Everybody loves Taco Tuesday, but even the most dedicated to the unofficial holiday can grow weary of the same-old, same-old without ample Mexican ground beef recipes.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in semantics, especially with a meal night name like taco Tuesday; however, the term “taco” is really more of a loose guideline than a hard and fast rule.
In fact, any Mexican-esque dish with ground beef will work just fine, which opens up a whole new world of impeccably spiced Americanized Mexican-style foods.
You might be surprised to learn just how many varieties of recipes containing Mexican seasoned ground beef there are, but we’ve got you covered.
This list is chock-full of meal courses that fit the Mexican ground beef bill.
Some have a more traditional leaning while others offer a contemporary take on the classics, and then there are recipes that combine styles in a mashup of savory Southwest superiority.
From long-established Mexican cuisine to new-age Tex Mex to Americana with a Southwest spin, we have them all.
And just in case that’s not enough, we’ve also thrown in some recipes that marry cultures in perfectly blended harmony.
Done are the days of your average taco Tuesdays—the nights of homemade beef chimichangas, tamale pie, Mexican stuffed shells, and Doritos taco pasta salad have arrived.
Anything ‘one-pot’ is a great way to mix up a go-to meal night that’s gone a bit stale, and this Mexican ground beef and rice certainly does the trick.
It’s positively packed with beef, corn, rice, salsa, and lots of ooey gooey cheese.
This recipe doesn’t require lots of chopping or pre-cook prep, making it a convenient, simple, and super fast way to spice up your routine.
Picadillo is one of our favorite Mexican recipes with ground beef for its winning mixture of ground beef, potatoes, hot peppers, fresh romas, and, surprisingly enough, peas, among other things.
Despite the long list of ingredients, this recipe is refreshingly light, which is a nice contrast to some of its counterparts.
You can garnish Mexican picadillo however you see fit, but honestly, it’s just as satisfying exactly how it’s prepared.
When you’re on the hunt for recipes that use Mexican ground beef, you’ll come across many casseroles, but we believe this one is the best.
For a casserole, it’s not bogged down with filler ingredients—only the most essential for taste and texture—and the layers make it more of a variation on lasagna than a casserole.
This recipe also comes with suggestions for variations and add ons, so you won’t have to rack your brain for customization ideas.
Flautas are the less common relative of taquitos, and they certainly get less air time, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less enjoyable.
The main difference between flautas and taquitos is the size (flautas are bigger) and the type of tortilla (flautas are made with flour, not corn).
This recipe comes complete with rolling directions, precise frying instructions, and the added bonus of a cilantro-lime avocado sauce to drizzle over your flautas.
Pizza is a winning menu item no matter what culture it reflects, and this Mexican Pizza is proof of that.
Where most Mexican Pizzas fall flat, this recipe stands tall—in the filling.
This pizza contains a meaty middle layer loaded with refried beans and ground beef jammed between two flour tortillas, topped with salsa, cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and jalapenos.
Enchiladas are a commonly known Mexican dish, but less commonly known are the variations of sauce that can adorn those very tasty enchiladas.
These beef and cheese stuffed rolls boast a sour cream sauce, making a delightful flavor pairing for ground beef Mexican recipes—like these enchiladas, for starters.
This recipe calls for a cheese topping sprinkled with fresh diced tomatoes, red onions, and jalapenos to even out all the creamy luxury.
Try this list of Mexican Appetizers too!
If you love tacos but hate carbs or gluten, or even if you’re just looking for the closest thing to a taco on a cloud, these ground beef lettuce wraps with cilantro are for you.
Perhaps the best thing about this recipe is its custom seasoning blend.
Treat these lettuce wraps like fun, more colorful tacos, and enjoy as many of them as possible.
Burritos are a time-tested Mexican delicacy, but the vast majority of burrito lovers opt for restaurant or fast food versions.
Well, that bandwagon ends here and now.
This burrito recipe perfectly balances dense and hearty filling, crisp and fresh veggies, and velvety sauces, sans the sogginess.
Ground beef and cabbage have gone together in recipes for many years, but it’s not often you see them teaming up for a Tex Mex inspired dish.
The varied texture, spice blend, and Mexican cheese magically unite these two distinct ingredients into the perfect one-skillet meal.
While you can use any pan, this recipe is best-prepared in a cast-iron skillet, which also makes for a handsome presentation.
Chimichangas are one of the most fun Mexican dishes with ground beef—and let’s be honest, it’s pretty fun to say.
But there is much more to chimichangas than a light-hearted pronunciation and quick consumption, especially in this recipe.
These chimichangas go above and beyond traditional style and create a filling that is bursting at the seams with seasoned ground beef, jalapenos, onions, and cheese.
Empanadas are a classic dinner-meets-dessert Mexican-style turnover.
The savory ground beef, two-cheese, sauteed veggie, and tomato sauce filling is delectably nestled in a sweet, flaky pie crust, making them the perfect treat for appetizers, snacks, sides, or dessert.
