What to Make With Tortillas and Ground Beef: 3 Fast Weeknight Dinners
Tortillas and ground beef are tacos, and they are also two other dinners that aren't a taco bar. One is a 15-minute crisp taco, one is a stacked skillet enchilada with no baking dish, and one is a beef tostada you assemble, not fry for an hour. Cheese helps. Salsa can wait. Got more in the fridge? Snap a photo and we'll pick dinner for you. Free.
Quick picks: 3 dinners with tortillas and ground beef in 30 minutes or less
Fastest option: a 15-minute dinner
15 min
Crisp beef tacos
Total time, start to plate · One skillet · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Seasoned ground beef and tortillas warmed in the same skillet until they bend, not shatter.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded cheese
Steps
- Brown the ground beef with salt, chili powder, and cumin. Drain the fat.
- Warm the tortillas one at a time in the dry spots of the skillet until they flex.
- Fill them with beef and cheese while the tortilla is still warm.
- Eat immediately. A taco that sits becomes a napkin problem.
Keeps: Keep the beef 3 days. Build tacos when you eat them so the tortillas don't steam.
One-pan or sheet-pan option
25 min
Skillet beef enchiladas
Total time, start to plate · One skillet · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Tortillas rolled around beef, nestled in salsa in one skillet, and covered for ten minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 6 corn tortillas
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
Steps
- Brown the ground beef with the salt. Stir in half the salsa.
- Dip each tortilla in the warm salsa left in the pan so it bends, then roll beef inside.
- Lay the rolls in the skillet, seam down. Pour the rest of the salsa over them.
- Scatter the cheese, cover, and cook on low for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts and the tortillas are tender.
- Rest 3 minutes so the rolls hold together on the plate.
Keeps: Fridge for 3 days. The tortillas soften, which is how enchiladas are supposed to be.
The other dinner
20 min
Beef tostadas
Total time, start to plate · One skillet · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Tortillas toast flat and crisp, then take a spoon of beef. No fryer.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1 tbsp oil
Steps
- Brown the ground beef with salt and break it very fine.
- Brush the tortillas with a little oil and toast them in a skillet until they are stiff and spotted.
- Spread beef and cheese on each crisp tortilla.
- Put them back in the skillet for a minute if you want the cheese soft.
- Eat them with a fork if they crack. That is allowed.
Keeps: Beef keeps 3 days. Toast tortillas the night you eat them.
Make it with leftovers
Cooked ground beef reheats for every card on this page. Crisp the tortillas fresh. A tortilla that has already been wrapped around last night's taco is sad. Use a new one, or turn the leftovers into the skillet enchilada where the tortilla gets sauce and doesn't need to shatter.
Pantry staples you'll need
- Salt
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Oil
- Cheese
- Salsa
No tortillas: the seasoned beef is still the taco rice on the ground beef and rice page. No ground beef: beans and cheese. See tortillas and cheese.
Picky-eater and healthy tweaks
A soft tortilla, plain browned beef, and cheese is enough. Put salsa and onion on the side. The skillet enchilada looks like a casserole, which some kids trust more than a taco that falls apart.
Use corn tortillas and a light hand with cheese. You don't need sour cream for it to be dinner. Drain the beef.
Have something else in the fridge?
Got more in the fridge? Snap a photo and we'll pick dinner for you. Free.
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Questions
What can I make with tortillas and ground beef in 20 minutes?
Crisp beef tacos takes 15 minutes, start to plate. Seasoned ground beef and tortillas warmed in the same skillet until they bend, not shatter.
What's the easiest dinner with tortillas and ground beef?
Skillet beef enchiladas is the low-fuss one: one skillet, 25 minutes. Tortillas rolled around beef, nestled in salsa in one skillet, and covered for ten minutes.
Can I make this with leftover or cooked tortillas?
Cooked ground beef reheats for every card on this page. Crisp the tortillas fresh. A tortilla that has already been wrapped around last night's taco is sad. Use a new one, or turn the leftovers into the skillet enchilada where the tortilla gets sauce and doesn't need to shatter.
What else can I add to tortillas and ground beef for a full meal?
The cards already use ground beef, corn tortillas, chili powder. A piece of fruit or a handful of frozen vegetables is enough if you want more on the plate. Don't make a second shopping trip.
Is tortillas and ground beef a healthy dinner?
Use corn tortillas and a light hand with cheese. You don't need sour cream for it to be dinner. Drain the beef.
How do I make tortillas and ground beef kid-friendly?
A soft tortilla, plain browned beef, and cheese is enough. Put salsa and onion on the side. The skillet enchilada looks like a casserole, which some kids trust more than a taco that falls apart.
Can I make tortillas and ground beef in one pan or a sheet pan?
Skillet beef enchiladas uses one skillet and takes 25 minutes. Tortillas rolled around beef, nestled in salsa in one skillet, and covered for ten minutes.
What if I don't have ground beef?
No tortillas: the seasoned beef is still the taco rice on the ground beef and rice page. No ground beef: beans and cheese. See tortillas and cheese.