Beef Tacos Soft Tortillas (Printable)

Ground beef with soft tortillas and fresh garnishes for a tasty, casual Mexican dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 2 tsp chili powder
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - ½ tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tsp salt
10 - ½ tsp black pepper
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp beef broth or water

→ Soft Tortillas

13 - 8 small flour tortillas

→ Toppings (optional)

14 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
15 - 1 cup diced tomatoes
16 - ½ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
17 - ½ cup sour cream
18 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
19 - Fresh cilantro leaves
20 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Mix in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Toast spices for 1 minute while stirring.
05 - Add tomato paste and combine thoroughly. Pour in beef broth or water, stir well, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Heat soft tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave until flexible and warm.
07 - Fill each tortilla with beef mixture. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, red onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime as desired. Serve immediately.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • These tacos come together in under 35 minutes, making them perfect for weeknight dinners when you're hungry but don't want to spend hours cooking.
  • The beef filling is deeply flavored without being overly complicated, built from spices that actually taste like something instead of tasting like a generic packet.
  • Soft tortillas hold the filling without cracking, and you control every topping, so everyone at your table gets exactly what they want.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the onions first; raw onion flavor will overpower everything else, but caramelized onion adds a subtle sweetness that grounds the entire dish.
  • Drain excess fat from the beef after browning—it prevents the filling from becoming greasy and allows the spices to coat the meat properly instead of sliding around in grease.
  • If your tortillas are cold or stiff, they'll crack when you fill them; warming them transforms their texture from brittle to silky.
03 -
  • Toast your spices in the hot pan before adding liquid—this one step deepens their flavor and prevents that flat, powdery taste that comes from untoasted spice blends.
  • Keep the tortillas wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to stay warm while you fill them; cold tortillas are the enemy of a good taco experience.

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