And while they look quite artistically crafted, the pie crust in this recipe is store-bought, making your folding and sealing job as uncomplicated as possible.
It’s not often that we are taken aback by the creativity and delicious genius of a dish—we like to think we’ve seen it all—but this cornbread taco bake was one of the most pleasant surprises we encountered in compiling this list.
Layering a mixture of taco seasoned ground beef, corn, and diced tomatoes atop a cornbread base, dressing it with a custom sour cream spread and cheese, then baking it to a golden goodness is honestly the best thing since sliced bread.
We’re just jealous we didn’t come up with it.
Chicken quesadillas tend to hog the spotlight, but all that’s about to change with this recipe for cheesy beef quesadillas.
The tortilla is crisp, and the ground beef filling is bonded with soft, melty cheese, creating a flawless partnership of flavor and texture.
They take about 20 minutes start-to-finish and taste restaurant-ready.
Stuffed peppers have appeared on many of our lists, and there’s a very good reason for that – they are the bomb.
The peppers in this recipe are stuffed to the gills with seasoned ground beef, salsa, rice, and a whole lot of gooey cheese.
You can prepare them in a number of ways, all outlined in the instructions, making them one of the best Mexican dinner ideas with ground beef in our book.
15. Taco Lasagna
We mentioned earlier that the Mexican ground beef casserole was lasagna-adjacent, but this recipe is a true taco lasagna and one you’ll want to make over and over again.
The use of beans in this recipe gives the beef and veggies filling that extra special touch, and the flour tortillas and four—yes, four—cups of cheese hold it all together.
It’s quicker than traditional Italian lasagna and an excellent replacement for your typical taco night fare.
16. Tamale Pie
You may have heard of tamales, and you may have heard of pie, but we’re betting you’ve never heard of tamale pie.
This recipe is somewhat similar to the taco cornbread bake, but the two differ in that this tamale pie uses the beef mix—which contains Mexican ground beef, corn, onions, and black beans all simmered in an enchilada sauce—as the hearty base.
That base is then topped with a cheesy cornbread batter and baked until golden.
17. Taco Pasta
A theme of Italian-inspired dishes with a Mexican flare is arising, and that’s because we love merging cultural cuisines.
This taco pasta combines taco seasoned ground beef, medium pasta shells, and a homemade Mexican pasta sauce to create a sort of taco hamburger helper.
Altogether, it takes about 30 minutes and can be stored in the refrigerator for three days to be enjoyed a second time.
Tostadas are kind of like the Mexican version of a fancy American topped toast, i.e., avocado toast, ricotta toast, etc.
A crispy, flat tortilla shell takes the place of the bread, and it’s topped with refried beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and anything else that suits you.
These ground beef tostadas are just different enough from your typical hard taco that your family will appreciate the distinction and diversification of your taco night lineup.
Mexican recipes are great at using fresh vegetables, but frequently the same veggies are represented over and over—onions, tomatoes, peppers, beans, you get the picture.
This Mexican zucchini and ground beef skillet recipe is changing all that by bringing zucchini into the mix.
Now, we love zucchini and use it in many dishes, but zucchini in a Mexican context is so uniquely wonderful that we’re questioning why that hasn’t been a thing all along.
Speaking of unexpected ingredients in a Mexican context, this recipe pairs mashed potatoes with Mexican seasoned beef and veggies.
A Mexican shepherd’s pie is much like a traditional shepherd’s pie, but the beef is spiced to taco-flavored perfection, and the green beans and carrots are swapped out for bell peppers and roasted corn.
But just like a ‘regular’ shepherd’s pie, it’s the mashed potato topper that completes the dish.
21. Sheet Pan Nachos
Nachos are by far the most popular of Mexican hamburger recipes.
What distinguishes these sheet pan nachos from their counterparts is the use of melted cheese rather than a cheese sauce or queso.
They’re completely customizable, but this recipe offers a great place to start with fresh and tasty topping suggestions just in case you’re lacking inspiration or want to keep it simple.
Rotel dip is a staple of game day gatherings and also has the capacity to double as queso when you’re in a pinch.
It couldn’t be any easier with just three ingredients, and the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting so you can spend your food prep time working on countless other fan favorites.
This Rotel dip with ground beef is also highly crowd-efficient and cost-effective, making it a win-win.
We see your chicken tortilla soup, and we raise you this Loaded Beef Enchilada Soup.
To execute this recipe, you’ll combine ground beef, corn, and beans in an enchilada sauce and bone broth fusion; green chiles and diced tomatoes give the soup a refreshing element, while the spice blend captures the savory notes.
You can customize the soup’s thickness to your liking with corn starch – or lack thereof – and garnish it with tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, or avocado.
Give this list of Mexican Soups a look.
Burrito bowls embody all the best of Mexican cuisine, all deliciously piled on top of one another.
