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Are you looking for an easy dinner? Need to make taco meat for a crowd? Or just want an easy meal prep recipe? This 3-ingredient Crockpot Taco Meat recipe is about to be your new go-to.
My favorite recipes are the ones that allow me to toss ingredients in a crockpot and carry on with my day. If a recipe requires a lot of prep, I’m out.
All you need are three ingredients and a little hands-off time in the slow cooker to make this flavorful taco-flavored ground beef. Just add your favorite toppings and voila – dinner is ready!
Whether you’re making dinner for your family or feeding a crowd, my easy taco beef recipe will save you time and energy. This slow cooker recipe is one of the easiest recipes I have, which also makes it one of my favorites.
For a chicken version, try my Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tacos recipe.
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
A Go-To Meal
With only three ingredients (plus water) and virtually no prep time, this is one of my go-to Mexican recipes. It’s super easy to prepare, requires limited ingredients and is budget friendly. And most importantly, my entire family will eat it (hooray for food the whole family will eat!).
I also use this recipe for meal prepping. Cooking your protein ahead of time is a lifesaver on busy nights. Prepare a double batch and you can stash a couple pounds of cooked meat in the freezer for future meals.
Ingredients for Crockpot Taco Meat with Ground Beef
- Ground beef – use lean (93-97%) ground beef so you don’t have to drain off any grease.
- Tomato sauce – use your favorite brand.
- Taco seasoning – try my homemade taco seasoning recipe or a store bought packet.
- Water
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Taco Meat in the Crockpot
Place the ground beef in the slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients. You thought I was kidding when I said this was a simple recipe, didn’t you?
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. While this recipe is mostly hands-off, you’ll want to break up the meat (I use this chopper for cooking ground meats) and give it a good stir every two hours.
If you want to reduce your clean-up time, be sure to use a disposable slow cooker liner.
Our Favorite Ways to Use Slow Cooker Taco Meat
If your family is anything like mine, you love a good Mexican recipe. So I’m always on the hunt for simple, fast, and inexpensive ways to satisfy those cravings.
The simplest and most obvious way to use this cooked beef is tacos. But if you’re looking for more ways to use this flavorful meat, try adding it to quesadillas, walking tacos, crunch wraps, taco salad, enchiladas, walking taco casserole and chimichangas.
What to Serve With Beef Taco Meat
You’ll want to have all your favorite taco toppings and a few side dishes to round out the meal.
- Soft tortillas, crunchy hard taco shells or tortilla chips.
- Taco toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, radish slices, shredded cheese, sliced black olives, sour cream, and guacamole are good choices.
- Serve with a side of cilantro lime rice or a quick pasta salad to round out the meal. Or check out What to Serve with Tacos Besides Rice and Beans for more inspiration.
How to Store Leftover Taco Meat
Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop. Stir in a small amount of water or broth if the meat seems a little dry.
Can I freeze taco meat?
Yes – ground beef taco meat freezes really well. After the meat has cooled, place it in a zip top freezer bag (don’t forget to label it!), press the air out and toss it in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw the meat overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove top and you’re ready to go. Easy peasy!
More Taco Flavored Recipes
Crockpot Taco Meat
Equipment
- Crockpot liner optional
- Instant read thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef, 93-97% lean
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 8 ounces water
- 2 packets taco seasoning
Instructions
- Place ground beef in crockpot.2 pounds lean ground beef
- Add remaining ingredients.8 ounces tomato sauce, 8 ounces water, 2 packets taco seasoning
- Place lid on the crock pot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the meat reaches 160℉.
Notes
- If you use 93% or 97% ground beef you shouldn’t need to drain any grease.
- Use a crockpot liner for easy cleanup.
- Store leftover meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
- The cooked meat can be frozen. Place cooled meat in zipper-top bags, label & date and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
Can I double this?
Yes! This recipe can be doubled or tripled, assuming your slow cooker is large enough to accommodate the ingredients.
Does the cook time change at all if I were to double or triple it?
My slow cooker does this in the same amount of time. To be safe, take a look at it and see if it needs a little longer.
Love this. sometimes I add can hot Rotel tomatoes. it’s also great as a “taco joe”
Hi! I just made this and the mixture is still pretty watery. I am going to drain but wondered if next time I should omit water Or cut in half? I followed directions..
Hmm I haven’t received that feedback before. What was the fat content on your ground beef? A higher fat content will yield less meat so maybe that’s the problem? Alternatively, you can cook the mixture a little longer, without the lid on. This should help evaporate some of the liquid.