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Costco Ground Beef Tacos

The best weeknight tacos start with Costco's 90/10 ground beef — seasoned from scratch in one pan, ready in 20 minutes, and far better than any packet seasoning.

Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Servings
6
Cost / Serving
$4.17

Quick Answer

Brown Costco's 90/10 ground beef, drain, and season with cumin, chili powder, garlic, oregano, and tomato paste — no packet seasoning needed. Pile into warm tortillas with toppings. Done in 20 minutes; six servings.

Costco ground beef tacos are a weeknight staple for a reason. Costco sells ground beef in large packs at a price that makes per-taco cost unbeatable. This recipe seasons the beef from scratch — cumin, chili powder, garlic, and oregano — no seasoning packet needed. Make a double batch and the second half goes in the freezer for next week.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until no pink remains, about 7–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.

  2. 2

    Mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

  3. 3

    Add spice mix to the beef and stir well to coat. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.

  4. 4

    Add water, stir, and simmer 2–3 minutes until the liquid absorbs and the beef is saucy, not dry.

  5. 5

    Warm tortillas directly over a gas burner for 30 seconds per side, or wrap in damp paper towel and microwave 1 minute.

  6. 6

    Spoon beef into tortillas and top as desired: shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fat percentage is best for ground beef tacos?+
80/20 ground beef gives the most flavor but releases a lot of fat. 90/10 (what Costco typically sells) is a great balance — enough fat for flavor and juiciness without needing to drain off a pool of grease. For lean tacos, 93/7 works fine with an extra splash of olive oil to the pan.
Can I freeze seasoned taco meat?+
Yes — cooked taco meat freezes very well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then freeze in zip-lock bags in 1-pound portions. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat with a splash of water in a skillet. This is one of the best meal-prep strategies with Costco ground beef.
How much ground beef per person for tacos?+
Plan on about 3–4 oz of cooked ground beef per person for tacos, which translates to roughly 4 oz of raw meat. For 6 servings, 1.5 pounds of raw ground beef is plenty — two to three tacos per person.
Corn or flour tortillas for ground beef tacos?+
Either works. Corn tortillas are more traditional and hold up better with wet fillings — warm them over a gas burner or dry skillet. Flour tortillas are softer and easier to fold. For the best result with corn tortillas, always heat them until they're pliable and slightly charred at the edges.
What's the best way to season ground beef for tacos without a packet?+
The combination of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and smoked paprika in this recipe beats any store-bought taco seasoning packet. The key is using 2 teaspoons of chili powder as the base, plus a full teaspoon of cumin, which provides the essential 'taco' flavor.

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