Slow Cooker Beef Taco Recipe

This Slow Cooker Beef Taco recipe is, hands down, a busy person’s best friend! You just set it and forget it, and come home to a house filled with the most intoxicating aroma, as though you’ve been standing over the stove all day long. Taco Tuesday has never been easier!

This is also a great slow cooker recipe for entertaining when you need to feed a crowd for Game Day or a housewarming party!

Looking for grilled beef tacos? Try my Carne Asada Taco Recipe! Or my Cod Fish Tacos, for a lighter summer taco. 

Ingredients:

• Ground Beef: Look for 80% lean ground beef, meaning 80% lean beef to 20% fat. This will prevent your taco meat from being too dry.
• Olive Oil: For browning the ground beef.
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper: For seasoning the beef.
• Yellow Onion: Will provide more flavor than a white onion, but you can substitute it for white onions if you prefer.
• Diced Canned Tomatoes: No need to drain them, pop them into the slow cooker, juice and all.
• Garlic: This recipe calls for 5 cloves of garlic. This may seem like a lot, but after simmering for 4-6 hours, it mellows out, sweetens up, and adds so much flavor to the tacos. Fresh garlic is my preference; it will provide better flavor than garlic powder.
• Smoked Paprika is different than regular paprika or Hungarian Paprika. It has a wonderful smoky flavor, which provides a delicious flavor to the taco meat. You can also mix smoked paprika into store-bought ketchup for a smoky ketchup that’s great on Burgers. 
• Cumin adds a wonderful earthy flavor that complements the smokiness of the paprika
• Oregano adds a nice freshness and bold flavor to the tacos. If you don’t have oregano, the next best thing would be Herbs de Provence. I’ve used that too in a pinch.
• Ground Corriander is a great “nice to have,” but you could skip it if need be. It adds a subtle sweetness and delicious aroma to the tacos. 
• White Vinegar: Just a splash at the end of simmering to add a bright finish.
• Crispy Tacos Shells: Heat them in the oven at 300°F for about 5 minutes or until hot. It makes them crispier, and a warm taco shell is always a nice touch.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Look for sharp cheddar; it will provide a stronger flavor.
• Iceberg Lettuce: For a crunchy, cooling finish to the tacos. This is especially good if you also add hot sauce or red pepper flakes to your tacos.
• Hot Sauce or Red Pepper Flakes: They are optional, but I offer them at the table for those who prefer a little heat.

Step# 1: Cook the Ground Beef

• Ground beef needs to be cooked thoroughly before putting it in a slow cooker.
• This is because the slow cooker’s temperature is not hot enough to kill bacteria in raw meat. But after the beef has been cooked through and seasoned, the rest is as easy as it gets!
• Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it simmer away!
• In a large non-stick skillet, cook the ground beef in a little olive oil, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through on all sides.

Step#2: Season the Beef

• Season the beef with salt, pepper, and the spices.
• Skip the pre-packaged taco seasoning! Use my spice blend instead! You’ll have a lot better flavor, and without the preservatives or MSG.
• I like to season the beef at this stage, rather than in the slow cooker, because it ensures the beef is well-seasoned evenly before simmering.
• Then add the garlic, and stir to combine.

Step#3: Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker

• You may think the beef will dry out in the slow cooker, but it has the opposite effect. The condensation from the covered pot adds a lot of steam during cooking, which helps keep the meat moist.
• Add the seasoned beef mixture to the slow cooker, along with the remaining ingredients.
• And place the lid on the slow cooker.
• Stir it occasionally, every hour or so, to keep the flavors mingling.

How Long to Slow Cook?

• This really depends on how much time you have.
• If you are in a rush and don’t have much time, I’d set your slow cooker on high for 4 hours. If you have more time, I think these are even better set on low and go for 6-7 hours. 
• The flavors become so much more pronounced when it simmers low and slow, and the result is the best taco meat!
• The leftovers are even better! Since the flavors marry overnight in the refrigerator, you can easily reheat the taco meat on the stovetop or in the microwave the next day.

The Secret Ingredient: Vinegar

• Don’t skimp on the vinegar; it adds a wonderful little bite to the tomato-based sauce, waking up the whole thing!
• After slow cooking for hours, your tacos will develop the most incredible depth of flavor.
• The vinegar just helps to brighten up a bit. I also like to serve a selection of hot sauces on the side so each person can add their “own heat”. 

To Serve:

• These tacos make for a fun buffet when entertaining a crowd. You can set the slow cooker on warm, add a stack of plates, and all the fixings. These are some of my favorite toppings
• I like to use sharp cheddar cheese, or a finely shredded Mexican blend cheese, if you want the cheese to melt quickly
• Warmed taco shells.
• Sliced lettuce ribbons
• Fresh cilantro 
• A selection of different types of hot sauce in varying degrees of heat
• Full-fat sour cream. I do the full-fat since it’s thicker and won’t water down your tacos.

To Reheat:

• This taco meat recipe makes fantastic leftovers! They are easy to reheat, too!
• Just place the taco meat in a saucepan, add a splash of vinegar to reawaken the flavor, and a shake or two of oregano. And simmer until hot.
• If you run out of taco shells, you can also spoon the taco meat over tortilla chips, top with cheese, and make nachos.  

Making This Recipe Without a Slow Cooker

• If not making these in a slow cooker, you can use a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
• Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil into the pot and sauté the onions until soft and tender.
• Then brown the meat until cooked through
• Then add all ingredients and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Add vinegar, stir, and serve!

More Great Recipes You’ll Enjoy!

• Carne Asada Tacos
• Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Charred Corn Salad Recipe
• Cheese Puff Recipe
• Beef Tenderloin Roast Recipe