Name: Homemade Beef Tacos with Pico de Gallo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely diced; 2 Garlic, crushed; 500g beef mince, 10–12% fat works well; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp Chilli powder, or to taste; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 100ml beef stock; 1 tsp Fine sea salt, plus extra to taste; 1/2 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground; 8 Small tortillas, corn or flour; 3 ripe tomatoes, finely diced; 1/2 small red onion, finely diced; small handful fresh coriander, chopped; 1 lime, juiced, plus wedges to serve; 1/4 Iceberg lettuce, finely shredded; 75g Cheddar, grated

Method

15 mins prep20 mins cook35 mins total

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened.
Stir in the garlic, then add the beef mince. Fry for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and any excess liquid has cooked away.
Add the cumin, smoked paprika, chilli powder, tomato purée, beef stock, salt and black pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until the beef is glossy and the liquid has reduced to a spoonable taco filling.
Meanwhile, mix the diced tomatoes, red onion, coriander and lime juice in a bowl. Season lightly with salt and set aside so the pico de gallo tastes fresh and bright.
Warm the tortillas in a dry pan for a few seconds on each side, or wrap them in foil and heat through in a low oven.
Fill the warm tortillas with shredded lettuce, spiced beef, pico de gallo and grated cheddar. Serve straight away with lime wedges.

Notes

Brown the beef well: Let the mince cook undisturbed for a minute or two before breaking it up. Good browning gives the filling a deeper, savoury flavour.

Adjust the heat: Start with less chilli powder if you are serving children, then add hot sauce or extra chilli at the table. A little smoked paprika adds warmth without making the tacos too hot.

Keep the pico fresh: Make it shortly before serving and drain off any excess tomato juice if it becomes watery. Warm the tortillas just before filling so they stay flexible.

Easy prep: The beef filling can be made a day ahead and reheated gently with a splash of water. Store it separately from the pico de gallo and keep refrigerated.

Ingredients

Method

Notes

Related recipes

Beef Quesadillas

Beef Avocado Tortilla Wraps

Air Fryer Cheeseburger Rolls

One-Pan Taco Rice Dinner

Beef Chimichangas

Mexican Street Tacos