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Beef Taco Skillet

March 31, 2023 by Gina +

No Cleanup, No Mess: One pan to create the easiest Mexican Taco Skillet Ever!

Ready for a deliciously easy way to spice up your next meal? Look no further than this Mexican beef taco skillet! Loaded with ground beef, beans, salsa, and all the Mexican flavors you could ever want, this skillet is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Whether youโ€™re short on time or just looking for an exciting new meal to make, this recipe will help you to bring a delicious to your dinner table in no time. The best part? This meal requires only one pan, so thereโ€™s minimal cleanup afterward. What are you waiting for? Letโ€™s get cooking!

Jump to Recipe
A cast iron skillet with feef taco filling and melted cheese on top.  It's served with guacamole and sour cream on top.  There are limes and chips off to the side for serving too.  A linen napkin is placed to the other side with more guacamole

This Mexican beef skillet not only tastes great but it’s also packed with nutrients. The lean ground beef provides plenty of protein and iron, while the beans offer up a healthy dose of fiber. The salsa and spices add vibrant color, flavor, and nutrients to the mix while also keeping the dish low in fat and calories. And, you can easily substitute ingredients so that the dish fits your desired dietary needs. For instance, I use cauliflower rice but you could just as easily use cooked white rice. Whether youโ€™re looking for an easy weeknight meal or an impressive dish to serve to guests, this Mexican beef skillet is sure to hit the spot.

A cast iron skillet with feef taco filling and melted cheese on top.  It's served with guacamole and sour cream on top.  There are limes and chips off to the side for serving too.  A linen napkin is placed to the other side with more guacamole
A cast iron skillet with feef taco filling and melted cheese on top.  It's served with guacamole and sour cream on top.  There are limes and chips off to the side for serving too.  A linen napkin is placed to the other side with more guacamole

This beef taco skillet is also ready in no time, making it the perfect meal for busy days. It can be on the table in just 30 minutes, giving you plenty of time to get other things done. Plus, the leftovers make great lunches and snacks throughout the week. So you can go from zero to meal in no time, without sacrificing health or taste. With a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can whip up a healthy and delicious dish to satisfy everyoneโ€™s cravings.

A close up of a cast iron skillet with feef taco filling and melted cheese on top.  It's served with guacamole and sour cream on top.  There are also chips placed on top for scooping.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEEF TACO SKILLET


  • Ground beef – I like to go for a nice grass-fed good quality beef since this is the main ingredient, but whatever you choose is good.
  • Cauliflower rice – You can just as easily use cooked white rice, equally substituting
  • Onion – 1 small yellow or white
  • Bell pepper
  • Taco seasoning – This one is my favorite
  • 1 jar of salsa – Use a runny salsa, not chunky or pico de gallo. Something like this is good
  • Shredded cheese – I like using cheddar, Monterey jack, or a Mexican cheese mix

HOW TO MAKE GROUND BEEF TACO SKILLET


  • Start by browning the meat and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove, don’t worry about cleaning out the pan.
  • Next cook the cauliflower rice, onion, and bell pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes until everything is cooked, then add seasoning and salsa. Stir until just combined.
  • Add in the meat, stir, and top with cheese, then either cover or pop in the oven to melt the cheese.
  • Serve with your favorite taco toppings, like guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chips for dipping.

TIPS AND COMMON QUESTIONS FOR THE BEEF TACO SKILLET


  • Do I have to use cauliflower rice? Absolutely not, white rice or brown rice would work just fine. Sometimes I even do a combo of white rice and cauliflower rice. It does need to be cooked ahead of time though.
  • How is this best served? This skillet is a great base to be served with tortilla chips for scooping or just enjoyed on its own. I also like to put it over shredded lettuce for more of a salad. Even in a tortilla for a burrito or taco is good.
  • Is there anything else you can add to this skillet to make it even more healthy? If I have other veggies, like zucchini or baby spinach, I like to chop that and add it in. There is so much flavor in this that more veggies just make it more delicious.
A cast iron skillet with feef taco filling and melted cheese on top.  It's served with guacamole and sour cream on top.  There are limes and chips off to the side for serving too.  A linen napkin is placed to the other side with more guacamole
A close up of a cast iron skillet with feef taco filling and melted cheese on top.  It's served with guacamole and sour cream on top.

MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS


  • Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
  • Shrimp Tacos
  • Lasagna Skillet
A close up of a cast iron skillet with feef taco filling and melted cheese on top.  It's served with guacamole and sour cream on top.  There's a hand in the foreground with a chip and filling scooped on it.

Beef Taco Skillet

A taco skillet filled with ground beef, veggies, and topped with lots of melted cheese
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bag frozen cauliflower rice
  • 1 16oz ground beef
  • 1 onion, yellow or white, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1 16oz jar salsa, runny not pico de gallo
  • 1 cup shredded cheese More or less depending on preference

Method
 

  1. Start by browning the meat and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove, don't worry about cleaning out the pan.
  2. Next cook the cauliflower rice, onion, and bell pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes until everything is softer and cooked.
  3. Add the taco seasoning, a little salt and pepper, and the jar of salsa. Stir until just combined. Add in the meat, stir, and top with cheese, then either cover or pop in the oven at 350 to melt the cheeseg.
  4. Serve with your favorite taco toppings, like guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chips for dipping.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
A cast iron skillet with feef taco filling and melted cheese on top.  It's served with guacamole and sour cream on top.  There are limes and chips off to the side for serving too.  A linen napkin is placed to the other side with more guacamole.  There are also chips on top for scooping.

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Filed Under: Dinners, Recipes

Comments

  1. JesseLandy says

    May 24, 2023 at 11:06 pm

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Trackbacks

  1. Taco Bowls - High Protein, Low Carb - Gina Gibson says:
    August 30, 2023 at 3:10 pm

    […] Beef Taco Skillet […]

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Comment โ€œMUFFINโ€ and Iโ€™ll send you the recipe!
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This Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach and Beans recipe from @testkitchen is the kind of weeknight dinner youโ€™ll want to keep. Itโ€™s simple, flavorful, and comes together in under 45 minutes, which is exactly what I need on busy evenings.
I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if itโ€™s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If youโ€™re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and website. Iโ€™ve linked everything in my bio so itโ€™s easy to find.
Save this for your next busy weeknight, and let me know if you give it a try!

Comment โ€˜recipeโ€™ and I will send you the link to try out Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen.
This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Crispy bacon, mashed avocado, a folded cheesy egg, and a hash brown all wrapped up in a carb-balanced tortilla and crisped in the pan. Itโ€™s simple, itโ€™s filling, and delish! 

large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
High-Protein Burrito Bake If you love taco night High-Protein Burrito Bake 

If you love taco night but want something a little lighter and higher protein, this oneโ€™s for you. Folded burritos baked in a ring in the cast iron โ€” easy weeknight dinner and meal-prep friendly

serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375ยฐF for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

Save this for your next easy weeknight dinner ๐Ÿ™Œ
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Blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy white beans, cottage cheese and plenty of crusty sourdough. Itโ€™s simple, hearty, satisfying and has plenty of protein without feeling like a โ€œhigh-proteinโ€ meal.

Hereโ€™s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿค
Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips #ad Thi Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips  #ad
This Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips from @testkitchen is one of those dinners that feels a little special without taking all evening to make.

I love recipes that are simple enough for a weeknight but still feel like a meal everyone is excited to sit down for. This one comes together in under 45 minutes, and I know I can count on it because Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen recipes are so well tested.

If youโ€™re looking for new weeknight dinner ideas that actually work, this recipe is a great place to start. You can find it on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and websiteโ€”Iโ€™ve linked it in my bio to make it easy to find.

Save this one for the next time youโ€™re wondering what to make for dinner!
Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins Tall go Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Tall golden tops, soft centers, melty chocolate, crunchy sugar on topโ€”and the brown butter makes them SO good. Serve them warm. You can even freeze the rest for later.

