Crispy Ground Beef Tacos with Homemade Seasoning
Ground beef browned in a from-scratch spice blend, piled into corn tortillas fried crisp in the same skillet — taco night without a seasoning packet.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Written
Method
-
Cook the onion in a dry skillet over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes.
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Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain off excess fat.
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Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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Add the water and simmer until it’s mostly absorbed and clings to the meat, about 3 minutes. Set aside off heat.
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Heat the oil in a second skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Fry the tortillas one at a time, folding each in half with tongs as it softens, until crisp and golden on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
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Drain the fried shells on paper towels, then fill with the beef and toppings while still warm.
Notes
The packet mix is mostly cornstarch and salt — this blend costs the same five minutes and actually tastes like something, and you can push the cayenne up or leave it out entirely depending on who’s eating. Frying the tortillas yourself is the other half of the trade: a fresh corn tortilla crisps up lighter and less greasy than anything that comes pre-shelled, and it only takes the one pan you already dirtied browning the meat.
If you’d rather skip the frying step, warm the tortillas soft in a dry skillet instead and fold them by hand — it’s a different taco, not a lesser one. Leftover beef keeps well and reheats fine for taco salad the next day.