If you are looking for an easy and delicious kid-friendly dinner that you can make on a weeknight, this Beef Taco One Pan Meal is the perfect solution. Made in one skillet and packed full of flavor from the beef, taco seasoning, and enchilada sauce, this is a dish you and your family will love.
This dish is made mostly with standard ingredients you’ll find in your pantry and refrigerator, making it something you can pull together easily even on a weeknight. This is a very forgiving recipe – if you have something in your cupboard that is similar to one of the ingredients called for, save yourself a trip to the store and go ahead and substitute it!
I had green enchilada sauce in my pantry so I used that in today’s cooking. Feel free to use the more standard red enchilada sauce if you prefer.
I love the flavor that the corn tortilla strips bring to the dish, taking it in New Mexican direction. You can use flour tortillas but they may not stand up as well to the heavy sauce.
While making the dish and covered in cheese
This is one meal that your littles will beg you to make again and again. A real crowd pleaser! And speaking of crowds, you can easily scale this up to feed larger groups.
It would be a great recipe to teach your teenagers to make when they go off to college. One pan on one burner, perfect for dorm room cuisine! They can leave out the chopped vegetables to make it even easier.
I used my stir-fry pan from Anolon to make this dish. It is deep and wide, perfect when you need to toss things together like in this recipe. It worked perfectly!
If you want to make your own taco seasoning (safer for someone with Celiac) here is a great recipe from my friend, Traci of The Kitchen Girl. And if you want to make your own enchilada sauce, here is a highly rated gluten-free version from Two Peas and their Pod.
Making your own components definitely helps keep your family safe if gluten or another dietary restriction is an issue for you. Plus they taste infinitely better than anything you can buy at the store.
I love simple recipes that come together in a snap and this Beef Taco One Pan Meal couldn’t be easier to put together. I love how rich and filling this meal is. About 30 minutes and you’ve got dinner on the table and smiles on everyone’s faces!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Beef Taco Pan Meal:
- Ground beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic, taco seasoning,
- Cumin, water, enchilada sauce, black beans, corn kernels,
- Corn tortillas, cheese, cilantro, green onions, avocado, sour cream
PRO Tip:
Many corn tortillas have added wheat in their ingredients. Always watch carefully if you need to avoid gluten!
How to make Beef Taco Pan Meal:
- Cook the ground beef, onions, and bell peppers until the beef is fully cooked with no pink centers, about 5 minutes. Break up clumps as it cooks getting it as smooth as possible. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute then drain off all the fat leaving the beef and vegetables in the pan.
- Add the taco seasoning, cumin, water, and enchilada sauce, stirring together. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until it begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low and stir in the beans, corn, and tortilla strips. Cook, stirring carefully, for 3 to 4 more minutes to blend the flavors.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top and let it melt. Remove from the heat and scoop out servings immediately then add your favorite garnishes. Serve hot.
PRO Tip:
Use your favorites to garnish the top of this dish – anything goes! This time I used sour cream, red bell peppers, green onions, and avocado slices. I like to place the toppings on the table and let people add what they like. It makes the meal even more fun!
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Kitchen scale
- Chef’s knife
- Deep 10-inch or 12-inch skillet
Gluten-Free Tips:
Watch both the taco seasoning and enchilada sauce – they often contain gluten ingredients. Look for GF labeling and double check the ingredients list.
Keep an eye out for the tortillas too, many (if not most) corn tortillas these days contain wheat! It helps keep the tortillas flexible and is an easy way for producers to “improve” their products for the American palate. Mission brand is a good choice for gluten-free corn tortillas. Warm them, covered, in the microwave for about 20 seconds to gently steam and soften them before trying to fold or roll them. No need to warm them before slicing and using in this recipe.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Beef Taco One Pan Meal (Gluten Free)
If you are looking for an easy and delicious weeknight kid-friendly dinner, this Beef Taco One Pan Meal is the perfect solution. Packed full of flavor from the beef, taco seasoning, and enchilada sauce, this is a dish you and your family will love.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (454g) lean ground beef (90/10 if you can get it)
- 1/2 onion, chopped finely
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 package (1 oz; 28g) gluten-free taco seasoning
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground cumin, optional
- 1/2 cup (113g) water
- 1/2 can (15 oz; about 425g) gluten-free enchilada sauce, red or green, such as Hatch brand
- 1 can (15 oz; 425g) gluten-free black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (about 171g) frozen corn, thawed or canned, drained
- 6 (8-inch; 20cm) gluten-free corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch (3cm) strips; Mission brand is a good choice
- 2 cups (226g) shredded Mexican blend cheese or cheddar
- Green onions, avocado, cilantro, red bell peppers, and/or sour cream for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a 10- or 12-inch pan (25 or 31 cm), cook the ground beef, onions, and bell peppers together, breaking up clumps, until there is no longer any pink showing in the meat, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute, stirring often. After the beef is cooked, drain the fat completely and return the beef to the pan.
- To the beef in the pan, add the taco seasoning, cumin, water, and enchilada sauce. Continue to cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as needed.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the black beans, corn, and tortilla strips. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, stirring gently. Try not to break up the tortilla strips.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the dish and let sit long enough for it to begin to melt. You can also pop it into the oven if you prefer. Remove from the heat and scoop out servings immediately, adding garnishes of your choice. Serve hot.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
Recipe adapted from Cathy of Noble Pig
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 307Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 280mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 6gSugar: 4gProtein: 16g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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