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Six Tex-Mex Beef Tacos sitting up-right in two taco stands sitting on a cutting board surrounded by bowls of traditional toppings.

Authentic Tex-Mex Beef Tacos

Course: Entree
Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Mexican, TexMex
Keyword: how to make authentic Tex-Mex beef tacos, Tacos
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 333kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
These authentic beef Tex-Mex tacos are perfect for a taco dinner party! Make the beef filling ahead of time...do the tortillas 1 or 2 hours before your guests arrive...serve with your favorite Tex-Mex sides.
Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lb ground beef 85% lean works well
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano preferably Mexican
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ½ can Ro-tel (tomatoes with chilis)
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded, for garnish
  • 1 cup lettuce shredded, for garnish
  • 1 cup tomatoes diced and seeded, for garnish
  • Salsa for serving

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in skillet.
    1 tbsp olive oil
  • Cook the onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, and sauté for another 30 seconds.
    1 cup onion, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add the beef and cook, stirring often, until no longer pink. Tilt the skillet and use a large spoon to remove most of the rendered grease. Discard safely.
    1 lb ground beef
  • Add all seasonings and the flour. Stir until well blended and aromatic, about 1 minute.
    2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp cayenne, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • Add the Ro-tel and beef stock. Cook until thickened somewhat and most of the liquid has cooked down, about 10 minutes. The mixture should feel wet, but not runny, but also not dry.
    ½ can Ro-tel, 1 cup beef broth
  • Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil to 350°F degrees
    Vegetable oil
  • Fry corn tortillas in deep fryer, or in a skillet (if using a skillet...place the tortilla in the hot oil for about 10 seconds...then, using tongs and a fork, grab one end of the tortialla and gently fold in half....continue cooking for about 20 seconds...then flip, and cook for another 20 or 30 seconds, and until golden and nice and crisp).
    12 corn tortillas
  • Place cooked tortillas on paper towels. Preheat oven to 275°F.
  • Place meat mixture in tortilla shells and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve at once with all the fixings.
    1 cup cheddar cheese, 1 cup lettuce, 1 cup tomatoes, Salsa

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
Taco meat can be made several days in advance. Reheat with another 1/4 cup of beef broth. The shells can be made 1 to 3 hours before serving. 
In the unlikely event that there are leftover tacos, wrap them lightly in foil. They will lose some of their crunch, but will sill be delicious, even at room temperature.
The meat can be made and frozen for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 12 tacos | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 565mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 3mg