Description
These Ground Beef Tacos are a delicious and easy-to-make Mexican-inspired dish featuring seasoned, juicy ground beef served in crispy fried tortillas and topped with fresh lettuce, pico de gallo, Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. Perfect for a family dinner or casual gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2/3 cup water
Tortillas & Frying
- 8 taco-size flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
- Vegetable oil (for frying, about 1 inch in skillet)
Toppings
- Shredded lettuce
- Pico de gallo
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Cook Ground Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned and fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess grease if necessary.
- Add Seasonings: Lower the heat to medium-low and sprinkle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cornstarch evenly over the cooked beef.
- Mix Seasonings: Stir thoroughly until the seasonings and cornstarch evenly coat the ground beef.
- Simmer Mixture: Pour in the water and stir. Let the mixture simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Fry Tortillas: Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (175°C). Take a flour or corn tortilla and carefully fold it into a taco shape using tongs. Submerge it in the hot oil, holding this shape, and fry until crispy and golden, about 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels and repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Assemble Tacos: Fill each fried tortilla shell with the seasoned ground beef. Top with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, and sour cream.
- Serve: Serve the tacos immediately while warm and crispy.
Notes
- You can substitute flour tortillas with corn tortillas if preferred or for a gluten-free option.
- Ensure oil is hot enough before frying tortillas to get that perfect crispiness quickly without absorbing too much oil.
- The cornstarch helps thicken the beef mixture, but you can omit it if you prefer a looser filling.
- Customize toppings with jalapeños, cilantro, or salsa for extra flavor.
- To reduce fat, drain the cooked beef well before adding seasonings.
