Best Beef Recipes is an Amazon Associate. We receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links.
My recipe for Crockpot Taco Meat is the best taco meat you will ever make at home! It's easy, needing only 5 minutes of prep and simple ingredients that make up the best taco meat seasoning recipe. Set it, leave it to enjoy the rest of your day, then come back to the perfect meat for taco dinner!
Jump to:
Best Taco Meat Recipe
My family looks forward to taco night at least once a week, and out of all the methods I've tried, crockpot taco meat is my favorite way to prepare it! It's as easy as adding all of your ingredients to the pot and cooking it on high. You don't need to do anything to it - you don't even need to stir it!
But, don't be fooled by how easy it is to make slow cooker taco meat. The prep might be simple, but the flavor is not! It is so complex and flavorful, I promise you'll be cooking taco meat in the crock pot every time after trying it just once.
Taco night has never been so easy. I know you're going to love this recipe as much as my family does!
Slow Cooked Taco Meat FAQs
Taco meat lasts 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Generally, you will want about ¼ pound of taco meat per person. The average person eats about 3 tacos. This recipe for crockpot taco meat yields 3 pounds of taco meat, which is enough for 12 servings, making it perfect for serving a crowd or for meal prepping for the week.
Altogether, this recipe uses about 9 Tablespoons of seasoning, not including the salt (which is to taste), which would amount to about 3 Tablespoons of seasoning per pound of meat.
My taco meat seasoning recipe uses chili powder, garlic powder, dried chopped onion, ground black pepper, paprika, and salt. This blend of seasonings for taco meat is just perfect!
Crockpot taco meat using 90/10 lean hamburger beef makes the best taco meat. It cooks easily and is so flavorful.
It is perfectly safe to put raw ground beef in a slow cooker as long as you cook it all the way through.
Crockpot taco meat is not only possible, it is the best way to make taco meat. Simply add the ground beef, seasonings, and water to the pot, and cook on high.
My recipe for taco meat is completely gluten-free.
My taco meat recipe is keto-friendly and perfect for serving as part of a keto meal plan! Try making it into lettuce wraps.
You will need at least a 6-quart Slow Cooker Crockpot.
How to Make Taco Meat in Crock Pot
- Place the hamburger meat in the crockpot and break it up with a wooden spoon or similar utensil.
- Place all the seasonings in the crock pot and stir well.
- Add water.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. When ready, taste for seasonings and add more if need be. Enjoy!
How Long to Cook Taco Meat in Crock Pot
Cook slow cooker taco meat for 3 hours on high. This will perfectly cook the taco meat and develops the flavor of the seasoned beef so well.
How to Cook Taco Meat for a Crowd
My recipe for crockpot taco meat calls for 3 pounds of beef, which makes enough for 12 servings.
If you need more, you will need a larger slow cooker or you can cook the beef at separate times. Crockpot taco meat holds up well in the refrigerator and can easily be made ahead of time!
Instant Pot Taco Meat Instructions
You can make this taco meat recipe in the Instant Pot, too. Because you need more room in the Instant Pot for the food to pressurize and cook properly, I recommend cooking 1 pound of ground beef at a time to ensure you do not go above the max fill line.
Follow these instructions to make Instant Pot taco meat. Instant Pot taco meat can be made using frozen or thawed ground beef.
- First, add 1 cup of water to the pot. Then, place the trivet in the pot and add the ground beef on top of the trivet.
- Seal the lid and pressure cook for 15 minutes on high pressure for thawed ground beef, or 20 minutes on high pressure for frozen ground beef.
- Once the cook time is up, carefully quick release the pressure. After it releases, transfer the beef to a plate and remove the trivet. Rinse and dry the inside of the pot.
- Add the ground beef back to the Instant Pot on saute mode. Cook the beef until it browns and crumbles. Once it is mostly brown, add your seasoning and another ½ cup of water. Cook until the liquid is mostly gone, then serve and enjoy.
Leftover Taco Meat Recipes
If you have leftover taco meat, try using it for some of my favorite taco meat recipe ideas! These are the best hamburger meat recipes for using up your leftover meat.
- Mexican Ground Beef Casserole
- Keto Taco Casserole
- Make a burrito bowl by serving leftover taco meat on top of rice
- Make beef nachos using taco meat
- Add it to Hamburger Soup
Recipe Tips
- If you don’t prefer lean hamburger, cook the hamburger by itself for two hours, drain, then add all the remaining ingredients. Chop up the hamburger and stir well. Leave to cook for another hour.
- If need be, you can swap out the seasonings for 3 packets of your favorite taco seasoning.
- If you want to cook the beef on low, it will need to cook for 6 hours.
- Even if you place the meat in the slow cooker chopped up when raw, it will cook into a big disc. So, you’ll want to break it up really well so all the flavors can reach as much of the hamburger as possible.
- The water helps the hamburger remain moist and not dry out through the slow cooking process. It’s important and shouldn’t be omitted!
- Want a slight sweetness to your taco meat? Add a Tablespoon of brown sugar to the mix.
- Want a spicy twist? Add 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, or add some fresh/pickled jalapenos in the mix. Some hot sauce would be a nice touch as well, while adding even more flavor!
I love serving this dish with a big batch of Mexican Street Corn! It is an amazing combination of flavors!
Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
Try more of my best slow cooker beef recipes:
📌 Pin it for later!
Did you enjoy this page? Save it on Pinterest for later!Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!
📋 Recipe
Crockpot Taco Meat Recipe
Equipment
- 6-quart Slow cooker
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 3 Pounds 90/10 Lean Hamburger
- 1 Cup Water
- 3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Chopped Onion
- 1 Tablespoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the hamburger in the crockpot and break it up very well with a wooden spoon or similar utensil.3 Pounds 90/10 Lean Hamburger
- Place all the seasonings in the crock pot and stir well, then top with water.1 Cup Water, 3 Tablespoons Chili Powder, 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder, 2 Tablespoons Dried Chopped Onion, 1 Tablespoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper, 1 Tablespoon Paprika, Salt
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
- Taste for seasonings and add more if need be. Enjoy!
Notes
- You will need at least a 6-quart Slow Cooker Crockpot.
- If you don’t prefer lean hamburger, cook the hamburger by itself for two hours, drain, then add all the remaining ingredients. Chop up the hamburger and stir well. Leave to cook for another hour.
- If need be, you can swap out the seasonings for 3 packets of your favorite taco seasoning.
- If you want to cook the beef on low, it will need to cook for 6 hours.
- Even if you place the meat in the slow cooker chopped up when raw, it will cook into a big disc. So, you’ll want to break it up really well so all the flavors can reach as much of the hamburger as possible.
- The water helps the hamburger remain moist and not dry out through the slow cooking process. It’s important and shouldn’t be omitted!
- Want a slight sweetness to your taco meat? Add a Tablespoon of brown sugar to the mix.
- Want a spicy twist? Add 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, or add some fresh/pickled jalapenos in the mix. Some hot sauce would be a nice touch as well, while adding even more flavor!
Leave a comment or question - we love to hear from you!