Equipment
Ingredients
Taco Seasoning
- 8 g chili powder
- 4 g ground cumin
- 3 g garlic powder
- 2 g dried oregano
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper
Beef Filling
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 450 g ground beef, 80 percent lean
- 120 ml beef broth, low sodium
Assembly
- 8 flour tortillas, 8-inch diameter
- 100 g cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 150 g tomato salsa, mild or medium
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 770 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 339 mg
- Calcium
- 172 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 22 mg
- Phosphorus
- 255 mg
- Zinc
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 53 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.22 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 2.3 mg
- Folate
- 43 mcg
- Water
- 61 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet. Sauté until translucent and softened, stirring occasionally.
Add the ground beef to the skillet. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and cook until fully browned and it reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully tilt the pan and spoon out excess rendered fat, leaving about one tablespoon in the pan to bloom the spices.
Return the skillet to medium heat. Sprinkle the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper evenly over the beef. Stir well to coat the meat and cook briefly until highly fragrant.
Pour the beef broth into the skillet. Bring the liquid to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered until the liquid reduces to a thick glaze that clings to the meat.
While the beef simmers, warm the flour tortillas one by one in a dry skillet over medium heat until they become pliable and slightly puffed.
Divide the hot seasoned beef evenly among the warm flour tortillas. Top each taco with a layer of freshly shredded cheddar cheese and a spoonful of tomato salsa.
Serve the tacos immediately while the beef is hot enough to melt the cheese.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the spice blend briefly in the residual beef fat before adding the liquid blooms the fat-soluble flavor compounds, creating a much deeper and robust flavor profile than adding spices at the end.
- Using 80 percent lean ground beef provides the optimal ratio of flavor to moisture. Draining the excess fat is crucial to prevent the final product from becoming overly greasy.
- Warming the flour tortillas is essential not just for serving temperature, but to slightly gelatinize the starches, making them much more pliable and resistant to tearing when folded.
- Always wash hands, utensils, and surfaces immediately after handling raw ground beef to prevent harmful cross-contamination in the kitchen.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store beef filling, tortillas, and toppings in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze beef filling only. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat beef filling in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until steaming. Warm tortillas separately.
Troubleshooting
Taco filling is watery and making tortillas soggy
Cause: Beef broth was not reduced sufficiently during the simmer phase
Fix: Return the meat mixture to medium heat and simmer uncovered for an additional 3-5 minutes before serving
Prevention: Allow the meat mixture to simmer until the liquid is almost entirely evaporated
Flour tortillas are tearing when folded
Cause: Tortillas were served cold or stale
Fix: Wrap the filled, torn tacos in aluminum foil to eat, or serve as a taco salad over crushed chips
Prevention: Ensure tortillas are thoroughly warmed and steamed slightly before assembly
Cultural Context
This style of taco is a hallmark of Tex-Mex cuisine, adapting traditional Mexican flavor profiles into a format popularized in the American Southwest during the mid-20th century. The use of soft wheat tortillas and mild, cumin-heavy spice blends reflects the agricultural landscape of the border region. Today, this dish represents a quintessential comfort food that often serves as an accessible introduction to Latin American culinary traditions.
