Mom’s Easy Weeknight Tacos con Carne is a fast, family-friendly taco recipe made with ground beef, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and simple seasonings. Ready in about 30 minutes, this recipe uses pantry staples to create a nutritious dinner that’s mild enough for kids while still flavorful enough for adults. This is the taco recipe I grew up eating. Whenever Mom made her Tacos con Carne we were so excited to sit down for dinner. She discovered the recipe years ago in a TV Guide magazine, and it quickly became a family favorite. Today, I still make it because it’s simple, affordable, and packed with ingredients I usually have on hand.
The Origins of Mom’s Tacos
The original recipe included chopped onions, which I suspect my mom omitted to make the tacos more kid-friendly. The primary seasonings were simply chili powder, salt, and pepper. The original recipe also recommended using a chili powder blend that contained cumin. Over time, Mom started using a taco seasoning packet for added flavor and convenience. My brother and I are convinced those packets contributed flavors like onion, garlic, paprika, cumin, and perhaps a little cornstarch for thickening. Feel free to add those seasonings to taste. I’ve kept this version intentionally simple to honor the tacos I grew up eating.
Can Tacos be Healthy
Tacos can absolutely be part of a healthy meal when they’re made with wholesome ingredients. Ground beef provides high-quality protein along with important nutrients like vitamin B12 and CoQ10. Kidney beans contribute fiber, polyphenols, and B vitamins, while tomato sauce adds vitamins and antioxidants. Together, these simple pantry staples create a satisfying, nutrient-dense filling that goes far beyond typical fast-food tacos. And that’s before adding toppings. Lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and other fresh ingredients can add even more nutrients and flavor to every bite.
Prepare the toppings
- Cut the cheese into strips (just like my mom did), or shred a block of cheese if preferred.
- Shred the lettuce into thin strips and slice the tomatoes into thin pieces.
Make the Taco Filling
- Heat a saute pan over medium heat for a minute or two, add olive oil, then the ground meat to brown.
- As the meat is browning, drain and rinse kidney beans and mash them like potatoes.
- Once meat is browned, drain off any excessive oil leaving only 1 tablespoon in the pan. If using lean meat and there is no extra grease in the pan, there is no need to add any additional oil.
- Stir in mashed kidney beans, the 8oz. can of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Heat until steaming and the flavors have melded.
Assemble the Tacos
- Heat taco shells in a 350°F oven for 3–5 minutes.
- Be sure to place the cardboard spacer inside the first shell to help maintain its shape while warming—usually included in the boxed taco shells.
- Fill each shell with the meat and bean mixture. Immediately add cheese so it begins to melt.
- Top with lettuce and tomatoes and serve.
- Optional toppings include sour cream, guacamole, avocado, salsa, or hot sauce.
You can build the tacos and serve on a platter or put all the ingredients on the table and make it a build your own scenario. Add the meat and bean mixture to the shells, top with a slice of cheese right away so that it has a chance to melt a bit. Top with lettuce and tomatoes. You can also add sour cream or guacamole if desired.
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Mom’s Easy Weeknight Tacos con Carne
Ingredients
- 3 slices cheese American (cut in slices)
- 1 head ice berg lettuce shredded
- 1 large tomato thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef lean (or ground turkey or chicken)
- 15 oz kidney beans canned (rinsed, drained, and mashed)
- 8 oz tomato sauce canned
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 taco shells
Instructions
- Cut the cheese into strips (just like my mom did), or shred a block of cheese if preferred. Shred ice berg or Romain lettuce into thin strips. Slice tomatoes into thin pieces that you could pick up with your hands and put into the taco.
- Heat a saute pan over medium heat for a minute or two, add olive oil, then the ground meat to brown. As the meat is browning, drain and rinse kidney beans and mash them like potatoes. Once meat is browned, drain off any excessive oil leaving only 1 tablespoon in the pan. If using lean meat and there is no extra fat in the pan, there is no need to add any additional oil. Stir in mashed kidney beans, the 8oz. can of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper to taste. Heat until steaming and the flavors have melded.
- Heat taco shells in a 350 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Be sure to use the cardboard piece in the first shell to keep it from collapsing.
- Build tacos by adding the meat and bean mixture to the warm shells and top with a slice of cheese, some tomatoes, and shredded lettuce.
