The Easy Taco Skillet is a simple yet flavorful dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. This one-pan dish is full of delicious taco flavors, combining seasoned ground beef, vegetables, and your favorite taco toppings in just a few easy steps. Whether you’re craving a quick dinner or need a meal that’s both hearty and satisfying, this taco skillet has you covered.
To start, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks. Once the beef is fully cooked, drain any excess grease, then season the meat with taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade). Add a splash of water and let the flavors meld together as the mixture simmers for a few minutes.
Next, add chopped bell peppers, onions, and any other vegetables you like. You can even throw in some corn or black beans for added texture and flavor. Stir the vegetables into the beef mixture and cook until tender. The vegetables will absorb the taco seasoning, adding even more flavor to the dish.
Once everything is cooked through, sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of the skillet and cover with a lid to melt the cheese. This step takes just a couple of minutes. After the cheese has melted, your Easy Taco Skillet is ready to serve!
Serve the taco skillet with your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, salsa, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. For a complete meal, pair it with rice, tortilla chips, or a side salad. This dish is versatile and can easily be customized to fit your preferences.
The Easy Taco Skillet is a quick, comforting, and crowd-pleasing meal that’s packed with flavor. It’s perfect for those nights when you want a tasty dinner without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 packet taco seasoning preferably low-sodium
- 1 cup salsa mild or medium
- 1 cup shredded cheese cheddar or Mexican blend
- 10 ounces tortilla chips crushed
- 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup sour cream for serving
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes for topping
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, salsa, and black beans. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the beef mixture and cover the skillet to let the cheese melt.
- Serve the taco skillet over crushed tortilla chips and top with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and cilantro.
Nutrition
Does it really take only 5 mins to simmer? Seems off. Trying anyway.
I’m not much of a cook, but this was simple. Thanks for the recipe!
I don’t like cilantro so I skipped it. Still tasted great.
I dunno, not adding the cilantro seems like it could change the flavor too much? But if you liked it, that’s cool!
Cilantro is trash anyway, good move! Glad it still turned out yummy.
Quick and delicious! Perfect for a busy week. Will make again.
Totally agree! It’s so easy and tasty. My kids love it too!
Used chicken instead of beef and it was a disaster. Eww!
This was sooo good! My kids devoured it!
My husband loved it but I wasn’t too impressed myself.
It’s great that your husband enjoyed it! Everyone’s taste is different, I guess. You could try adding your favorite spices next time!
Easy? More like too easy!! Didn’t even break a sweat. 😒
Honestly a bit bland, I added some hot sauce. Might try again.
Taco night every night now! 😂
This recipe is too complicated!! Why can’t you just make regular tacos? Like, what is this?
I get that it seems complicated, but it’s really just like making tacos in a pan! Takes the same stuff but all in one dish. Give it a try!
It was ok, but my kids didn’t like the beans. Next time I won’t add them.
so yum. but too spicy for me 🥵 maybe less salsa!!!
Just eat more cilantro. That’ll cool it down for ya! 😂
I totally get that, spice can be rough! Maybe try using a mild salsa next time? 🌶️
Taco Skillet? More like taco bliss! I added avocado and it was to die for!
I don’t understand why you would use ground beef. Can’t you use chicken? Seems healthier.
I guess you could use chicken, but it won’t taste the same. Ground beef is essential for that taco flavor!
Healthier? Maybe, but it’s tacos! Sometimes you gotta just enjoy the beef, ya know?
I left out the beans and added jalapeños. So good! Spicyyyyy🔥
Yum! Jalapeños make everything better! I’ll have to try that next time.
Beans are a must in tacos! Why would you leave them out? 🤨
Easy to make and cleanup was a breeze! Also, who doesn’t love cheese? 🧀
Sooo good! I added some jalapenos and it was fire! 🌶️🔥
This is a game changer for taco night! So easy and so good. My family loved it!
Super quick and tasty! I substituted turkey for beef, still bomb.
This came out fantastic! My family loved it, and it was super easy to make. Definitely a keeper!
Sounds delicious! I need to try this. So easy to prep!
Hmm, I don’t know. Isn’t using beef kinda heavy? I prefer chicken.
I’m not sure about pouring it over crushed tortilla chips—mine got soggy fast. Maybe use fresh chips and add right before eating?
I disagree a little. Mine got soggy but still tasted great, lol. Maybe I just didn’t crush them too fine and used thicker chips? Could also be the salsa amount.
Good point—chips do get soggy fast. I usually keep the crushed chips on the side (or use fresh ones) and assemble right before eating.
I made this for a game night and it was a hit!!! Way better than takeout taco.
That sounds awesome! I’m glad everyone loved it! I’m gonna try it for my next gathering. Thanks for sharing!
Taco skillet? More like taco mess! 😅 I couldn’t make it look pretty, but it tasted good!
Haha, I totally get it! Presentation is hard sometimes, but if it tastes good, that’s what matters! 🌮
I don’t know… It kinda looks easy to me. Just throw it all together, right? Maybe I’ll give it a try.
My husband says he could eat this every day! I guess that’s a win!
Easy peasy! My kids got bored eating normal tacos so this was a fun change!
This recipe is not realistic! Who eats that much cheese? 1 cup is a lot!
It does seem like a lot, but you can always use less cheese. Just adjust to your taste! 🤷♂️
I think one cup of cheese is totally fine! It’s a taco skillet, not a salad! 😄
This is the best taco recipe I’ve ever tried! So easy and delicious!
I don’t have a skillet, can I do this in the oven? 🤔
Low effort, high payoff! My picky kid went back for seconds and asked for the cilantro again 😂
Aww love this 😂 If your kid asked for cilantro again, you know it’s a win. I’m stealing that “seconds” test!
I dunno about the black beans. I tried it without them and it was way better! Just personal taste, I guess.
I dunno… the black beans makes it kinda weird. Just stick to meat and cheese?
I don’t think beef is the best for this. Maybe chicken would be better?
Yum! But I swapped out beef for turkey, and it was still delish!
Not bad, but the tortilla chips on top of everything? Mine went kinda soggy fast. Next time I’ll probably serve chips on the side or wait to assemble.
It was ok, but I think tacos should be made with soft tortillas not chips lol.
I think it should have more cheese! But overall, not bad.
My kids ate it all! 👏 Quick dinner that everyone enjoyed. Thanks!
Yum! I’ll make it again, but prob with pork next time.
Sounds great! I’ve never thought of using pork, that might be delicious too!
Taco skillet with pork?? 🤔 You sure that gonna taste good? Beef is the best!
SO GOOD!! I did add some jalapeños for heat and it was fire! Highly recommend. 🔥