Beef Tacos – the old school beef mince way!!! With juicy seasoned ground beef taco meat and crispy shells, this taco recipe is made with a simple yet flavour packed homemade taco seasoning that truly tastes like store bought. PS I won’t judge if you use tortillas instead… 🙂
Totally un-authentic Beef Taco Recipe!
You will never find ground beef / mince tacos in Mexico. Authentic beef tacos are either sliced seared steaks (like Carne Asada), or marinated beef chopped into thin strips that are pan fried to get golden crispy edges (taqueria style), or slow-cooked and shredded into sauce like this Shredded Beef Mexican Beef and Beef Barbacoa.
So beef mince tacos, the single most popular type of taco meat made in million and millions of households the world over, is totally un-authentic.
And that’s absolutely ok. We love them anyway – and we will always love them!
Bake them!
This is how I make my old school beef tacos – BAKING them to melt the cheese and crisp the tacos shells at the same time. I don’t know if that’s “normal”, but I’ll take any opportunity to melt cheese when appropriate.
Let me put it this way – if I had a choice of a cold slice of cheese slapped on bread, or a grilled cheese sandwich with gooey cheese oozing out the sides, I know which one I’d choose. And you?? 😇
Homemade taco seasoning
Skip the packet seasoning! It truly is quite incredible how simple it is to make homemade taco seasoning. Garlic, onion, cumin, paprika, oregano plus optional cayenne pepper for a touch of heat.
Just pure, normal spices and herbs – no scary sounding ingredients you can’t pronounce like maltodextrin, silicon dioxide and ethoxyquin that you’ll find in packets of store bought!! (Yes really, just Google “Old El Paso taco seasoning ingredients”)
This taco seasoning mix is a terrific staple to add to your arsenal for all things Tex Mex, from Quesadillas to Burritos, Enchiladas to Taco Soup (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, it’s amazing!). While stores sell different seasonings for each of these, essentially they have the same flavour base which is the Taco Seasoning mix used in this recipe.
The taco meat
The taco meat recipe as written is my base recipe made with just beef and onion, and it will stuff 10 tacos generously or 12 normal size tacos.
TIP: Add vegetables for extra nutrition and make one batch go further. Capsicum/bell peppers, corn, black beans, zucchini, to name a few. If you add vegetables, scale up the homemade taco seasoning using the recipe scaler (click on servings and slide up).
Old school taco toppings
There’s a plethora of taco topping options, but today I’m sticking with the old school way: shredded cheese, taco sauce (optional), iceberg lettuce, tomato, onion and even sour cream.
That’s right folks. We’re going Tex-Mex all the way. No fancy salsas, no authentic chilli sauces, no Mexican pickles.
Pile on that shredded cheese and sour cream! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Just to be clear – baking the tacos with the filling and cheese is totally optional.
If you’re not a Melted-Cheese-Monster, by all means feel free to serve it the normal way – bake the empty taco shells then lay it all out for people to stuff themselves. – Nagi x
More taco topping options
Guacamole, Avocado Sauce or avocado slices/diced
Pico de Gallo (chunky tomato salsa) or a smooth Salsa Sauce
Taco Sauce or hot sauce / chilli sauce of choice
And more tacos
Quick Chicken Tacos – 2 in 1 recipe, shredded taco seasoned chicken AND taco sauce
Beef Tacos – the old school way
Fish Tacos – marinated and grilled, healthy and delicious!
Pork Carnitas Tacos – the iconic Mexican pulled pork tacos
Shredded Beef Tacos – tender slow cooked shredded beef in a deep flavoured Mexican sauce
Beef Barbacoa – another braised, shredded beef, but tangier and punching through with chipotle chill flavours
Watch how to make it
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make this Beef Taco recipe – the old school way!
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Old School Beef Taco recipe
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 crispy taco shells (“stand and stuff) OR soft tortillas of choice (Note 1)
Beef Tacos:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 500 g / 1 lb beef , ground / mince (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup / 65ml water
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
- 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano
- 2 tsp EACH cumin powder, paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust spiciness to taste, can skip)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Toppings:
- Shredded cheese (Note 3)
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- 2 tomatoes , chopped
- 1/2 red or white onion , chopped
- Sour cream
- Taco sauce (optional)
- Other: coriander/cilantro , jalapeño, hot sauce / chilli sauce, pickled chillies, salsa sauce, pico de gallo
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
Beef Filling:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion – cook 2 minutes until golden.
- Add beef and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from red to light brown.
- Add Taco Seasonings and cook for 2 minutes until beef is cooked through.
- Add tomato paste and water. Cook for 1 minute or until water is evaporated and you’re left with a juicy not not watery beef filling.
Bake (optional):
- Place taco shells in a baking pan (I can fit 10 in). Fill with taco meat, top with cheese.
- Bake 5 to 7 minutes until cheese is melted by which time the shells with be crispy.
Serve:
- Serve tacos hot, straight out of the oven. Lay out toppings and sauces of choice on the table and let everyone assemble their own!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
SO overdue for lawn mowing……
Made this again tonight they are sensational 👍
I think I’ve made at least 30 of your recipes now and they have all been amazing
Husband and I loved it! He was asking what was so different about these tacos, I told him I baked them with the filling inside. He was a very happy man! Had them with your taco sauce which complimented it nicely!
Thanks Nagi!
Such a great idea isn’t it?!
I made these tonight and they are so delicious. Your recipes never fail. Thanks for sharing Nagi x
You’re so so welcome! I’m happy you loved them!
Made these for dinner Wednesday evening. Huge hit! Love your taco seasoning mix. This will stay in dinner rotation at my house.
