These Southwest Beef Fried Tacos are perfect for taco night! They’re made with juicy ground beef, black beans, and melty cheddar cheese folded into corn or flour tortillas, then fried until crispy and golden.
What’s better than a classic beef taco? A fried one! These Southwest Beef Fried Tacos are a taco night hit that the family will love. They’re crispy and crunchy with the perfect cheesy, beefy, spiced filling.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Simple, but elevated – These Southwest Beef Fried Tacos are just as easy as any tacos, but taken to the next level when you fry them.
- Customizable – Enjoy as-is OR add in any fillings or toppings you love.
- Quick to make – Just 5 minutes of prep and 25 minutes start to finish!
Recipe Notes
This Fried Corn Tortilla Tacos recipe is as simple as promised! Just a 5 minutes of prep for a family friendly, easy dinner.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Fried Ground Beef Tacos to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Ground Beef – I recommend using lean ground beef to minimize oiliness.
- Onion
- Taco Seasoning
- Black Beans – Be sure to drain and rinse before using.
- Green Chiles
- Cheddar Cheese
- Tortillas – Corn or flour will work for this recipe.
- Vegetable Oil
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Swap the meat – I love these tacos with ground beef, but they can also be made with ground chicken, ground turkey, or a meatless variety of ground beef.
- Make them spicy – Love your tacos some extra heat? Try adding some cayenne pepper or chopped jalapeños to the mix.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Fried Ground Beef Tacos.
Heat a skillet over medium heat, then add in beef and onion. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, then drain excess fat.
Add in taco seasoning, green chiles, and black beans. Stir to combine, then remove the beef mixture from the heat and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, lay a tortilla flat into the oil. Top with 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture, then layer with shredded cheese. Use tongs to fold the tortilla in half. Cook until golden brown, then flip and cook until evenly cooked on both sides.
Once both sides are golden-brown, remove the taco from the skillet and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining tacos. To add toppings, gently pull apart each taco and stuff them with desired toppings.
Recipe Tips
- Drain excess grease before seasoning – After the beef is cooked through, be sure to drain off any excess fat before you season. If you drain the grease after seasoning, then you’ll drain out all of that flavor!
- Heat the oil before frying – To ensure crispy tacos, make sure you preheat the vegetable oil before you start frying your tortillas. This ensures that you get the perfect crispy texture!
- Add fillings after cooking – You can totally enjoy the tacos as-is once they’re fried, but if you want to add other fillings, you can gently pull the tacos apart and stuff the tacos to your liking!
- Serve immediately – As with most fried foods, these Fried Beef Tacos are best served right away. (Don’t worry, though. Leftovers are great too!)
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Cook the meat in advance – You can get ahead on prep by cooking the beef/bean mixture ahead of time, then storing it in the fridge for 2-3 days. When you’re ready to assemble and fry your tacos, then it’s ready to go.
- Cook, store, and reheat – While these tacos are best served fresh and hot out of the frying pan, you can absolutely store leftovers in the fridge or freezer to reheat later on.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making these Fried Ground Beef Tacos into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to Freeze Fried Tacos After Cooking
- Follow the recipe as instructed, then let the tacos cool completely.
- Wrap each taco in plastic wrap, then store together in a freezer bag.
- Once properly sealed, store the tacos in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw your tacos overnight in the fridge, then warm in the oven until heated through and re-crisped.
What to Serve with Southwest Beef Fried Tacos
Since this protein based dinner is loaded with Southwestern flavors, it will pair well with many of your favorite Southwestern or Mexican-inspired side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Southwest Rice – This Southwest Rice is the simplest way to round out your meal. It’s a 5 minute recipe packed with flavorful spices, tomato and green chiles, and a dash of lime.
- Mexican Style Crockpot Refried Beans – These Mexican Style Crockpot Refried Beans are the perfect make-ahead side dish. They’re creamy, rich, and delicious paired with Beef Tacos.
- Mexican Street Corn Casserole – Create a crowd-pleasing comfort food meal with this Mexican Street Corn Casserole. This recipe features frozen corn tossed in a creamy sauce, layered with cheese, then baked until melty and delicious.
Beef Fried Tacos Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to 3 months
Recipe FAQ’s
What tortillas are best for fried tacos?
Whichever you prefer! This recipe works great with both corn or flour tortillas, so pick your favorite and dig in!
What are the best toppings for beef tacos?
Whatever you like! These Fried Beef Tacos work great with any of your favorite classic taco toppings. Try them with homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, chipotle corn salsa, shredded lettuce, you name it.
More EASY Taco Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy dinner recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite taco-inspired recipes below.
Southwest Beef Fried Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can green chiles
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 24 small corn or flour tortillas
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, breaking apart with a spatula until no longer pink, about 4-6 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- Add taco seasoning, green chiles, and black beans to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In another large skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Once hot lay a tortilla flat in the oil. Place about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture in the tortilla and top with cheese. Then use your spatula or tongs to fold the tortilla in half, taco style.
- Continue to cook on the bottom side 1-3 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for 1-3 minutes or until both sides are golden brown and crispy.Remove tacos to a paper towel lined plate.
- Repeat until all tacos are cooked, adding oil to the skillet as needed. In my skillet I am able to cook about 4 tacos at a time, but this will vary based on the size of your skillet.
- Once tacos are done, serve hot. You can offer toppings that can be added by pulling apart the shell and stuffing them with desired toppings.
Recipe Notes
- Shredded lettuce
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
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