Crockpot Taco Meat Recipe
This Crockpot Taco Meat is deeply seasoned and slightly smoky. The taco beef cooks low and slow until tender and flavorful.
Servings: 8
Calories: 230kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef at least 90/10 recommended
- 2 cups diced yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles 10 ounces, undrained
- 2 packets taco seasoning 1 ounce each
- 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Place the beef into the slow cooker base and break it up into small chunks. 2 pounds lean ground beef
- Add in the diced yellow onion, garlic and can of tomatoes and mix together. Sprinkle the taco seasoning packets, cocoa powder, salt and pepper over the meat. Stir well, so that all the meat is coated in seasoning. 2 cups diced yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles, 2 packets taco seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Secure the base and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours. About halfway through cooking, mix a few times to make sure everything is cooking evenly.
- Remove the lid in the last 10-15 minutes and allow some moisture to evaporate and the meat to thicken a little bit. You can remove extra fat by dabbing the top with a paper towel if there is a lot. Right before serving, add the lime juice and mix together and adjust the seasoning as necessary. 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Serve using a slotted spoon in tortillas with your favorite taco toppings like cheddar cheese and salsa.
Notes
Store leftover taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, slow cooker or stovetop until hot. You can also cool completely and store in freezer in portioned freezer bags for up to 3 months. It's a great meal prep recipe.
If you want a leaner option use ground turkey or chicken, or do half beef and half turkey mixture.
Leave the meat in the slow cooker and have it set to warm so that you can serve it hot while making the tacos, especially for seconds and thirds.
It’s up to you on how small you want to break up the meat. You can keep it in larger pieces for more texture or make it really ground depending on your preference.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 8, with 1 serving being 1/8 of the taco meat. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 430mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg
