Crispy Ground Beef Tacos

5 from 2 votes

Corn tortillas stuffed with seasoned ground beef, diced sweet potato, and shredded cheese, then shallow-fried until crispy and served with guacamole, pico de gallo, and chipotle salsa.

Prep Time5

Cook Time12

Total Time17

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

½ tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion finely diced
1 cup sweet potato finely diced
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 lime juiced

For Serving

small corn tortillas
shredded cheese Cheddar or Monterey Jack
Pico de Gallo
Chipotle Salsa
Guacamole

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add the ground meat, onion, and sweet potato; sauté for 5-10 minutes and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Add all the taco seasoning and stir to combine. Continue to cook the ground meat and break it down with the back of a wooden spoon until it's fully cooked and no pink remains, and the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Once cooked, season with salt as needed and add lime juice to taste.
Warm the tortillas slightly so they’re pliable. Spoon 2 tablespoon of the beef mixture and a little shredded cheese into each tortilla, then fold it in half.
Heat about ½ inch of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the stuffed tortillas, pressing down gently with a spatula. Fry until golden and crispy on both sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
Top each taco with guacamole, and serve with pico de gallo and chipotle salsa on the side

Notes

Dice the sweet potato into small pieces. Smaller pieces cook more quickly alongside the ground beef and onion. Make sure they're fork-tender before assembling the tacos.
Break up the ground beef as it cooks. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces so the filling cooks evenly and is easy to spoon into the tortillas.
Season the filling before assembling. Stir in the taco seasoning and continue cooking until the meat is fully cooked and the sweet potato is tender. Finish with salt and fresh lime juice to taste.
Warm the corn tortillas first. Cold corn tortillas can crack when folded. Warm them briefly until pliable before adding the filling.
Don't overfill the tacos. About 2 tablespoons of beef filling and a little shredded cheese per tortilla makes them easier to fold and fry without spilling.
Keep the frying oil at medium heat. Use about ½ inch of neutral oil and fry the tacos until golden on both sides. Adjust the heat if the tortillas brown too quickly.
Drain the tacos after frying. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil, then serve while they're still hot and crispy.
Add fresh toppings just before serving. Guacamole, pico de gallo, and chipotle salsa add freshness and flavor. Serve the salsa on the side to keep the tortillas from becoming soggy.

If you want to skip frying the entire taco, here's how to make your own hard shell tacos:

10 (5-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup avocado oil (or enough for ½ inch depth in pan)
Dalkin&Co. Taco Seasoning, to taste
Flaky salt, to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions:

Heat the Oil: In a large skillet, heat avocado oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (or until a small piece of tortilla sizzles immediately when dropped in).
Fry & Shape the Shells: Using metal tongs, carefully place a tortilla in the hot oil. Let it fry for about 10-15 seconds, then use the tongs to gently fold it in half, holding it open just enough to create a taco shell shape. Fry for another 30-45 seconds per side, flipping as needed, until golden brown and crispy.
Drain & Season: Remove the shell from the oil and let excess oil drip off before placing it on a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt and Dalkin&Co. Taco Seasoning. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Repeat: Continue frying the remaining tortillas, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Nutrition (estimated)