This ground beef burrito bowl skillet is no exception, as it lays a rice groundwork, followed by Mexican seasoned ground beef, kidney beans, veggies, cheese, and countless other fresh toppings of your choosing.
It’s as visually appealing as it is appetizing, and it saves well in the refrigerator for next-day leftovers.
When it comes to Mexican-style hamburgers, you usually see either taco-seasoned hamburgers or chorizo burgers; this Queso Fundido Chorizo Hamburger gives us the best of both worlds as it combines the two types of meat to create a uniquely crafted burger.
The patty is topped with Monterey jack cheese and smothered in sauteed peppers and onions, but our favorite part might be the fresh guacamole gracing the bun.
This is a burger you’ll want to keep in your back pocket for those special occasions when you need to prove you are, indeed, the ultimate burger chef.
We love Mexican food, crockpot meals, and meatloaf, so what’s not to love about this Mexican Crockpot Meatloaf?
Nothing.
This recipe somehow manages to take on a Mexican quality while maintaining the moist, meat-packed consistency of a traditional meatloaf.
Once the mixture is placed in the crockpot to cook, you’ll drench it in red enchilada sauce and cover it in a thick layer of cheese.
Pick one of these Mexican Side Dishes as a starter!
We’ve had pretty incredible luck with recipes that mesh Italian and Mexican methods and ingredients, and these Mexican Stuffed Shells deliciously fit the bill.
The filling for the shells is, of course, made of seasoned ground beef, salsa, and a decadent yet surprising addition: cream cheese; they’re then baked in red enchilada sauce and topped with two kinds of cheese.
As for garnishments, all your usual suspects will go great with these stuffed shells, but they’re also just as satisfying right out of the oven.
This Mexican tater tot casserole is the second of only two casseroles on our list, and it undoubtedly pulls its weight.
This dish is on the spicy side for a tater tot recipe, but we must admit that’s just one of the many things we love about it.
It has an ingredients list to die for—for starters, an entire jar of queso—and it makes a fantastic side to bring to a cookout or gathering; guests will be raving about it until the next time you make it.
We’ve already featured the larger, similar cousin of taquitos with the flautas recipe, so naturally, we had to include these Baked Ground Beef Taquitos to make things fair.
Taquitos are beloved among Mexican food recipes with hamburger for their convenient snack-size portions and crispy yet tender bite.
Serve these taquitos with rice and beans or even alongside one of the larger dishes on this list for a complete Mexican-inspired meal.
Using Doritos in Mexican and taco dishes has been a not-so-secret family secret, but we’re letting the cat out of the bag for this one-of-a-kind Doritos Taco Pasta Salad.
The other special ingredient in this recipe is French dressing, which gives the dish a fun tang and sets off the cherry tomatoes and chili beans, not to mention it tastes great with the Doritos.
This is a great dish to serve with tacos or even just at a summer barbecue to mix up the familiar cookout flavors.
And you just can’t go wrong to finish a great meal with any of these Mexican Desserts!
The bottom line
Preparing ground beef for a Mexican meal doesn’t have to mean tacos.
This list proves that there is a whole world out there filled with super scrumptious Mexican, Tex Mex, Southwest, and Americanized Mexican-inspired dishes just waiting for you to prepare them.
Trust us when we tell you the general consensus will be fully satisfied.
We highly recommend this tasty Mexican Martini—it goes great with all of these recipes!
30 BEST!! Mexican Ground Beef Recipe
Try one or all of these amazing Mexican Ground Beef Recipes for taco night or any night!
Ingredients
- One Pot Mexican Ground Beef And Rice
- Mexican Picadillo
- Mexican Ground Beef Casserole
- Ground Beef Flautas
- Mexican Pizza
- Sour Cream Enchiladas With Ground Beef
- Ground Beef Lettuce Wrap With Cilantro
- The Easiest Burrito Recipe
- Ground Beef And Cabbage Skillet Recipe Tex Mex Style
- Homemade Beef Chimichangas
- Cheesy Ground Beef Empanadas
- Cornbread Taco Bake
- Cheesy Beef Quesadillas
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- Taco Lasagna
- Tamale Pie
- Taco Pasta
- Ground Beef Tostadas
- Mexican Zucchini And Ground Beef Skillet
- Mexican Shepherd’s Pie
- Sheet Pan Nachos
- Rotel Dip With Ground Beef
- Loaded Beef Enchilada Soup
- Ground Beef Burrito Bowl Skillet
- Queso Fundido Chorizo Hamburger
- Mexican Crockpot Meatloaf
- Mexican Stuffed Shells
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
- Baked Ground Beef Taquitos
- Doritos Taco Pasta Salad
Instructions
- Skim through our Mexican Ground Beef Recipes list.
- Select the recipe you’re looking for.
- Prep the ingredients as instructed.
- Spill your thoughts on our Facebook page!