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!

So I dare to call it the best ground beef taco recipe? Yes, because this taco skillet is an epic dinner that is ready to serve effortlessly in 15 minutes!

Beef Taco Skillet

This taco skillet is 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? Flavorful meat with melted cheese might not be the typical taco recipe, but it's one everyone will love!

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!

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. This recipe also has a secret ingredient: spinach! By cooking it into the meat and covering with salsa, cheese, and olives, it adds a little "extra" nutrition to an otherwise normal meal.

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

How to Make Skillet Tacos

One skillet + simple ingredients = The most convenient taco night ever! You’ll simply cook the ground meat with the veggies in the skillet for about 10 minutes. Add cheese, serve the mixture over a bed of lettuce, top with desired toppings, and enjoy!

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! You can swap the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken, switch up the cheese for another favorite, or get wild with your taco toppings.

taco skillet with lettuce and chips on a plate

How to Serve Skillet Tacos

Double this recipe because there are many delicious ways you can serve this taco skillet: inside a tortilla or taco boats, over rice, with chips, as a taco salad, or even over bell pepper nachos. And don’t forget to enjoy a Dr. Pepper Margarita or a Spicy Margarita with it!

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.