Spicy Beef Tacos Cheese (Printable)
Bold beef blended with melty cheese and fresh vegetables in tender corn or flour shells.
# What You Need:
→ Meat
01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 preferred)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
→ Spices
05 - 2 tsp chili powder
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - ½ tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp ground coriander
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper
12 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
→ Other
13 - 8 small corn or flour tortillas
14 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
15 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
16 - ⅓ cup water
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Toppings (optional)
18 - Shredded lettuce
19 - Diced tomatoes
20 - Sliced red onion
21 - Fresh cilantro leaves
22 - Sour cream
23 - Lime wedges
# Steps:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and jalapeño; cook 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Mix in chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook 1 minute to toast spices.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and water. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
06 - Heat tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave until soft and pliable.
07 - Fill each tortilla with the spicy beef mixture. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and desired toppings.
08 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The whole thing is done in under thirty minutes, which means weeknight wins without the takeout guilt.
- Seasoning the beef yourself tastes wildly better than any packet, and you control exactly how spicy things get.
- Everyone builds their own taco, so there's no fighting over toppings and somehow it feels fancier than it is.
02 -
- Don't skip draining the beef fat—it's the difference between bright, seasoned tacos and greasy ones that sit heavy in your stomach.
- The spices need that one minute of toasting to stop tasting dusty; it's a small step that changes everything about the final flavor.
03 -
- Brown the beef in batches if your skillet is crowded—overcrowding drops the temperature and you'll steam instead of sear.
- Taste the filling before you assemble anything; seasoning at the end takes thirty seconds and prevents the whole batch from being under or over-salted.