Our favorite taco meat recipe calls for ground beef, turkey, or chicken, along with basic spices you probably already have on hand. Easy and so much better than what you can make from the packets sold at the store.

My entire family loves this taco meat recipe, and we use it all the time for quick dinners like beef tacos, turkey tacos, taco salad, burritos, nachos, and more.

It’s absolutely a recipe you should keep in your back pocket, because when those busy days happen (which they do!), knowing that you can make a 15-minute dinner with basic spices from your spice cabinet and a pound of ground meat helps.

Key Ingredients

• Taco Seasoning: I know you can buy packets at the store, but trust me, our taco spice blend is so much better. Also, I bet you already have all the spices you need to make it in your spice cabinet. You’ll combine chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and salt together. It’s easy and makes the taco meat extra delicious. Another option is to use this taco seasoning recipe, which makes a larger batch has a few optional ingredients for flavor.
• Ground meat: Our photos show ground beef, but you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or really any ground meat you have on hand in our recipe below. We like a little fat, but not too much, or else the meat turns out greasy. Look for 7% to 10% fat.
• Veggies: These are optional, and I don’t always add them. That said, when I have them in the fridge, I love adding chopped onion and Anaheim pepper to my skillet. It adds a bit of extra texture, and I love how they both turn out sweet once cooked.
• Tomato Paste and Stock: These bring everything together. A little tomato paste deepens the rich flavor of the meat and spices, and the stock keeps it from drying out. I like vegetable broth, tomato broth, beef stock, or chicken stock. You only need 1/2 cup, so use whatever you have (water will work in a pinch, too).

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Taco Meat

Tip 1: Make our homemade spice mix. Skip the packets at the store, our simple taco meat seasoning calls for spices I bet you already have on hand. You’ll stir together chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. So simple!

Tip 2: Brown the ground meat. For the best results, get a little color and crispy texture on your ground meat. I like patting it down into the skillet and leaving it for a minute so it starts to pick up some color. Add your spice mix, and then use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart into crumbles. A heavier skillet (like a cast-iron pan) is perfect.

Tip 3: Add some extra veggies. I don’t always do this, but when I have them on hand, I love cooking some chopped onion and Anaheim peppers with the meat. They soften and take on a little sweetness, which is really nice with the spices.

Tip 4: Finish with tomato paste and stock. Here’s where we bring everything together and make sure our taco meat stays juicy, not dried out. Stir in a bit of tomato paste, then, when it’s distributed, pour in a bit of stock. Let it simmer, and then you are good to go!

Serving Suggestions

I’m betting you already have a few ideas for using your taco meat, but here are a few more suggestions. We love it tucked into homemade tortillas (try corn tortillas or flour tortillas), spooned on top of taco salad, and stuffed into burritos. The toppings and sides for this are endless. Here’s a list of our favorites:

Source link

Our favorite taco salad recipe is an easy weeknight meal with fresh lettuce, tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef, cheese, and a creamy cilantro lime dressing.

We love tacos of all kinds (see all of our taco recipes as proof), but we really love taco salad. It’s fast, fresh, and super easy! You’ve got perfectly seasoned ground beef made with our homemade taco mix, crisp fresh lettuce, and all the best taco toppings.

You have a lot of play with when it comes to making this taco salad recipe, but I’ll walk you our favorite way to make it! It’s healthy, but doesn’t feel that way, so it feels like a splurge. We love topping this salad with our cilantro lime dressing!

Key Ingredients

• Taco Meat: I’ve used lean ground beef (90/10) for my salad in the photos, but you can substitute ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken without any changes. Instead of using a store-bought seasoning, we make our own with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. When we cook the meat, we also add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, which helps make the meat extra tasty. You can also swap our seasoning below for our homemade taco seasoning, which is equally as delicious. (Here’s more about how to make taco meat if you are interested.)
• Lettuce: You want crisp, crunchy lettuce for this salad, so Iceberg or Romaine is perfect.
• All the Toppings: So this is where you get to have fun. Think of your favorite taco toppings, and then add them to this salad. I love pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole, and shredded cheese, but add your favorite toppings as you see fit!
• Taco Salad Dressing: My favorite dressing for this is our creamy cilantro lime dressing. Still, you can substitute your favorite store-bought dressing or go with another homemade dressing like this easy ranch dressing.
• Tortilla Chips: So these are optional and take away a little bit from the healthy angle, but I do love them! Make homemade tortilla chips or use some from your favorite store-bought bag, and add them to the top right before digging in. They add that corn tortilla flavor and lots of crunch. Some people prefer Fritos, but to be honest, I like to stick with regular chips. I’m such a fan!

