This crockpot taco meat cooks right in the slow cooker with salsa and taco seasoning, so you can make a big batch with almost no hands-on time. Use it for tacos tonight and freeze the rest for quick meals later.
Slow Cooker Taco Meat
I’ve been cooking ground beef in the slow cooker for years because it's such a practical way to get dinner on the table without standing over the stove. For taco meat, I add seasoning and salsa and let the slow cooker do the work. These days, I almost always make enough to freeze because my teenager will pull out a portion whenever he's hungry and turn it into a taco bowl. Having cooked, seasoned meat ready to reheat has become one of those little freezer shortcuts that gets used constantly in my house.
Ingredients
You’ll need ground meat (beef, turkey, or chicken), taco seasoning, and some salsa (chunky or restaurant-style), which serves as the liquid added to the slow cooker, providing flavor to the recipe.
The recipe here has the amounts for 2lbs of ground meat; however, you can double or triple it and cook more taco meat in bulk, up to 6lbs, inside a large slow cooker.
How to Make Taco Meat in the Crockpot
- Prep
Add everything inside the crockpot. Break up the meat and mix it with the salsa and seasoning. If you add a block of meat, it will cook as a block. - Cook
Cook on high or low, whichever is most convenient for you. Break up the cooked taco meat during cooking (if you’re around) or when it’s finished but before you drain the excess liquid for the best texture.
- Serve
Use the taco meat to make ground beef tacos, taco pasta, or your favorite recipes.
Storing Slow Cooked Taco Meat
Once cooled, refrigerate the taco meat in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Or, freeze in portions inside freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge or reheat the frozen meat directly in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.
Crockpot Taco Meat
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 4 tablespoons taco seasoning, 2 packages
- 1 ½ cups salsa, any
Instructions
Prep:
- Place the ground beef into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Break up the meat with a wooden spatula or meat chopper tool. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat and pour the salsa over the top. Mix to combine as well as possible.
Cook:
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. Here and there, use the spatula or chopper tool to break up the beef into smaller pieces. This can be done when the meat is finished cooking too.
- Once the beef is cooked through, use a spoon to drain the liquid or fat from the bottom of the slow cooker.
Serve:
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a serving bowl or serve it directly from the slow cooker.
Store:
- Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
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Johanna says
such an easy way to make taco meat int he crockpot!
Pam says
I’m a newlywed and I’m learning to cook so simple recipes like this taco meat are saving my meals!!
Sierra says
This crockpot taco meat was so easy and delicious!
Cassie says
This was SO easy to make! Loved the simple slow cooker taco meat for meal prep this week.