Soft Shell Tacos {Homemade Beef Tacos}
Making Soft Shell Tacos from Scratch is easier than you think! And you can tailor the seasonings in these homemade beef tacos to your liking!
I don’t think I’ve used a packet of taco seasoning since I was a newlywed. This Easy Homemade Beef Taco Recipe is not much more complicated than adding the grocery store seasoning mix. Plus, it’s made of all-natural ingredients and perfectly balanced. Use to season burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, and more!!
Why You Must Make
- These soft shell tacos are only slightly more difficult than dumping that taco seasoning packet into some ground beef. And it still comes together in just minutes!
- Plus, there are no preservatives, just normal seasonings.
- You can customize it to your liking, adding more heat and your favorite tortillas and toppings.
How to Make
Decades ago, I worked as a nurse on the oncology ward of our university hospital. One of my co-workers, of Mexican descent, brought in some taco meat for one of our pitch-ins. She simply seasoned it with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and some salt.
It didn’t have that Day-Glo coloring, an overload of preservatives, or the weird thick sauce. This is basically a no-brainer recipe for ground beef tacos.
- Chop an onion and bell pepper, plus mince some garlic.
- Saute these in a bit of olive oil, then add the ground beef when the onion is soft.
- Cook, breaking apart the beef with a spatula until almost all the pink is gone from the meat.
- Drain any excess grease before continuing.
- Then add the 5 seasonings and continue cooking and stirring until well mixed.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
- Dish out the taco meat using the taco shells of your choice along with an array of your favorite toppings! I know you can all do this!! And you’ll feel better about controlling what actually goes into your family’s meal.
PRO-Tip: Quadruple the taco seasoning portion of this recipe, then you will have it on hand for your next few batches of ground beef tacos! I like to store it in a small canning jar with the rest of my spices.
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer 80/20 as the meat cooks up moister and is more flavorful. Just drain the fat after the beef is cooked and before you add the spices.
4 ounces or 1/4 pound of protein is the average serving. But ground beef will cook down, making it necessary to purchase more than 1 pound (16 ounces) for 4 servings, especially if you have hearty appetites!
Of course! My dad loved those hard taco shells and corn tortillas would be delicious, too. I buy whole wheat soft tortillas for me, while the rest of the family prefers regular flour tortillas.
Toasting or heating your taco shells first is totally optional. It’s especially helpful if you feel the tortillas are a little stale. Heating will help refresh them. There are two methods for heating a tortilla. The first is my preference. Heat a dry skillet to medium, add a tortilla, and heat for about 30 seconds per side. If you’re feeding a large crowd, this method is not very practical.
Another option is to preheat your oven to 375 degrees, fold your tortillas in half and place them on a sheet pan. Heat for about 5 minutes or until warm. Overheating can dry out your shells, so watch carefully.
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on May 5 to commemorate the Mexican win over the French in an 1862 battle. The phrase Cinco de Mayo literally translates to May 5 in Spanish. In the US, it began from a beer campaign in the late 1980s and has spiraled into a Mexican food and drink extravaganza. All the recipes linked below are perfect Cinco de Mayo recipes, but are also excellent for themed dinners or any gathering!
Menu Suggestions
- Stuffed Mini Peppers
- Best Guacamole Recipe
- Fiesta Corn Dip
- Fresh Peach Margaritas
- Beer Margaritas
- Blood Orange Margaritas
- Spicy Mexican Corn Salad
- Flan
- Margarita Cheesecake
You May Also Like:
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos from Well Plated
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Soft Shell Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Easy Shrimp Fajitas
- Shredded Chicken Tacos
- More Main Course Recipes
Soft Shell Tacos Recipe
Easy taco filling made with ground beef, onion, garlic, spices and more. So much better than a store bought packet!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 bell pepper, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons chili powder (or more to taste)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano (try Mexican oregano if you have it)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or seasoning salt (more or less to taste)
- Flour tortillas
- Toppings of your choice (diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, diced onions, avocados, sour cream, etc)
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a large skillet.
- Saute onion, garlic and pepper till soft. Add ground beef and break apart and cook till browned.
- Drain any excess grease and add seasonings. Cook, taste and adjust seasonings.
- Serve in flour or corn tortillas with toppings of your choice.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 903mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 33g
63 Comments on “Soft Shell Tacos {Homemade Beef Tacos}”
My son would eat these every night for dinner if I let him! Perfect quick meal for nights we have to get the the ball park.
That spice combo!!! Love it!
So perfect for next taco Tuesday! I can’t wait!
Lizzy,
Love these tacos. You make everything look so delicious.
Annamaria
I’m right there with you on the seasoning packets! I love making my own and controlling what goes into what I make. These look delicious! Awesome job.
I used to use those premade seasoning pouches all the time, before I knew better. Now, there is no excuse – you can make super tasty and healthy Mexican with just a few spices and fresh ingredients. Your tacos look delicious, Liz.
Liz,
I love these. . I also have not used a taco seasoning packet in a longgg time! This looks fabulous! yum!
So pretty and tasty too, Liz!
Those look so very good. I agree about the packaged store bought taco seasoning!! I either make my own too or now that I am selling Epicure I love to use theirs, so much healthier!!
Love this! Homemade spice blends beat store-bought, any day!
Don’t these tacos look inviting. 🙂 I could eat that plateful and enjoy it again the next day. My family loves tacos so this would be a winner in our house. 🙂
Love soft tacos! They were a stand by on our house. Have fun at the show home. Those are a TON of work!
I made gluten-free soft tacos last night with all the trimmings and it worked well. It’s always such a satisfying meal. I have some left over for my work lunch too.
My family never used packets either. It was always fresh herbs and spices, so naturally as I got my own house I never used a packet to make tacos.
These look amazing! 🙂
I have to admit, I’ve never made my own seasoning, I know it’s so simple and so much better for you, I think you’ve just officially convinced me to give it a shot!!!
I’ve never been known to turn down a taco, and I definitely wouldn’t be able resist these delicious tacos. Yum!
I know what you’re saying! I used to use the packets for tacos, as well as premade dry rubs for pork, etc. Once I started making my own, I couldn’t figure out why I’d ever done it any other way! YUM!
That is so much better than bought seasoning mix and I love how simple it is. We need as few preservatives in our systems as possible. I love how perfectly rolled your roll-ups are – mine are usually a little more harried looking xx
Looks delicious as usual, Liz. I think I am the only food blogger around who forgot to make anything for Cinco lol. But now I want tacos 😀
I would love some tacos for the lunch!! These look so mouthwatering.