Taco Bell Meat Recipe

A skillet with Taco Bell meat next to a plate of homemade Taco Bell tacos

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4.93 from 14 votes

This Taco Bell meat recipe tastes just like the real deal. The texture and flavor is spot-on plus it's SO easy to make!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Taco Bell Meat

Servings: servings

Calories: 149kcal

Author: Erica Walker

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (85% lean 15% fat)
2 1/3 cups water or beef broth divided
5 tablespoons taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought), or to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder, for color (optional)
salt, to taste

Instructions

Combine ground beef, 1 ⅔ cups water, taco seasoning, cornstarch, and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl.
Mix by hand or with a mixer until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. It should be sticky and almost like a thick batter.
Grease a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven with cooking oil. Add the meat mixture. Pour the remaining ⅔ cup water in, cover, and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Using a spatula to break up the meat completely. Allow to simmer on low heat, uncovered, until the water evaporates and the meat mixture thickens, 20-30 minutes. Taste along the way and season with salt if needed.
Serve with hard or soft taco shells, or use it to create your favorite Taco Bell item!

Video

Notes

You can also easily cook the Taco Bell meat in a pressure cooker. Place 2/3 cup water in the pressure cooker and then add the meat mixture. Seal and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes, then allow for a 10-minute natural release. Release the rest of the pressure with a quick release and use a metal spatula to break up the meat. Switch the setting to saute and cook until the meat mixture thickens.

Nutrition