Old-School Beef Tacos: The Ground Beef Classic!
Nothing beats juicy taco meat tucked into crispy shells. Skip the store packets – my simple homemade seasoning tastes just as good (maybe better!).
Proudly Un-Authentic (And Totally Delicious)
Let’s be real. You’ll never find ground beef tacos in Mexico. Authentic tacos use steak slices or slow-cooked shredded beef.
But guess what? The humble beef mince taco is still loved in millions of homes worldwide. Not authentic. Still amazing.
Why Bake Your Tacos?
Think about it. Cold cheese on bread or melty grilled cheese oozing everywhere?
Exactly.
Baking your assembled tacos melts the cheese and crisps the shells at the same time. Game changer. (Oops, I mean… really good technique!)
DIY Taco Seasoning
Making your own seasoning is ridiculously simple. Just regular spices from your cabinet:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Optional cayenne for heat
No weird preservatives or unpronounceable ingredients. Use this mix for everything from quesadillas to burritos.
About The Meat
The basic recipe uses beef and onion – enough to fill 10 tacos generously or 12 regular ones.
Pro tip: Stretch it further by adding veggies. I often throw in bell peppers, corn, or black beans. My kids don’t even notice the extra nutrition!
Classic Toppings
I recently made these for my family reunion and went totally old-school with the toppings. We’re talking:
- Shredded cheese
- Crisp iceberg lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped onion
- Sour cream
- Taco sauce
No fancy stuff. Just good ol’ Tex-Mex comfort food.
Don’t feel like baking assembled tacos? No problem! Serve them the traditional way with empty shells and let everyone build their own.
Ingredients
For The Beef:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup water
Homemade Seasoning:
- 1 tsp EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano
- 2 tsp EACH: cumin powder, paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (skip if you can’t handle heat)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
To Serve:
- 10-12 crispy taco shells
- Shredded cheese
- Shredded lettuce
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- Half an onion, chopped
- Sour cream
- Taco sauce if you want it
How To Make Them
- Heat your oven to 350°F.
- For the filling, heat oil in a skillet. Cook garlic and onion for 2 minutes until golden.
- Toss in the beef. Break it up while it browns – this takes about 2 minutes.
- Add your seasoning mix and cook another 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste and water. Cook until the liquid disappears but the meat stays juicy – about a minute.
- Want those melty tacos? Place shells in a baking dish, fill with meat, and top with cheese. Bake 5-7 minutes until the cheese melts and shells crisp up.
- Set up a taco bar with all your toppings and let everyone build their perfect taco!
Tips From My Kitchen
Taco shells straight from the package are weirdly chewy. Always warm them up!
I tried this with ground turkey last week when my brother-in-law was over (he doesn’t eat beef). Worked just as well!
The best cheese? I’m partial to cheddar, but Monterey Jack melts like a dream – like cheese on a pizza commercial.