Does all the taco seasoning go in one recipe or is it divided? Seems like a lot 🙂
What a great idea to heat the taco shells with the meat sauce & cheese in them – you are a genius Nagi! The spice combination for the seasoning is perfect and so much nicer than the packet mixes. We enjoyed the Monterey Jack Cheese from good old Aldi – thank you again Nagi we love your recipes x
Ingenious Nagi!! Wonder why I never thought to melt everything together in the oven. Made it for dinner tonight with chicken and it was delish, many thanks!!!! Love hearing about Dozer and all his ongoings too!!!
Thanks Nagi..it would be a dream come true if they met!!
Hi Dozer says Luca ..👍🐕
Oh yummmm love tacos – and yep melty cheese wins every time. If I had to give up cheese or chocolate – I’d choose chocolate. Love the pic of Dozer…..sooo gorgeous. Just hiding ready to jump out and lick you to death. 🙂
YES ME TOO!!! Come on my Deserted Island Lisa, we’ll have fun 😂
We really would! Don’t know if the deserted island would survive you, me and Dozer! 😉 PS: I’ll bring cheese.
My grands love tacos! I use to til about 5 yrs ago coming up Feb 26…my parents anniversary. I cooked them for my oldest granddaughter Lexi at their place cuz I was watching her. I almost died trying to eat one! The spice was too hot for me so I started eating the burrito bread. I was choking and I couldn’t get it down or out! I quickly stood up near Lex tapping my back. She said she couldn’t, she didn’t know how. She turned around and saw my face was purple and gave me the Heimlich maneuver 3 times b4 I was ok! She just learned how in school…she was 11 then.
Exactly a month b4 that I gave all the kids a strawberry candy…never again! Lex got hers stuck in her throat! I was giving her all kinds of things to drink for an hr. She kept on talking to me and all of a sudden she stopped talking! Told her to put her hands up and head up well I was running to her! She couldn’t and I held her arms up with all my might! She had thrown up alittle each time I had given her liquid, so after that she was exhausted and wanted to lie down. She came running in the kitchen twice getting sick, than she was ok! Thank God! The twins…girls watched it all quietly sitting beside her and told us after the colors of her face! I never saw it purple cuz I was behind her holding up her arms! I had told the 2 boys to go play cuz I had to concentrate on their sister.
I was watching them that night and I wanted all the kids to sleep in their sleeping bags near me in the living room, while watching a movie. Lex slept on the couch and I was close by cking every hr to make sure she was breathing…getting in her face. She didn’t sleep soundly cuz I kept on waking her up.
That was 2 freak accidents that I’ll never forget or Lex! After that near death experience she shook and I did too with mine! Just reliving that gave me anxiety!
She will still suck on those strawberry filled candies but not near me! I had given them to her since she was young…her fav.
I haven’t eaten another taco since then! I will eat something else when they eat them.
They will be excited to see this recipe!
Sorry if this was to long N, but wanted to tell you my story. It did have 2 happy endings though! 😀 You can delete it if you want to.
Dozer is cute in every picture! 😂
Have a great weekend N x!
OMG J! I got so stressed out just reading all that. I am glad everyone was ok in the end, OMG! Terrifying!!
This is brilliant! Can’t believe I’ve never thought of this. Not only does it sound delicious and simplify things, but these tacos look amazing!!! The ultimate family dinner idea.
Can’t beat tacos!!!
“Because melted cheese wins over unmelted cheese every day!” Omg you nailed it on the head girly! So so true 💚
😂😂😂 Two Peas in a Pod
Dozer, Dozer, beautiful pic!! Thanks about cheese tip did not know. Am stuck in hospital since Wensday was gone be check up and unexpectedly had emergency blood clot at least was in right place when happened. Even Drs agree. Hope you have Happy and busy weekend.
Oh no Vera! Are you ok??? What are you doing sending messages from hospital;?? Shouldn’t you be resting??
Dozer you are the most adorable cheeky dog ever and we love you that’s Luca and Me👍💕
Thank you Nagi for yummy Beef Tacos..very easy and delicious xo
And Dozer says WOOF! back to Luca!!! Those two would get up to lots of no good if they ever meet!!
Can’t wait till I make these tacos, they look so good. I will be going to the store later today or tomorrow to get my goodies. And the pic of Dozer is so cute when he was small and the one in the grass is like he is hiding, he looks so cute in that picture. Just looked it.
Hope you love it Angelita! 🙂 N x
Tacos! I may have just enough seasonal field tomatoes left, too! Thanks!
Is Dozer content or hiding? He looks pleased, in any case!
This is my favorite video of a dog (Tasha) hiding: https://youtu.be/WTSxyu2acac
OMG that is the cutest thing ever!!!! Hilarious!!
I love your videos, I always watch them!
Thank you Ana, you’re very kind! N x
I just need these tacos in my life. I LOVE a simple un-authentic beef taco with all it’s cheesy goodness. I’m slight embarrassed (not really) to admit that I use taco bell taco sauce for tacos like this (say taco one more time). I’m addicted to it. I’ve got to try your taco seasoning, it sounds delish. I like to bake the shells too to get that extra crisp!
No embarrassment! Hey – I’ve confessed to doing the Drive Through of Shame on occasion….. the Golden Arches….😇
(“stand and stuff) OR soft tortillas of choice —-> OR BOTH!
Taco Bell used to sell a double-decker taco and the inside was just like yours, Nagi, but then they laid a stripe of warm refried beans on a soft tortilla, down the centre, and wrapped it around the hard shell. It’s great for catching all the pieces of hard shell that crumble or fly off into the lounge when you bite into it wrong. 🙂
OMG!!! I HAVE to try that!! Yummmmm……..
Thanks for the tip of getting cheese at Aldi… and that is the cutest doggie pic ever!
I was so excited when I found it!!! It’s my favourite melting cheese 🙂