The Best Taco Meat You’ve Ever Tasted!

Ground beef seasoned generously with Mexican spices is tossed with black beans and corn to create what we consider the best taco meat recipe – it is perfect for tacos, salads, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos.

This taco meat is also my saving grace every year as we get back into the routine of school and other activities. This is likely to be our lunch and/or our dinner at least once a week.

There are so many ways to serve it that my family never gets bored of having the same dish over and over again. It’s an easy recipe that you can enjoy in tons of different ways making.

Best Taco Meat

This recipe is so simple that I almost didn’t post it. Then I realized that simple recipes are what most of us need as we try to balance all of our responsibilities while feeding our families. What better to share than the easy recipes I make from day to day?

Taco Meat isn’t just a simple meal starter; it’s also delicious! I’ve had several friends ask for the taco meat recipe after sharing a taco salad with them. So, I’m sharing it here today for easy reference.

Taco Meat Recipe

I’ve been making tacos, salads, and burritos with this combination of ingredients for so long, it’s my go-to dinner when I’m short on time.

Once you learn how to make taco meat, you’ll find yourself relying on it too.

My recipe for the BEST taco meat starts with crumbled ground beef or turkey. Beef is the traditional meat of choice for tacos but ground turkey is just as delicious. I often alternate between the two.

You can use whichever ground meat is available and convenient or try it both ways to find out which one you prefer in this recipe.

After starting to brown the meat in a skillet, sprinkle in your favorite taco seasoning or Mexican spice blend. I use my Homemade Taco Seasoning which includes chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and a dash of cayenne pepper.

To make this recipe even easier, you can mix together a big batch of taco seasoning in advance. Keep it in a mason jar in your spice cabinet so you’re ready to make tasty tacos at a moment’s notice. 

Once the meat is nice and browned, add a can of black beans and a can of corn and cook everything together until it’s all warmed up. Then you’re ready to scoop the meat into tacos, layer it on taco salad, stuff it into burritos or roll it in enchiladas.

There’s no limit to the number of delicious ways to enjoy this taco meat!

Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a couple of days and this meat freezes beautifully too.

I keep this taco meat in the freezer pretty much all the time, portioned into 1/2 cup servings. I can have lunch or dinner on the table with only a few minutes time to warm the taco meat from the freezer.

Taco Meat Recipes

The kids often use the pre-cooked taco meat to make Nachos for lunch.

This recipe is a basic foundation that’s delicious just as written or with whatever variations, add-ins or modifications you like. Feel free to play around with adding different veggies or spices.

I sometimes toss chopped onions in with the ground beef while it’s browning. Chopped roasted green chiles are another great add-in, especially if you like spice. Simply add them along with the beans and corn.

A handful of spinach tossed into the meat at the end of cooking is a fantastic way to get some more greens into your meal. This Beef, Black Bean, and Spinach Taco Meat is kid-approved as well!

How To Use Taco Meat

This Taco Meat Recipe is really the only one you need to cook some of the best tacos you’ve ever had. It tastes great in flour tortillas, corn tortillas, and crispy taco shells.

You can top this meat with whatever taco toppings and fillings your family enjoys. You can’t go wrong with a little shredded cheese, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and salsa. Pico de Gallo, a simple homemade Mexican salsa, is another must-try topping for this taco meat.

Sour cream, Spicy Guacamole and some finely chopped cilantro are also delicious toppings.

Have you ever had tacos the way they’re served in many parts of Mexico? Spiced meat is placed on an open face corn tortilla and served with an array of garnishes on the side, including chopped raw onion, fresh lime wedges, cilantro, and plenty of varieties of salsa so that you can customize each taco to your liking.

One of my favorite taco meat meals is a big bowl of Taco Salad. (This Bacon and Egg Taco Salad is pretty amazing, but for a lightning-fast dinner, nothing beats swapping the eggs and bacon for a pan of this easy taco meat!)

It’s so satisfying to dig into a gigantic salad of spiced meat, veggies, cheese, and tortilla chips and a super fast and easy meal, especially if the meat is already made.

This Carnitas Salad is another awesome salad where you can simply swap in this spicy ground beef mixture for a FAST dinner that everyone will love.

This meat would be excellent scooped on top of this Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese that my friend Amanda makes. And so much tastier than your average chili mac!

A Taco Bowl is another fun idea for a quick dinner. It’s just like what it sounds: all the fillings of a taco served in a big bowl instead of inside shells or tortillas.

This taco meat is incredible in a bowl on top of Spanish Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice. I recommend skipping the fork altogether and scooping up the contents with tortilla chips!

Kitchen Tip: I use this skillet and this spatula to cook this recipe.

Taco Meat Recipe

1. In a large, deep-sided skillet, cook and crumble the ground beef, sprinkling with the spices as it begins to brown.
2. Drain any excess grease and add the beans and corn. Stir to combine.
3. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, just to warm everything.
4. Taste and adjust spices as needed.
5. Serve immediately or let cool and portion into freezer-safe containers.

Meal planning tip: Serve tacos for dinner one night and plan to use the leftovers in taco salads or taco bowls for lunch the next day. 

Do you love tacos as much as my family? Be sure to also give Red Chile Chicken and Black Bean Tacos or Pulled Pork Tacos a try for something a little different.

These Carnitas Street Tacos are another one that gets a lot of play in this house and if you haven’t yet tried them, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll enjoy them.

Looking for more fast dinner ideas? Check out these Sweet Chipotle Chicken Bites, this recipe for Sloppy Joe Baked Sweet Potatoes, and this recipe for {20-Minute} Kielbasa Cabbage Skillet.

{originally published 7/5/19 – recipe notes and photos updated 4/4/22}