Comment โ€œMUFFINโ€ and Iโ€™ll send you the recipe!
Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach & Beans  #ad
This Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach and Beans recipe from @testkitchen is the kind of weeknight dinner youโ€™ll want to keep. Itโ€™s simple, flavorful, and comes together in under 45 minutes, which is exactly what I need on busy evenings.
I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if itโ€™s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If youโ€™re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and website. Iโ€™ve linked everything in my bio so itโ€™s easy to find.
Save this for your next busy weeknight, and let me know if you give it a try!

Comment โ€˜recipeโ€™ and I will send you the link to try out Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen.
This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Crispy bacon, mashed avocado, a folded cheesy egg, and a hash brown all wrapped up in a carb-balanced tortilla and crisped in the pan. Itโ€™s simple, itโ€™s filling, and delish! 

large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
High-Protein Burrito Bake If you love taco night High-Protein Burrito Bake 

If you love taco night but want something a little lighter and higher protein, this oneโ€™s for you. Folded burritos baked in a ring in the cast iron โ€” easy weeknight dinner and meal-prep friendly

serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375ยฐF for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

Save this for your next easy weeknight dinner ๐Ÿ™Œ
One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes ๐Ÿ… One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes ๐Ÿ…

Blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy white beans, cottage cheese and plenty of crusty sourdough. Itโ€™s simple, hearty, satisfying and has plenty of protein without feeling like a โ€œhigh-proteinโ€ meal.

Hereโ€™s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿค
Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips #ad Thi Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips  #ad
This Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips from @testkitchen is one of those dinners that feels a little special without taking all evening to make.

I love recipes that are simple enough for a weeknight but still feel like a meal everyone is excited to sit down for. This one comes together in under 45 minutes, and I know I can count on it because Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen recipes are so well tested.

If youโ€™re looking for new weeknight dinner ideas that actually work, this recipe is a great place to start. You can find it on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and websiteโ€”Iโ€™ve linked it in my bio to make it easy to find.

Save this one for the next time youโ€™re wondering what to make for dinner!
Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins Tall go Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Tall golden tops, soft centers, melty chocolate, crunchy sugar on topโ€”and the brown butter makes them SO good. Serve them warm. You can even freeze the rest for later.

Comment โ€œMUFFINโ€ and Iโ€™ll send you the recipe!
Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach & Beans  #ad
This Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach and Beans recipe from @testkitchen is the kind of weeknight dinner youโ€™ll want to keep. Itโ€™s simple, flavorful, and comes together in under 45 minutes, which is exactly what I need on busy evenings.
I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if itโ€™s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If youโ€™re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and website. Iโ€™ve linked everything in my bio so itโ€™s easy to find.
Save this for your next busy weeknight, and let me know if you give it a try!

Comment โ€˜recipeโ€™ and I will send you the link to try out Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen.
This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Crispy bacon, mashed avocado, a folded cheesy egg, and a hash brown all wrapped up in a carb-balanced tortilla and crisped in the pan. Itโ€™s simple, itโ€™s filling, and delish! 

large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
High-Protein Burrito Bake If you love taco night High-Protein Burrito Bake 

If you love taco night but want something a little lighter and higher protein, this oneโ€™s for you. Folded burritos baked in a ring in the cast iron โ€” easy weeknight dinner and meal-prep friendly

serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375ยฐF for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

Save this for your next easy weeknight dinner ๐Ÿ™Œ
One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes ๐Ÿ… One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes ๐Ÿ…

Blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy white beans, cottage cheese and plenty of crusty sourdough. Itโ€™s simple, hearty, satisfying and has plenty of protein without feeling like a โ€œhigh-proteinโ€ meal.

Hereโ€™s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿค
Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips #ad Thi Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips  #ad
This Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips from @testkitchen is one of those dinners that feels a little special without taking all evening to make.

I love recipes that are simple enough for a weeknight but still feel like a meal everyone is excited to sit down for. This one comes together in under 45 minutes, and I know I can count on it because Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen recipes are so well tested.

If youโ€™re looking for new weeknight dinner ideas that actually work, this recipe is a great place to start. You can find it on the Americaโ€™s Test Kitchen app and websiteโ€”Iโ€™ve linked it in my bio to make it easy to find.

Save this one for the next time youโ€™re wondering what to make for dinner!

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