Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, petite diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 lb. 85/15 ground beef
- 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- OR
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup water
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Add ground beef, and cook, crumbling with a spatula until browned and cooked through.
- Add taco seasoning, tomato paste, and water. Stir until well combined.
- Turn heat to low and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occaisonally.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- Customize the seasoning to suit your family’s taste! If you prefer your taco meat a little spicier, add in a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes. If you like a more earthy flavor, add a few extra pinches of cumin. If you like it smoky, try adding ancho chili powder or smoked paprika.
- I don’t drain the grease from my ground beef. Remember that fat equals flavor and fat doesn’t make you fat! I like to use an 85/15 ground beef and it comes out delicious and not greasy at all! If you’re using meat with a higher fat content, you may need to drain the grease off at some point just to make sure the meat is actually browning and not just boiling.
- Add more water as needed. Depending on the fat content of your ground beef and what kind of pan you’re using, you may need to add a bit more water to keep the meat from drying out, burning, or sticking to the pan.
- Although the meat may look like it’s done after you’ve stirred in the taco seasoning, tomato paste, and water it’s important to simmer the meat for 3-5 more minutes so that the tomato paste has time to cook through. Tomato paste has a bit of a raw flavor before it’s cooked and it will develop a very deep flavor as it cooks. So don’t hurry the meat and give it plenty of time to simmer with the tomato paste and spices.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mexican/American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 99
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 211.2 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.3 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 13.1 g
- Cholesterol: 33.9 mg