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Taco Salad

Tip 1: Generously season the ground meat. I’m extra generous with the salt and seasonings for my taco meat. It may taste slightly too seasoned on its own, but when you scatter it all over the salad, it works! If you like spicy tacos, add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the spice blend.

Tip 2: Add lots of different textures. My favorite part about this salad is the variety of textures. We want to keep the prep to a minimum since this is very likely something you are making on a weeknight, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pack in lots of goodies. Avocado is creamy, tomato or pico de gallo is fresh, and the chips add some crunch. Think about other fridge staples like sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or pickled red onions. They will all work well in this salad!

Tip 3: Make the taco meat ahead of time. You can cook the ground beef with the spices, then keep it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This way, it’s ready for you when you are craving this taco salad. The dressing is great for making ahead, too!

Source link

My favorite taco soup recipe has ground beef, beans, and simple pantry staples. This easy, one-pot dinner is healthy, hearty, and tastes just like taco night.

You’re looking at about 30 minutes to make our easy taco soup on the stove. It really is one of my favorite cozy weeknight dinners! I’ve even included instructions for how to make it in a slow cooker below. My family loves tacos (see all of our taco recipes as proof), and this soup packs everything we love about taco night into one hearty, flavorful dish.

Every time we make this taco soup, we’re blown away by how much flavor it has. I know your family will love it just as much as mine does. If you love this taco-inspired soup, check out our chicken tortilla soup and taco salad recipe next, they’re reader favorites!

Key Ingredients

• Ground Meat: For this soup, you can use lean ground beef, pork, chicken, or turkey. I especially love using ground pork since it reminds me of our favorite pork tacos.
• Taco Seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought blend or try our homemade taco seasoning (it has way more flavor than the packets from the store). Making your own seasoning means you can control the salt, spice, and smokiness.
• Veggies: I love adding onion, garlic, a can of diced green chiles (Hatch brand is my favorite), and a large can of tomatoes. When I have it in the freezer, I toss in frozen corn for extra sweetness and color.
• Beans: Canned beans bulk up the soup beautifully. I like black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, or a mix of all three! You can use low-sodium beans and rinse them before adding.
• Broth: Use a flavorful chicken stock or homemade chicken broth if you have it.
• Fresh Dill: It might sound unusual for a taco-inspired recipe, but fresh dill adds incredible flavor. Some recipes call for a packet of ranch seasoning, but fresh dill works just fine and adds that ranch flavor.
• Toppings: Top this simple taco soup with your favorite taco or chili toppings. My family loves avocado or guacamole, sliced jalapeños (or candied jalapeños), and crumbled cotija cheese. I also love adding a bit of crunch with tortilla chips or serving warm corn tortillas on the side.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Taco Soup

Tip 1: Brown the meat first. Start by heating a little olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add your ground meat and cook until nicely browned. Browning adds a lot of flavor and improves the texture. If, after it browns, you notice a lot of fat rendered at the bottom of your pot, you can use a spoon to remove it. Just leave a tablespoon or so for cooking the onions and garlic.

Tip 2: Add the remaining soup ingredients. When the meat is browned, quickly sauté your onions, then add the garlic and taco seasoning. After a minute or two, the pot smells amazing, which means it’s time to add everything else: a large can of diced tomatoes, green chiles, beans, frozen corn, and your broth. Give it a good stir, and make sure that you take a moment to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (that’s where so much flavor hides).

Tip 3: Simmer for 20 minutes. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat and let it bubble gently for 15 to 20 minutes. This gives all the ingredients time to meld into a rich, flavorful soup. If the soup looks too thick, add a little more stock or water until it’s just how you like it.

Tip 4: Don’t forget the toppings. Ladle the soup into bowls and add your favorite taco toppings. Or, serve the toppings family-style on the table, and let everyone add what they love. We usually set a bowl of tortilla chips, guacamole, and pico de gallo on the table and dig in.

