This easy and fast ground beef taco filling forms the basis for quick appetizers or a quick meal when I am running low on time or energy! It is great for not only tacos but also for enchiladas, stuffed peppers, nachos, and Mexican lettuce wraps! All you need are three ingredients for the filling: lean ground beef, chopped onion, and store-bought salsa! (Note I am not counting salt and pepper as ingredients.) You can even freeze the leftovers (or make extra to freeze) for an even faster meal next time!
Start by crumbling 1 pound of lean ground beef in a skillet. Add 1 cup of chopped onion, along with salt and pepper. Brown over medium to medium-high heat until the beef is done and slightly browned. When the ground beef starts to brown, stir it to brown all sides.
TIP: Use a skillet that is large enough to allow you to spread the beef out into a layer that is no more than about 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 inch thick. This will help it brown better and faster. If your skillet is too small, then the beef may steam and turn more gray than brown.
TIP 2: Consider using a sweet onion. You won’t shed tears while chopping it, and it will add a mild onion flavor that contrasts nicely with the spice of the salsa.
As you stir the mixture, be sure to break up the ground beef into small pieces.
When the beef is just cooked through, add 3 / 4 cup of store-bought salsa or picante sauce. Pick mild, medium, or hot depending on how much spice you like. Remember, the salsa’s spicy kick will be diluted because you are mixing it with the ground beef and onion mixture, so you may find you want more spice than you think! But be careful if you aren’t used to spicy foods and err on the milder side.
TIP 3: I like to pick a fairly thick salsa so that the resulting beef mixture is not too watery.
Stir the salsa into the beef mixture and let it simmer on low heat for a few minutes until the flavors combine.
Now just grab some tortillas and toppings, such as chopped tomatoes and grated cheese, for a fast weeknight dinner!
Watch for future posts that make use of this filling for fun and easy appetizers.
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ¾ cup salsa or picante sauce
- 1 tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Pepper
- Crumble the ground beef into a skillet.
- Add the chopped onion to the skillet
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over the mixture.
- Brown the beef and onion mixture over medium to medium high heat.
- When the ground beef starts to brown, stir it to brown all sides and to break up the ground beef into small pieces.
- Add the salsa or picante sauce.
- Stir the salsa into the beef mixture and let it simmer on low heat for a few minutes until the flavors combine.
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