Name: Cheesy Beef Taco Skillet
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large yellow onion (finely chopped); 1 lb ground beef or turkey; 2 bell peppers (any color, diced); 3 tablespoons taco seasoning (); 1 1/2 cups fresh salsa; 3 cups baby spinach (pre-washed and coarsely chopped); 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (Mexican blend, Cheddar or Monterrey Jack); 1/2 cup sliced black olives; Shredded romaine lettuce; Corn chips (optional); Avocado; Sour cream

Recipe

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When it’s Taco Tuesday and you’re short on time, these Cheesy Beef Taco Skillet come together in a flash!

Easy, simple, meaty, cheesy, do I dare to call it the best ground beef taco recipe? Yes, because this epic dinner is ready to serve effortlessly in 15 minutes!

Beef Taco Skillet

Flavorful meat with melted cheese might not be the typical taco recipe, but it’s one everyone will love! These Skillet Tacos also have a secret ingredient: spinach! By cooking your spinach into the meat and covering with cheese, it adds a little “extra” nutrition to an otherwise normal meal.

For me, as a busy mom, the biggest winner of the dish isn’t just that my family loves it, but the simplicity and how quickly it comes together. And dishes? Well, it’s just a skillet and whatever we eat on. Easiest cleanup ever!

This taco skillet is also a lifesaver when you plan on Taco Tuesday but forgot the tortillas… how do you think I came up with this meal the first time?

You can serve it on a bed of tortilla chips or salad greens, just make sure to pile on the toppings! I typically serve it straight from the skillet at the table. Everyone loves to dig in the right from the pan –family style.

What You Need

Ground beef is by far the easiest cut of meat to use for beef tacos since it’s easy and fast to cook. Add seasonings, cheese, toppings, and dinner is ready! Here’s what you need:

Olive oil: for cooking.
Onion: I’m using yellow onion, but any chopped onion works!
Ground beef: you can swap it for ground turkey.
Bell peppers: any color!
Taco seasoning: adds tons of flavor.
Salsa: homemade or your favorite store-bought salsa.
Baby spinach: coarsely chopped to sneak extra nutrition into these tacos!
Shredded cheese: Mexican blend, Cheddar, or Monterrey Jack.
Olives: any olives you have on hand.
Lettuce: a great green base for the tasty beef. Use your favorite greens!
Corn chips: optional for serving.
Avocado: adds nutrition and creaminess.
Sour cream: to drizzle over these tacos.

You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card below.

overhead view of taco skillet on a white plate surrounded by taco toppings

How to Make a Skillet Tacos

One skillet + 15 minutes = The most convenient taco night ever! Make these skillet tacos once and you’ll be planning when to serve them again! Here’s how you can make this terrific meal:

Sauté onion
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm up oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until soft.
Cook the meat
Add the ground meat, diced bell peppers, and taco seasoning and cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, for about 5-7 minutes until it’s cooked through.
Add the other ingredients
Add fresh salsa and spinach, stir to combine and heat through. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle shredded cheese and black olives over the meat mixture. Cover, and gather the remaining garnishing ingredients.
Assemble!
Create a bed of shredded Romaine lettuce on a plate, scoop a serving of the mixture, top with desired toppings, and serve.

Check out this video to see how easily this taco skillet comes together:

I’ve got taco recipes for the whole year waiting for you in the Taco Tuesday Cookbook and while each is easy and delicious, I do have my favorites.

Korean Beef Tacos and Quick Carne Asada are both made in the one skillet and always a crowd-pleaser but the Mexican Short Rib Tacos, these babies are killer! Cooked in the slow cooker, the meat just falls off the bone and melts my heart.

Recipe Variations

The most convenient meals are the ones made with simple ingredients you can easily swap for whatever you have around. These skillet tacos are one of them!

Use another meat
You can swap ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken. Tacos will be as good, high-protein, and a family favorite!

Use any cheese
Any shredded cheese make these taco skillet super cheesy! My favorites are Mexican blend, Cheddar, and Monterrey Jack.

No lettuce? No problem
While the pictures show these tacos over shredded lettuce, you can use other greens you have on hand, like cabbage or arugula. Lettuce cups are also great for serving tacos. No greens at all? It’s still a terrific meal to serve with other sides!

How to Serve Skillet Tacos

Double this recipe because there are many delicious ways you can serve these skillet tacos to enjoy a different meal the next days!

Inside a Tortilla: if you want to stick to the classics, place this flavorful meat inside your favorite tortillas or taco shell.

Over Rice: I explain how to cook perfect rice in this post. Cook it using your favorite method and serve on a dish with the taco filling. For a low-carb option, prep cauliflower rice in the microwave or bake it in the oven.

With Chips: digging in tortilla chips to enjoy this taco skillet for dinner is, for sure, a family favorite! It’s fun and super delicious!

As a Taco Salad: all the flavor of tacos in a healthy dish you can assemble using your favorite veggies. Sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, corn, and scallions are just some delicious options!

Over Bell Pepper Nachos: add more veggies to taco night by serving taco skillet over bell pepper nachos. Healthy, colorful, low-carb, and, of course, delish!

taco skillet with lettuce and chips on a plate

Toppings for Skillet Tacos

I’m a sucker for the classic Beef Taco toppings like:

Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Guacamole
Salsa
Black olives

Enjoying this recipe? Check out my 51 amazing taco dishes straight from The Taco Tuesday Cookbook. Never make boring tacos again!

Cheesy Beef Taco Skillet

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

When it’s Taco Tuesday and you’re short on time, these Cheesy Beef Taco Skillet come together in a flash!

4.98 from 35 votes

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Ingredients

For the filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef or turkey
2 bell peppers, any color, diced
3 tablespoons taco seasoning,
1 ½ cups fresh salsa
3 cups baby spinach, pre-washed and coarsely chopped
1 ½ cup shredded cheese, Mexican blend, Cheddar or Monterrey Jack
½ cup sliced black olives

For serving:

Shredded romaine lettuce
Corn chips , optional
Avocado
Sour cream

Instructions

Cook the filling:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm up oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until soft. Add the ground meat, diced bell peppers, and taco seasoning and cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, for about 5-7 minutes until it’s cooked through.
Add fresh salsa and spinach, stir to combine and heat through. Turn off heat, sprinkle shredded cheese and black olives over meat mixture. Cover, and gather remaining garnishing ingredients.