Our Favorite Variations

• Make it with chicken: For a lighter version, use ground chicken or shredded cooked chicken instead of beef or pork. If you already have rotisserie or leftover roasted chicken, add it near the end of cooking so it stays juicy. You could even start with shredded Instant Pot chicken or slow-cooker shredded chicken if you’ve made a batch ahead of time.
• Try it in a slow cooker: To make slow cooker taco soup, brown the ground meat and onions first, then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. It’s an easy, set-it-and-forget-it dinner that tastes even better the next day.
• Make it vegetarian: Skip the ground meat and double up on the beans and veggies. We make vegetarian taco soup quite often. We swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth and toss in extra vegetables. I love to add bell peppers, zucchini, chopped sweet potatoes, and shredded cabbage. I recommend quickly sautéing the veggies before adding the stock and tomatoes for even more flavor.

Source link

Taco bites are a fun keto appetizer that everyone loves. They’re easy to make, full of flavor, and infinitely poppable! Add your favorite taco toppings for a tasty high protein snack.

These Taco Bites are bite-sized keto egg muffins with all the flavor of your favorite Mexican dish. Loved by kids and adults alike, they are an easy idea for any party or get together. And they take only four simple ingredients!

I first made these easy keto appetizers for a New Year’s Eve party in 2018. It was a large group of all ages and I needed something easy that made enough for everyone. And something that appealed to all the picky kids (and some picky adults too!).

Given the popularity of my Easy Taco Pie, I knew a taco-inspired appetizer would fit the bill. So why not just turn it into finger food? I browned up some beef, greased my mini muffin pan, and got cracking some eggs.

At the party, I made sure to have plenty of sour cream, guacamole, and salsa for topping the bites. They were an instant hit, and I got several requests for the recipe. We now make them all the time as easy appetizers and high protein snacks!

Ingredient Notes

• Ground beef: You can also use ground chicken or turkey.
• Taco seasoning: I usually store-bought seasoning, but I always make sure it has no added fillers, sugars, or starches. Or make your own by combining chili powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Eggs: Eggs make up the bulk of this recipe, besides the taco meat. They help bind the meat and cheese together.
• Shredded cheese: I usually use cheddar or a Mexican blend. You can also use Monterey Jack or Pepper jack.
• Garnish: Sour cream, sliced olives, cilantro, salsa, or guacamole.

Step by Step Directions

1. Sauté the meat: In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the ground meat until almost cooked through, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon. Add the taco seasoning and continue to sauté until completely cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Prepare the muffin pan: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and brush a good non-stick mini muffin pan with the melted butter. (You can also use silicone or parchment mini muffin liners, if you prefer – if your pan is not very non-stick, this is your best option). This recipe makes about 32 mini muffins so you may need to work in batches if you don’t have more than one mini muffin pan.
3. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the taco meat and half of the shredded cheese. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Fill the muffin cups and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. 
4. Bake the bites: Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and firm to the touch. Remove and let cool 10 minutes. Use a thin flexible spatula to run around the edge of the muffins to release. Serve with your favourite taco toppings, such as salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Tips for Success

Choose your muffin pan (or muffin liners!) wisely, as it needs to be very non-stick. If you have an older metal pan, the taco bites may stick a lot. You can use silicone liners or a silicone muffin pan instead.

Most taco seasoning has a fair bit of salt, as does cheese. So this recipe doesn’t call for any additional salt. If your taco seasoning is salt-free, add 1 teaspoon of salt to the meat along with the seasoning. If your bites aren’t quite seasoned enough after cooking, just sprinkle them with a little extra!

Want to kick the heat up a notch? Add half a teaspoon of cayenne or chipotle powder along with the seasoning.

More Delicious Bite Sized Recipes

Mini Taco Bites

Servings: 32 mini muffins

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Taco bites are a fun keto appetizer that everyone loves. They’re easy to make, full of flavor, and infinitely poppable! Add your favorite taco toppings for a tasty high protein snack.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 tbsp taco seasoning
• 6 large eggs
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese
• Salsa, guacamole, and sour cream

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the beef until almost cooked through, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon. Add the taco seasoning and continue to sauté until completely cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool.

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and brush a good non-stick mini muffin pan with the melted butter. (You can also use silicone or parchment mini muffin liners, if you prefer – if your pan is not very non-stick, this is your best option). This recipe makes about 32 mini muffins so you may need to work in batches if you don’t have more than one mini muffin pan.

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the taco meat and half of the shredded cheese. Whisk thoroughly to combine.

• Fill the muffin cups and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and firm to the touch.

• Remove and let cool 10 minutes. Use a thin flexible spatula to run around the edge of the muffins to release.

