorite ways – a big messy bowl and I love it!
Beef Taco Meat
Beefed Up Taco Meat 🥩🌮 is how you can beef up (pun intended 😂) a pound of ground with extra veggies so you've got high protein + veggies for nutrients and fiber so you can STRETCH the meat over more meals or more people and make it more nutrient dense! Easy one skillet recipe that's ready in 15 minutes to use in tacos, burritos, salad bowls, lettuce wraps and more!
Video
Equipment
- vegetable chopper to save time
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion, (or sweet Vidalia onion, white onion may be substituted)
- 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms, (omit if you don't like mushrooms)
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced small
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef, (use 90 to 95% lean for best results, I used 93% lean)
- one 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, for less heat, use a can of regular petite diced tomatoes
- one .25-ounce packet medium taco seasoning, (or any kind you like including mild, hot, reduced sodium, etc.)
- ½ cup water, (I eyeball it and fill up the empty tomato can a little less than halfway with water; use less/more water based on how 'saucy' you do or don't want the meat)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- Red pepper flakes, optional and to taste for extra heat
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice, or as desired (from about 1 medium lime)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced cilantro, or as desired
Instructions
- To a large nonstick skillet, add the onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and saute over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes or until veggies are soft; stir frequently. Oil Tip – I love my Caraway nonstick skillet because I don't need any oil! But if you're using another type of nonstick or standard skillet, add a bit of olive oil, just enough to keep the veggies from sticking. The beef has fat/oil so try to use as little as you can get away with for now.
- Add the beef and brown it, crumbling it it as it cooks. I don't drain any fat/grease because with 90-95% lean, there's nothing to drain. Tip – If you're using 85% lean, and can see visible fat on the surface, you may wish to spoon it out the best you can and discard.
- Add the canned tomatoes (do not drain), evenly sprinkle the taco seasoning, cumin, salt, pepper, optional red pepper flakes, and fill up the empty can of canned tomatoes about 1/3 of the way with water and add it (or about 1/2 cup water). Stir to combine. Tips – If your mixture looks drier than you prefer, add a bit more water. The more water you add, the saucier the finished dish will be and on the day you make it and may seem almost like chili which is fine.
- Allow the mixture to simmer uncovered over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Stir frequently.
- Add the lime juice, cilantro, stir, taste, and make any flavor tweaks it may need. Flavor Tips – If it tastes at all flat or boring, it probably needs more salt. I like it a bit spicier so I add extra red pepper flakes. As is the case with homemade spaghetti sauce, I also add a pinch of granulated sugar if it tastes a bit too acidic (onions, bell peppers, canned tomatoes, and lime juice are all very acidic) and the sugar takes the edge off.
- Serve as desired or portion out into meal prep containers. See Notes below for serving options.
Notes
How To Use
Mexican inspired recipes: cheesy smothered burritos, beef enchiladas, in cheesy beef taquitos, and tacos.
For lighter options: use it in lettuce wraps, with in cottage cheese and beef bowls, stuffed in zucchini boats, loaded beef taco salad bowls, layer it in taco salad which is what I did here and one of my favorite ways for all the texture and melding of flavors.
Storage: Extra meat will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Reheat gently in the microwave as desired or serve chilled or at room temp in salads or wraps.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 189cal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 374mg, Potassium: 772mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1191IU, Vitamin C: 50mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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