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Weeknight Tacos · Ground Beef

Ground Beef Tacos with Homemade Seasoning

4

Hands-free cooking

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Reading aloud

Before you start

Gather your ingredients

  • Swaps for chili powder

    Instead of chili powder

    • Homemade blend: For 1 tbsp: 1½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried oregano, a pinch of cayenne. Close; adjust the cayenne for heat.
    • Ancho chile powder: The same amount, plus a pinch of cumin. Smokier and fruitier, mild heat.

    More for chili powder

  • Swaps for ground cumin

    Instead of cumin

    • Ground coriander: The same amount. Brighter and citrusy, less earthy.
    • Chili powder: Twice as much. Contains cumin, plus chile heat and garlic.
    • Caraway seeds, ground: Half as much. A related flavor, a bit sharper.

    More for cumin

  • Swaps for smoked paprika

    Instead of paprika

    • Sweet paprika + a pinch of chipotle or cumin: The same amount of paprika, plus a pinch. Some smokiness without the full smoked flavor; chipotle adds heat.
    • Chipotle powder: About ¼ the amount. Smoky and much hotter.

    More for paprika

  • Swaps for dried oregano

    Instead of oregano

    • Fresh oregano: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more peppery; use a little less than you think.
    • Dried marjoram, Italian seasoning or dried basil: The same amount. Marjoram is milder, basil sweeter; Italian seasoning already has oregano in it.

    More for oregano

  • Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Swaps for vegetable oil

    Instead of vegetable oil

    • Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
    • Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
    • Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.

    All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

  • Swaps for onion

    Instead of onion

    • Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
    • Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
    • Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.

    All 4 swaps for onion

  • Swaps for ground beef

    Instead of ground beef

    • Ground turkey or chicken: The same weight. Leaner and milder; burgers and meatballs are a bit drier.
    • Ground pork: The same weight. Richer and slightly sweet.
    • Plant-based ground: The same weight. Close in tacos and sauces; cooks faster.

    All 4 swaps for ground beef

    Cook ground beef and pork to 160°F (71°C) and ground turkey or chicken to 165°F (74°C).

  • Swaps for tomato paste

    Instead of tomato paste

    • Tomato sauce or passata: 3 tbsp for each 1 tbsp paste. Lighter, fresher tomato flavor.
    • Ketchup: The same amount. Sweeter and vinegary; fine for a tablespoon or two.

    More for tomato paste

  • Swaps for cheddar cheese

    Instead of cheddar

    • Colby or Colby Jack: The same amount. Milder and softer, and melts very smoothly.
    • Monterey Jack: The same amount. Mild and buttery, one of the best melting cheeses.
    • Gouda or Gruyère: The same amount. Nuttier and richer; melts beautifully.

    All 4 swaps for cheddar

Step 1 of 6

Stir the taco seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl.

Step 2 of 6

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft.

Step 3 of 6

Add the beef, turn the heat to medium-high and break it into small crumbles with a spoon. Cook until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F (71°C). Spoon off extra fat if there's a lot.

160°F

Step 4 of 6

Stir in the seasoning and tomato paste for 30 seconds, then add the water.
Simmer (how to simmer) Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid
, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and coats the meat.

Step 5 of 6

Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for about 20 seconds per side, or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave 30 seconds.

Step 6 of 6

Fill the tortillas with beef and pile on the toppings.

All done

Enjoy!

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Ingredients

  • Swaps for chili powder

    Instead of chili powder

    • Homemade blend: For 1 tbsp: 1½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried oregano, a pinch of cayenne. Close; adjust the cayenne for heat.
    • Ancho chile powder: The same amount, plus a pinch of cumin. Smokier and fruitier, mild heat.

    More for chili powder

  • Swaps for ground cumin

    Instead of cumin

    • Ground coriander: The same amount. Brighter and citrusy, less earthy.
    • Chili powder: Twice as much. Contains cumin, plus chile heat and garlic.
    • Caraway seeds, ground: Half as much. A related flavor, a bit sharper.

    More for cumin

  • Swaps for smoked paprika

    Instead of paprika

    • Sweet paprika + a pinch of chipotle or cumin: The same amount of paprika, plus a pinch. Some smokiness without the full smoked flavor; chipotle adds heat.
    • Chipotle powder: About ¼ the amount. Smoky and much hotter.

    More for paprika

  • Swaps for dried oregano

    Instead of oregano

    • Fresh oregano: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more peppery; use a little less than you think.
    • Dried marjoram, Italian seasoning or dried basil: The same amount. Marjoram is milder, basil sweeter; Italian seasoning already has oregano in it.

    More for oregano

  • Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Swaps for vegetable oil

    Instead of vegetable oil

    • Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
    • Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
    • Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.

    All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

  • Swaps for onion

    Instead of onion

    • Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
    • Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
    • Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.

    All 4 swaps for onion

  • Swaps for ground beef

    Instead of ground beef

    • Ground turkey or chicken: The same weight. Leaner and milder; burgers and meatballs are a bit drier.
    • Ground pork: The same weight. Richer and slightly sweet.
    • Plant-based ground: The same weight. Close in tacos and sauces; cooks faster.

    All 4 swaps for ground beef

    Cook ground beef and pork to 160°F (71°C) and ground turkey or chicken to 165°F (74°C).

  • Swaps for tomato paste

    Instead of tomato paste

    • Tomato sauce or passata: 3 tbsp for each 1 tbsp paste. Lighter, fresher tomato flavor.
    • Ketchup: The same amount. Sweeter and vinegary; fine for a tablespoon or two.

    More for tomato paste

  • Swaps for cheddar cheese

    Instead of cheddar

    • Colby or Colby Jack: The same amount. Milder and softer, and melts very smoothly.
    • Monterey Jack: The same amount. Mild and buttery, one of the best melting cheeses.
    • Gouda or Gruyère: The same amount. Nuttier and richer; melts beautifully.

    All 4 swaps for cheddar