Crock Pot Taco Meat

wooden spoon with ground beef and a black slow cooker

Crock pot taco meat is an easy dump-and-go recipe made with just a few simple ingredients, perfect for busy weeknights or for feeding a party crowd.

Course Main Course

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword Crockpot, ground beef, Slow Cooker, taco meat, tacos

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins

Servings

Calories 308

Author Robyn Downs

Equipment

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
1 16- oz jar no-sugar added salsa
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Optional serving suggestions

hard taco shells, warm corn or flour tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, diced tomato, shredded lettuce, guacamole, hot sauce, jalapeno, cilantro

Instructions

Add the ground beef, salsa, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder and salt to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Break the meat apart into small pieces and stir to combine with the other ingredients.
Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Do not remove the lid during the cooking process.
Serve in with taco shells or warm tortillas and toppings of choice.

Notes

Nutrition information calculated for taco meat only, without a taco shell or toppings.

The heat level of this taco meat will depend on the type of salsa and chili powder you use. For mild taco meat, use mild salsa and mild chili powder. For spicy taco meat, use spicy salsa and hot chili powder.

I tested this recipe with a number of different salsas, all of which worked well. However, overall we preferred a "thick and chunky" style jarred salsa (Trader Joe's and Muir Glen both make good organic options), or look for a store brand that doesn't contain added sugar.

The final taco meat is quite juicy, but if you prefer a drier taco meat, drain off some or all of the cooking liquid.

For more ingredients & substitutions, see blog post above.

Nutrition