Today we’re going to take a look at different taco meat recipe ideas. For this trip down the taco rabbit hole, I’ll be focusing on ideas that lean into leftover taco meat. Now, if you haven’t made the meat yet and need a homemade taco seasoning recipe, I’ve got one for you here.
Before we look at the ideas, let’s look at tasty ingredients to keep well stocked.
Great Ingredients to Keep on Hand
If you love all things tacos, here are some ingredients to have in your fridge, pantry, and freezer. With these on hand, you can essentially grab different taco toppings each time you make tacos and feel like you have a really wide range of options (which prevents food ruts).
- Beans (black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, refried beans, and so on).
- Cashews (if you’re dairy free and like to make sauces at home, cashews can lend a lot of body to said sauces)
- Cheese (could be cheddar cheese, but also consider speciality cheeses to keep things interesting)
- Cream Cheese
- Fresh Produce (onions, bell peppers, spicy peppers, etc.)
- Guacamole (Costco sells freezer friendly guac and I always have several containers on hand)
- Homemade Taco Seasoning (or packet of taco seasoning if you have a brand you like to purchase)
- Hot Sauce (this comes in a HUGE range of options)
- Jalapeño Jelly (great if you like adding a little sweet and spicy to your taco)
- Mayo (you can make a range of unique flavours with mayo for your taco)
- Pico de Gallo
- Salsa
- Shredded Veg (for making quick slaws)
- Smashed Avocado (did you know you can buy pre-smashed packages of avocado? this may be handy if you don’t want to wait for avocado to ripen, etc.)
- Sour Cream
- Spicy Korean Sauces (great if you’re a fan of spicy tacos AND fusion foods)
- Taco Friendly Fruits (think pineapple, mango, etc., and they can be frozen and cooked with the meat for an easy meal)
- Taco Shells
- Tomato Sauce, Tomato Paste, & Diced Tomatoes (these can all be used to make awesome sauces at home)
- Tortillas (corn tortillas, flour tortillas, homemade tortillas, and so on)
Delicious Taco Recipes
If you need some simple recipes that are packed with flavour, here are some to get you started. They’re all gluten free and very allergy friendly.
- Taco Pot Pie Recipe (yup, a pot pie, because why not?)
- Chicken Apple Tacos (this can be made with ground turkey as well)
- Street Tacos Recipe (GF + Top 9 Free + Truly Corn Free)
- Easy Taco Pasta (top 9 free)
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Taco Meat Recipe Ideas
OK, now let’s look at creative ways to use your leftover meat. Hopefully something here sparks an idea for you. Remember, take these ideas and run with them. Add different spices, swap this or that out for something you have on hand (or really love), and make these meal ideas your own.
Carne Asada Mashed Potatoes
If you’ve made carne asada tacos, why not use your leftover meat to make mashed potatoes? I mean, meat and potatoes, right? In case you’re new to making tacos, carne asada translates to “grilled meat” and it’s usually made with beef steak.
If you don’t have a grill, you can use an indoor grill pan, like this one (it’s the one I have). If you’re like me and one of my kids who are allergic to beef, you also don’t have to use beef. You can use bison, elk, venison, and so on. Grab a steak, season aggressively, and grill it up. Then slice it for taco meat perfection.
To use in mashed potatoes, roughly chop your cooked leftovers (think: about the size of bacon bits). Once you’ve made your mashed potatoes, fold the meat in, and you’re ready to go. If you love cheese as well, you could add plenty of cheese, and now we’re in loaded/stuffed baked potato territory. Serve this up with a side of oven roasted veg you enjoy.
Make Hearty Casseroles
There are so many ways to make a casserole. For example, mac-n-cheese casserole, or even a French toast casserole. Both of these can have leftover taco meat folded in, and you can even change up some of the base seasonings for taco-leaning spices.
In addition to that, you could add diced onion and peppers to really hammer home the taco vibe. Honestly, now I want to make a gluten free, top 9 free taco French toast casserole. Can you imagine it? A tiny touch of sweet from the maple, the heat from the spices, the soft yet crispy bread, and that rich meaty flavour, all in one bite? Yup. Totally making some.
You can also look to other casseroles you enjoy that have meat in them already, then swap said meat for your leftover taco meat.
Italian Tacos
Let’s face it, not everyone will be a big fan of Mexican food. However, if you love the idea of tacos but not the traditional flavours, make something that’s traditional taco adjacent. For example, you could make a deliciously seasoned Italian shredded pork, grill onions, roast garlic, and slice tomatoes. Pop all of that on a tortilla of your choosing, and now you have an amazing Italian taco. You can even use a traditional Italian white bean as the bean element on your taco.
Take this concept and run with it. Make Japanese tacos, Spanish tacos, Nordic tacos, Indian tacos, and so on. We’re only limited by our imagination.
Cute Little Pacos
If you’ve never made a paco before, you’re in for a real treat. It’s handheld bites of pancake tacos. You’ll want to use a small or medium cookie dough scoop (I have these from OXO and love them in all sizes) to portion the pancake batter when you cook it. In case you need one, here’s an easy recipe for gluten free + egg free fluffy pancakes.
Once you have cute little pancakes, treat them like a tortilla and add your leftover taco meat and fave taco toppings. Pacos can be made for breakfast (scrambled eggs + leftover taco meat), for lunch, or for dinner. Sky’s the limit on all the delicious combinations you can make.
Slow Cooker Taco Soup
There are so many recipes online for slow cooker taco soup. What I personally like to do is add this to my slow cooker:
- Diced Onion
- Diced Peppers
- Tomato Sauce
- Tomato Paste
- Homemade Dairy Free Milk
- Homemade Taco Seasoning (easy recipe here)
- Liquid Smoke (this is the one I use)
- Drained Beans (I rotate thru different options, but love the Eden brand)
Once the slow cooker is done, I add pre-cooked taco meat, fold it in, and allow it to come up to temperature. Before serving I top with slices of avocado and a little cheese of choice for my kids (dairy free for the ones with a milk allergy and raw cheese for the others). My kids say it’s the best taco soup I make (I’ve tried several variations of this) and this is the one they like the most.
Ground Chicken & Mango Taco Pasta Bake
To make this, you’ll season ground chicken with your taco seasoning of choice (recipe here if you need one). Dice fresh mango, or even use frozen diced mango. Add diced purple onion, diced peppers, and any other veg you enjoy. Pop all of that into a mixing bowl and mix very well. Place dry pasta into a large/deep baking dish.
Top with this meat mix. Now, add a sauce all over. It can be a tomato based sauce, cream sauce, etc., but make sure you have full coverage. Give everything a little mix, cover with foil, and bake at 400f/205c. Your pasta bake is ready when the meat has cooked all the way thru and the pasta is done to your likeness.
Lean Ground Beef Taco Nachos
Nachos can be such a fun food to make, and eat. For my kids who aren’t allergic to beef, I make them nachos with:
- Leftover Lean Ground Beef (seasoned with this taco seasoning)
- Shredded Raw Cheese
- Thin Sliced Jalapeño (and not much of it)
- Diced Tomato
- Caramelized Onion
I sometimes make them a little different based on what’s on hand, but this is what I’ve used. I also serve them on these grain free chips since I have a severe corn allergy and corn chips don’t enter the home. If you can have corn, I’m sure you’d enjoy these with traditional corn tortilla chips.
Layered DIp & Crispy Tortillas (or Toastadas)
I think dips are great for sharing at parties, or serving up as an easy dinner. When I serve a layered dip with leftover taco meat, it looks like this:
- Refried Black Beans
- Diced Onion + Diced Peppers + Small Diced Pineapple (cooked in a little ancho chili and maple sugar)
- Leftover Taco Meat
- Chopped Fresh Lettuce or Organic Micro Greens
- Shredded Cheese (sometimes I leave this out, just because)
- Guacamole (the one I get at Costco and freeze)
- Salsa or Sour Cream (sometimes both)
I use a large serving platter and plop the whole thing on the table, and each kid gets homemade crispy tortillas (made in the air fryer) to eat alongside the dip.
I will add, as a mixed allergy household, I’ll either only use the components everyone can have, or make two separate trays. More often than not, I just leave out the items one of my kids can’t have, jazz up the rest, and everyone can eat one meal together, happily.
Taco Bowl Ideas
I’ve heard that bowls are this generation’s casserole, and I can see why. Bowls, including taco bowls, are a fun way to serve up the same old meal. Let’s look at how you can have a different experience the next time you make a taco bowl.
Get creative with the carb. Rather than serve regular rice, make a cilantro lime rice, crispy coconut rice, or even a lightly sweetened maple pineapple rice. This is a fantastic way to add flavour to your meals which is incredibly helpful if you’re managing a medically restrictive diet (helps you feel like there are more options).
Use a carb you don’t normally associate with tacos. In this case, think tater tots, naan, and even english muffins or toasted bagel pieces. Sometimes changing up the carb all together can create a new experience you love.
Trade out your normal sauce. If you normally lean into traditional taco sauces, try something like a spicy Japanese mayo, sweet and spicy pineapple sauce, or even something like a Korean spicy sauce. A sauce change can give your taco bowl a complete makeover.
Try a different protein. If you always make beef tacos, try cooking with pork, lamb, bison, or even duck. Oh man. A duck and cherry taco with pineapple kale slaw and a spicy cherry taco sauce… SMH. I need to add that to my to do list because it sounds so gourmet and delicious.
