Ground Beef Tacos with Kinder’s Original Taco Seasoning
Ground Beef Tacos with Kinder’s Original Taco Seasoning
Ground beef tacos. Not the complicated kind, the kind that actually happens on a Tuesday.
The Tuesday baseline the rest of our taco recipes build off.
Kinder’s Original Taco Seasoning Mix is a pre-blended packet of chili, cumin, garlic, and savory spices that seasons a full pound of 80/20 ground beef in one step. No measuring. No layering separate spices and hoping the ratios are right. Dump, stir, done.
The beef goes from raw to table in about 15 minutes. Brown it, drain it, add the seasoning and two tablespoons of water, let it coat. That’s the whole thing. The water matters, it activates the spice blend and pulls it into every piece of meat evenly. Skip it and you get dry patches and uneven seasoning.
Use 80/20 beef. The fat carries the seasoning flavor in a way lean beef can’t. You drain most of it off after browning anyway, so there’s no reason to fight yourself here.
Warm your tortillas. Cold tortillas crack. Thirty seconds per side in a dry skillet turns a stiff, pale tortilla into something that holds together and actually tastes like something. That one step separates tacos that fall apart from tacos that don’t.
Set up your toppings before the beef hits the pan. Shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, pico, hot sauce, whatever you’re working with. The beef comes together fast and you want to be ready when it does.
Flour or corn, crispy or soft, this seasoning works with all of it. Load them up and call it Tuesday.
Flavor First.
Beef Tacos
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, for 7-8 minutes until fully browned and no pink remains.
- Carefully drain excess fat from the skillet, leaving just a light coating in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 Tbsp water and the full packet of Kinder’s Original Taco Seasoning Mix to the beef. Stir to combine.
- Cook for 1-2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the water is absorbed and the meat is evenly coated in seasoning.
- Warm your tortillas or shells while the beef finishes — a quick 30 seconds per side in a dry skillet for flour tortillas, or 2-3 minutes in a 350 degrees F oven for hard shells.
- Spoon seasoned beef into tortillas and top with whatever you love. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
- 80/20 is the right call — The fat carries the seasoning flavor better than leaner beef. You drain most of it off after browning anyway. Don’t fight it.
- Don’t skip the water — Two tablespoons activates the seasoning and coats every piece of beef evenly. Too little and you get dry patches. Two tablespoons is the number.
- Warm the tortillas — Cold, stiff tortillas crack and fall apart. Thirty seconds per side in a dry skillet is all it takes. This step is not optional.
- Set up the taco bar first — Get all your toppings into bowls before the beef hits the pan. The cook is fast and you want to be ready when it’s done.
- Double the batch — Leftover seasoned beef is excellent over nachos, stuffed into peppers, or tossed on a quick taco salad the next day.
- Build the taco bar before you start cooking. Set out shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, fresh pico de gallo, and guacamole in small bowls. The beef is done in 15 minutes and you want everything ready when it is.
- For a fuller spread, serve alongside Mexican rice and refried beans. It rounds out the plate without much extra effort.
- Leftover seasoned beef is a weeknight asset. Spread tortilla chips on a sheet pan, pile on the beef and shredded cheese, and broil for 3–4 minutes until melted. Instant nachos. Or fold it into a quick taco salad — shredded lettuce, diced tomato, crushed chips, a hit of salsa.
- Cooked, seasoned beef keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store tortillas and toppings separately — they don’t hold up the same way.
- To reheat, add a splash of water to a skillet over medium heat and stir occasionally until warmed through. The water keeps it from drying out. Microwave works too — 60 to 90 seconds, covered.
- Freeze cooked beef flat in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Do not refreeze.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of ground beef is best for tacos?
80/20. The fat carries the seasoning and keeps the meat from drying out during cooking. You drain most of it off after browning, so it’s doing its job before it leaves the pan.
Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?
Yes. Warm them the same way, 30 seconds per side in a dry skillet. Corn tortillas are thinner and more prone to tearing when cold, so warming is even more important here.
How do I keep taco meat from drying out when reheating?
Add a splash of water before you heat it. In a skillet over medium, the water rehydrates the seasoning and keeps the beef from getting tight. Same move works in the microwave, cover it while it heats.
Can I make the beef ahead of time?
Yes. Cook and season the beef, let it cool, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of water in a skillet. The flavor holds well, it’s a solid batch cook option.
What can I substitute for Kinder’s taco seasoning?
Combine 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp dried oregano, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Use with 2 Tbsp water and the same technique.
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?
You can. Use 93/7 turkey and skip the draining step, there isn’t much fat to drain. The seasoning works the same way. The texture is lighter and the flavor is milder, but it holds together well.
More like this: Kinder’s Recipes
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