Beef Taco Filling is the centerpiece of most Taco Tuesday nights. Where would we be without it? Even though there are a thousand different ways to fill your tacos, this recipe seems to be the classic version that most of us have known since childhood.
A few other must haves for Taco Tuesday night are Avocado Crema and Puffy Taco Shells. Of course guacamole and Salsa Verde are great side dishes too!
2 taco filling recipes in this blog post
Because there are so many different versions of Beef Taco Filling, I thought I would share two recipes with you. Of course, my preferred recipe uses a Fresh Seasoning method, which uses dried chiles pureed with ripened tomatoes and garlic. As long as you have an electric blender, you can easily make this fresh seasoning mix.
The other method is a Dry Seasoning method, which is loads more convenient if you have to come up with a quick meal. Yes, there are tons of dry taco filling mixes at the supermarket, and my Dry Seasoning mix method imitates those popular kitchen ingredients. But you know me, always experimenting and “improving” on what I find at the supermarket. I like my mix a little better because I can control the levels of slat and freshness of the spices I add.
Please note that my Dry Seasoning method makes a double batch of seasoning mix, so you just add half of this recipe to 2lbs (1kg) of ground meat. Hopefully this isn’t too confusing. I always make mixes or recipe components in advance, so I have them on hand for later. I love cooking but I also love relaxing! Whenever I can save some time in the future, I go for it!
Fresh is delicious but dry is convenient
You can make this Dry Seasoning mix and take it camping with you or give a small jar of it as a gift for a new homeowner or someone learning how to cook. I love fresh ingredients over dry any day, but you can’t take a blender on the camping trail with you! (Or maybe you can, but let’s go back to how much I love relaxing!)
PrintHow to make classic Beef Taco Filling
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped*
2 lbs. lean ground beef
Fresh Taco Seasoning:
1 dried chile ancho
1 dried chile guajillo
1-2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. ground cumin
¼ cup cilantro
2 lbs fresh tomatoes
1 cup water
Salt to taste
or
Dry Taco Seasoning (double batch):
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tbsp. dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
28oz can crushed tomatoes
Instructions
Add olive or vegetable oil to a large straight sided sauté pan with lid or Dutch oven. Heat and then add chopped onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes*. Add the ground beef and brown until the beef is well cooked, about 5 minutes.
Fresh Taco Seasoning method:
Place the dried chile guajillo and dried chile ancho in a 2-quart saucepan and fill halfway full with water. Heat on the stove and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove the stem and seeds.
Add the cooked chiles to the container of a blender, along with garlic, cumin, cilantro, tomatoes and water. Puree until smooth. Pour the pureed sauce into the pan with the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until the liquid reduces slightly. Cover and keep on a very low simmer until ready to serve.
Dry Taco Seasoning Method:
Add olive or vegetable oil to a large straight sided sauté pan with lid or Dutch oven. Heat and then add chopped onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes*. Add the ground beef and brown until the beef is well cooked, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, onion flakes, ground cumin, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine well.
Once the ground meat is browned, add half of the dry taco seasoning to the ground beef. Reserve the remaining dry seasoning mix for another batch of taco filling at a later date.
Stir the seasoning into the ground beef and then add the can of crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine well. Allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until the liquid reduces slightly. Cover and keep on a very low simmer until ready to serve.
Serve with your favorite taco shells and toppings.
Notes
*Dried onion flakes are added to the Dry Taco Seasoning mix, so you don’t have to add freshly chopped onion to the Beef Taco Filling if you are using the Dry Taco Seasoning method. However, I love onions and would probably use them in both methods. It’s your choice!
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