Make it meat free. These days, there are several very clean options for vegan proteins including pulled jackfruit, and soy free tofu from Big Mountain Foods and Pumfu (for those allergic to soy). You could cook up pieces of cubed firm tofu and serve that instead of your normal taco meat for something a little different.
Explore Different Salsa Options. These days, you can purchase a huge range of non-traditional and gourmet salsas. Make it a goal to try a new one every other month and by the end of the year, you may have a new fave. Be sure to try spicy salsas, green salsas, and even fruity salsas. They each bring something different and delicious to the table.
Answering Your Questions About Taco Meat Recipe Ideas (and all things tacos)
How do I make homemade tortilla chips?
This is a great question and you’ll love the answer. Use a pizza cutter, sharp knife, or kitchen scissors to cut a cooked tortilla into 8 pieces. Heat a pot of oil or set your deep fryer temperature to 350f/175c. Once the oil reaches temp, add the tortilla pieces. Use a spider (specific tool for frying) to move the pieces around.
Once they’re done to your liking, remove them from the oil using your spider and place them on a plate that’s covered with paper towels. This will soak up any excess oil from your homemade tortilla chips. Whilst they’re still hot, sprinkle with salt (or even smoked salt for a boosted flavour) and shake to distribute the salt. Note: I’ve used the oven method and air fryer method for making chips as well, and the fryer method just has the best *chef’s kiss* results.
That’s it! It’s an easy process and you can use any homemade tortilla recipe to make the chips. I use a grain free, cassava based homemade tortilla to make chips and everyone around here loves them. I’m sure homemade tortilla chips will be come one of your family favorites as well. Happy frying!
Should I drain off excess fat before serving cooked taco meat?
Generally speaking, yes, you’ll want to drain off the excess fat before building your tacos. The reason is because you don’t want a super greasy mouthfeel when eating your tasty tacos, nor do you want liquid fat running all over your hand when you pick up said taco.
However, I want to add that if you’re using a cut of meat such as pork shoulder or chicken thigh, and you cook it in a pressure cooker, don’t trim the fat before cooking (unless there’s a tonne of it). In cooking, fat is flavour, so keep that in mind as you prep your meat of choice.
How much taco seasoning should I use for a pound of ground beef?
You’ll want to use at least 2 Tablespoons of your favorite taco seasoning for a pound of ground beef on your next taco night. You can use 3 Tablespoons if you really want a flavour punch. I wouldn’t go over 4 Tablespoons though because you’ll reach a point where you’ve over-seasoned and start to be overwhelmed by the specific flavours rather than have a nice balanced dish at the end.
How can I make a good taco seasoning without onion powder and garlic powder?
It sounds like you may be Low FODMAP, or allergic to alliums. With that in mind, I’d tell you to focus on the red spices (ancho, cayenne pepper, etc.). You’ll also want smoked salt for extra flavour and a touch of sweetener (date sugar and organic maple sugar are both excellent choices).
Also, if you plan to purchase spices (specifically blends), be sure to double check chili powder, as some are a blend of ingredients and may. contain alliums. Once you’ve done that, look into asafoetida, sometimes called hing. It’s a sap-based powder used as a spice and you’re more likely to see it in Indian cuisine than anywhere else. Whilst I’ve not personally been able to work with it, I’ve heard that it brings in the aroma of onion once cooked.
You can add that to oil as you start the cooking process in a large skillet (start with 3/4 teaspoon per pound of meat), allow it to bloom a bit on medium heat, then add your ground meat along with the red spices, smoked salt, and a dash of liquid smoke. Increase the heat to medium-high heat and cook until the meat is ready. Combined, these ingredients will work together to create an awesome taco Tuesday experience for you.
From there, add awesome taco toppings and a tortilla you love.
Do you have low calorie taco recipe ideas?
This is a great question, and yes, I sure do. Whilst you could make a simple taco salad, know that there are loads of ways to use flavorful taco meat and still stick to a low calorie diet. In fact, foods such as beef tacos are still on the menu, and can keep you at your target calorie number.
First, use lean meats to bring down the calorie out whilst keeping strong protein numbers. Then, look to taco toppings that are naturally a bit lower in calories. However, don’t ignore toppings that are loaded with healthy fats such as avocado (and guacamole by association). You’ll need to make sure that your serving size is on point for the needs of your personal consumption (take the time to do the math and weigh the portions to stay on target).
A few of my top taco-inspired recipes/ideas for you to explore:
- Taco seasoned cauliflower rice with lean carne asada and green chiles.
- Grilled fish taco salad with pineapple and mango salsa.
- Air fryer taco chicken served with oven roasted vegetables.
- Sweet potato and ground turkey taco seasoned hash, topped with diced tomatoes.
Can I freeze leftover taco meat?
Yes, you sure can, in an airtight container. This article outlines the entire process for you, and gives you more info on freezing leftover taco meat.
