Our Favorite Ground Beef Tacos
Adapted from How Sweet Eats
Ingredients
- 1 lb 450 g ground beef (85–93% lean)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
Quick pico
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 1/4 cup 60 ml cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- pinch salt and pepper
For serving
- to taste corn or flour tortillas, warmed
- to taste hard shells or tortilla chips (optional)
- to taste sharp white cheddar, freshly grated
- to taste avocado, diced
- to taste fresh cilantro
- to taste quick pickled onions
Method
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. With ground beef, oil usually isn't needed since it's fattier — add 1 tsp olive oil if needed. Once hot, add the beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon.
- Cook, stirring and breaking apart the beef often, until it begins to brown. Add the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and stir well to disperse. Cook until just browned.
- Quick pico: toss the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime juice together in a bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Serve the beef in warmed tortillas, on nachos, or over salads, topped with pico, fresh cilantro, cheese, avocado, and pickled onions.
Notes
- For a saucier beef: whisk 1/2 cup cold water or beef/vegetable stock with 1 1/2 tbsp flour (or masa) in a shaker cup. With the skillet on low, slowly stream in the slurry while stirring, then cook about 10 minutes.
- Optional peppers-and-onions add-in: before browning the beef, sauté 1 diced onion, 1 diced bell pepper, and a few minced garlic cloves with a pinch of salt in 1–2 tsp olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes.