Easy Beef Taco Skillet
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This one-pot Easy Beef Taco Skillet is made with seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, green chiles, diced tomatoes, black olives and an irresistible top layer of melted cheese. Add your preferred toppings such as avocado, sour cream, jalapeños, and more black olives. Ready in just about 30 minutes!
Easy Beef Taco Skillet
If you know me, you know I’m all about easy and quick meals that don’t skimp out on flavor. I like using good quality ingredients to make a delicious and healthy meal I know my family will love. My kids love any kind of meal they get to add toppings to themselves. This Easy Beef Taco Skillet has become a staple in my home.
It comes together in no time and just calls for a few ingredients. Seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, green chiles, diced tomatoes, black olives and an irresistible top layer of melted cheese. Then topped with your favorite toppings such as avocado, sour cream, jalapeños, and more black olives. Serve with a side of tortilla chips or rice. This beef taco skillet is so flavorful and ready in just about 30 minutes.
Ingredients Needed to Make Easy Beef Taco Skillet:
- Ground Beef– You can also use ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- Spices and Herbs– A simple and quick mixture of spices and herbs to make a quick and easy homemade taco seasoning. Chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, pink sea salt, and black pepper.
- Yellow Onion– Thinly diced to add more flavor.
- Diced Tomatoes– Can also use salsa instead.
- Green Chiles– Gives your taco skillet more flavor and a bit of a kick.
- Canned Corn– I love corn in any Mexican inspired dish. If you’re not a fan, just omit.
- Black Beans– Add more texture and protein to skillet. You can use any other beans you wish like pinto or kidney.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese– Avoid using prepackaged shredded cheese. It will not melt as you much as you want it to in the oven. Instead, get a block of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself.
- Black Olives– These add flavor to your taco skillet. If you are not a fan of these either, you can also omit.
Equipment Needed to make Easy Beef Taco Skillet:
- 12 inch Cast Iron Skillet– This is a one-skillet recipe.
- Small Mixing Bowl– To mix spices and herbs for taco seasoning.
- Spatula– For mixing ingredients in skillet. Do not use a metal spatula on a cast iron skillet. It will scratch it and ruin it. Use a silicone spatula.
How to make Easy Beef Taco Skillet:
- Step 1– Start by prepping your ingredients; thinly dice onion, slice black olives and measure out 1/4 cup, drain and rinse canned corn and black beans, shred cheddar cheese and measure out 2 cups. Mix spices and herbs in a small bowl to make your taco seasoning; chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, pink sea salt, and black pepper.
- Step 2– Preheat oven at 350℉.
- Step 3– Place a 12 inch cast iron skillet on stovetop and drizzle with avocado oil. Turn heat to medium-high and bring oil to a heat. Toss in diced onions and sauté for 2 minutes until they become translucent.
- Step 4– Add ground beef to skillet and sprinkle taco seasoning over it. Use a spatula to break ground beef down into small pieces. Mix ground beef well making sure it’s well combined with onions and taco seasoning. Keep cooking for about 5-6 minutes until it begins to brown.
- Step 5– Once ground beef has browned and cooked through, add in diced tomatoes and green chiles and give it a good stir. Add in corn, black beans, and sliced olives. Once again give everything a good stir to combine.
- Step 6– Turn heat off. Use spatula to level out ground beef mixture throughout skillet. Sprinkle shredded cheese throughout skillet making sure the whole ground beef is covered with cheese.
- Step 7– Place skillet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until cheese has melted.
- Step 8– Remove skillet from the oven and top with chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeños, more black olives, avocado slices, and a dollop of sour cream. Add any other toppings you wish to add. Serve with a side of tortilla chips, or some rice. Enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Do not over cook your ground beef as it browns on stovetop– This taco skillet is finished in the oven. Don’t brown your beef for too long as you cook it through. It will then dry out too much in the oven.
- Use any oven safe skillet– You don’t have to use a cast iron skillet. Use any skillet or pan that is oven safe. Make sure it is 12 inches or around the same size skillet.
- Switch up your meat– Use ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner taco skillet.
- Substitute for diced tomatoes– Use about 1 cup of chunky salsa.
- Substitute for green chiles– Use about 2 diced jalapeños. If you want less spice, use a green bell pepper.
- Want more spice?– Add about 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper to your taco seasoning mixture.
- Substitute for black beans– You can use pinto beans or kidney beans.