• Serve with your favourite taco toppings, such as salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Storage Information: Store the bites in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for several months. 
To freeze: Arrange the bites in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, not touching. Freeze until firm and then transfer to an airtight container. This will keep the bites from sticking together once they are frozen. 

Serving: 4bites | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 18.7g | Fat: 14.5g | Saturated Fat: 7.2g | Fiber: 0.2g

Schedule

Source link

This creamy chicken taco soup is loaded with protein, fiber, and all the Tex-Mex flavor. It’s easy, filling, and surprisingly light on calories.

Jump to: Overview | Ingredients | How To Make | Watch The Video | Recipe Tips |  Serving Suggestions | Full Recipe Card | More High-Protein Recipes

This high-protein chicken taco soup is a cozy meal with a healthy twist. It’s hearty like a stew, with chunks of tender chicken, smoky spices, sweet corn, black beans, and a creamy base, without the heavy cream. The real trick? Blending cottage cheese with light cream to get that smooth richness without the calorie bomb.

If you’re into high-protein and fiber meals, this one checks the boxes. Plus, it makes amazing leftovers with flavors deepening overnight, and it reheats like a dream.

Nutrition (per serving): ~560 calories, 38 grams protein, 7 grams fiber (estimates based on ingredients used).

 This healthy chicken taco soup is part of my high-protein and fiber meals series. You might also like this baked chia oats recipe, my avocado cottage cheese toast, or my high-protein butternut squash soup.

Watch The Video

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this chicken taco soup recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

For the soup base:

• Chicken breasts – Raw or cooked (rotisserie chicken works!). Great protein source.
• Chicken stock – Builds the savory soup foundation.
• Onion, garlic, red bell pepper – Aromatics that bring the base to life.

Spices & seasoning:

• Ground cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, oregano – Warm, smoky, earthy spice blend.
• Chili or chipotle powder – Optional kick, you can also add canned chipotle peppers.
• Salt & pepper for season in layers.

Veggies & fillers:

• Black beans – High in fiber and protein.
• Corn kernels – Sweet, chewy pops of goodness and high in fiber.
• Diced tomatoes – Adds a little acidity and tomato depth.

For the creamy finish:

• Cottage cheese – Blended for creaminess and protein.
• Light cream – Keeps it smooth without being too rich.
• Cheddar cheese – For that melty, cheesy vibe (low-fat optional, I used regular here).

Toppings (optional but encouraged):

• Avocado – a few cubes for creamy, healthy fats.
• Red onion – sharp and crunchy, finely diced is best.
• Fresh cilantro/coriander – bright and herby, swap for parsley or basil.
• Corn chips or tortilla chips – adds crunch and fun, don’t go overboard though.
• Lime wedges – a fresh squeeze makes all the difference in my opinion.

How To Make Healthy Chicken Taco Soup

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for healthy chicken taco soup.

• Season chicken with salt and pepper and pan-fry in a little olive oil until golden on both sides, then set aside. Don’t worry if it’s not completely cooked through as it will go in the soup. If using rotisserie chicken, skip this step.
• In the same pot, sauté onion until soft, then add red pepper and garlic.
• Stir in all your spices and cornflour, just for a few seconds to wake them up.
• Add beans, corn, tomatoes, and stock. Return the chicken to the pot.
• Simmer until the chicken is cooked through (about 10 minutes). If using rotisserie chicken, you can reduce cooking to 5 minutes.
• Blend the cottage cheese and cream until smooth, stir into the soup with the cheddar. If you don’t blend, you will have a few cottage cheese curds in the soup, not a biggy.
• Simmer gently until everything is creamy and thickened.
• Serve with toppings like avocado, red onion, lime juice, and crushed tortilla chips.

Recipe Tips

• Make-ahead: This soup keeps well for 4 days in the fridge. Reheat gently so the dairy doesn’t split.
• Freezer-friendly: Freeze in portions without toppings. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove.
• Use rotisserie chicken: Skip the first step and just shred it in when you add the beans.
• Spice it up: Add jalapeños or extra chipotle if you like it hot.
• Smooth or chunky: Blend part of the soup if you want a smoother base.

Serving Suggestions

I love this soup as-is in a deep bowl with ALL the toppings: avocado cubes, crunchy tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. It also pairs nicely with a simple green salad or a slice of cheesy cornbread if you want it more substantial.

If you’ve tried this healthy chicken taco soup or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.

More High-Protein Recipes

Source link