How to serve Beef Taco Skillet:
This Beef Taco Skillet is a pretty hearty and makes for a complete meal on its own. I like adding our favorite toppings then serving it with a side of tortilla chips. Sometimes I’ll also serve it with a side of rice.
Toppings for your Easy Beef Taco Skillet:
You can get as creative as you’d like with your toppings for this Beef Taco Skillet. Some of our favorites are:
- Avocado Slices
- Jalapeño Slices (Pickled or Fresh)
- More Black Olives
- Sour Cream
- Pickled Red Onions
- Guacamole
- Chopped Cilantro
- Green Onions
- More Cheddar Cheese
Easy Beef Taco Skillet FAQ’s:
Can I use store bought taco seasoning?
Yes. If you have taco seasoning, you can use that instead. Use about 1-2 tablespoons of store-bought taco seasoning in substitution for the spices and herbs mentioned in this recipe.
How to make Taco Skillet healthy?
To make this Taco Skillet healthier, substitute ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner Taco Skillet.
Can you cook taco meat in a cast-iron skillet?
Yes. You can certainly cook taco meat and any other meat on a cast-iron skillet. Just make sure to keep your cast-iron skillet well seasoned.
Do you put oil in a pan for taco meat?
You will need about 1 tablespoon of oil to cook your ground beef.
Can I make Beef Taco Skillet spicier?
You can make your Beef Taco Skillet spicier by adding about 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper to your taco seasoning mixture. You can also add 1-2 jalapeños to your skillet along with onions to cook through.
How to store your Easy Beef Taco Skillet:
Store any leftover taco skillet by transferring to an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Did you like this Easy Beef Taco Skillet recipe? You may also like these other Mexican inspired recipes:
- Instant Pot Taco Meat
- Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
- Air Fryer Shrimp Fajitas
- Chicken Taco Soup
- One Pot Mexican Quinoa
Easy Beef Taco Skillet
This one-pot Easy Beef Taco Skillet is made with seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, green chiles, diced tomatoes, black olives and an irresistible top layer of melted cheese. Add your preferred toppings such as avocado, sour cream, jalapeños, and more black olives. Ready in just about 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp pink sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 yellow onion
- 15 oz diced tomatoes (or 1 cup chunky salsa)
- 4 oz green chiles
- 15 oz corn kernels
- 15 oz black beans
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
For Topping:
- avocado slices
- jalapeños
- fresh cilantro
- green onions
- more black olives
- more cheese
Instructions
Start by prepping your ingredients; thinly dice onion, slice black olives and measure out 1/4 cup, drain and rinse canned corn and black beans, shred cheddar cheese and measure out 2 cups. Mix spices and herbs in a small bowl to make your taco seasoning; chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, pink sea salt, and black pepper.
Preheat oven at 350℉.
Place a 12 inch cast iron skillet on stovetop and drizzle with avocado oil. Turn heat to medium-high and bring oil to a heat. Toss in diced onions and sauté for 2 minutes until they become translucent.
Add ground beef to skillet and sprinkle taco seasoning over it. Use a spatula to break ground beef down into small pieces. Mix ground beef well making sure it's well combined with onions and taco seasoning. Keep cooking for about 5-6 minutes until it browns.
Once ground beef has browned and cooked through, add in diced tomatoes and green chiles and give it a good stir. Add in corn, black beans, and sliced olives. Once again give everything a good stir to combine.
Turn heat off. Use spatula to level out ground beef mixture throughout skillet. Sprinkle shredded cheese throughout skillet making sure the whole ground beef is covered with cheese.
Place skillet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until cheese has melted.
Remove skillet from the oven and top with chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeños, more black olives, avocado slices, and a dollop of sour cream. Add any other toppings you wish to add. Serve with a side of tortilla chips, or some rice. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- Do not over cook your ground beef as it browns on stovetop– This taco skillet is finished in the oven. Don’t brown your beef for too long as you cook it through. It will then dry out too much in the oven.
- Use any oven safe skillet– You don’t have to use a cast iron skillet. Use any skillet or pan that is oven safe. Make sure it is 12 inches or around the same size skillet.
- Switch up your meat– Use ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner taco skillet.
- Substitute for diced tomatoes– Use about 1 cup of chunky salsa.
- Substitute for green chiles– Use about 2 diced jalapeños. If you want less spice, use a green bell pepper.
- Want more spice?– Add about 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper to your taco seasoning mixture.
- Substitute for black beans– You can use pinto beans or kidney beans.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
