Healthy Ground Beef Tacos with Hidden Vegetables

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Enjoy a healthier version of beef tacos that the whole family will love!
three tacos on plate with lime and lettuce

This healthy ground beef tacos recipe is made with lean ground beef tossed with homemade taco seasoning and shredded fresh vegetables. They are an easy-to-make, healthier version of homemade taco meat that the whole family will love and are just perfect for taco night.

three tacos on a plate with lettuce tomatoes and shredded cheese

Serve these healthy tacos for taco Tuesdays or any night with your favorite taco toppings; they are quick and full of flavor. Healthy eating has never been easier!

This healthy taco filling has a lot of versatility! Aside from regular tacos, it’s also delicious in our sheet pan nacho recipe.

Why you will🤍this recipe

  • This recipe is a great way to sneak extra vegetables into your day for the picky eaters in your life!
  • Tacos made with a homemade seasoning blend, allow you to control the salt and heat in your tacos.
  • Tacos are quick and easy to make; with just a few simple ingredients, dinner will be on the table fast!

Here is what you will need

This is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make this easy ground beef tacos recipe; scroll down for a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions.

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🛒Ingredients

  • lean ground beef
  • olive oil
  • shredded carrots
  • shredded zucchini
  • taco seasoning blend, here is my recipe for homemade taco seasoning
  • taco shells
  • your favorite taco toppings (chopped green or red onion, avocados, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, etc)

🥄Equipment

How to make this healthy ground beef tacos recipe

Prepare – shred the carrots, zucchini, and cheese using a box grater or food processor.

Mix the seasoning blend together (3 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper).

ground-beef-cooking-in-a-pan

STEP 1: Heat olive oil in a pan at medium-high heat. Once the pan and oil are hot, reduce to medium heat; add the ground beef to the pan and cook it until it turns brown.

STEP 2: Stir the seasoning blend into the ground beef taco meat and reduce the heat to medium heat.

cooked-ground-beef-with-taco-seasoning-on-top

an overhead view of browned beef in a skillet with shredded carrots and onions on top

STEP 3: Stir in the shredded vegetables.

STEP 4: Stir in the water, and reduce the heat to low; simmer for a few minutes.

cooked-taco-meat-in-skillet-with-shredded-vegetables

an-overhead-view-of-the-finished-taco-meat-with-vegetables

STEP 5: Serve your healthy taco filling in your favorite taco shell with your favorite toppings

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Ground Beef: The best meat to use is ground round, chuck, or sirloin and preferably grass-fed for the best results.

Ground beef substitutes – Any type of ground meat will work in this recipe. Try lean ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.

Shredded carrots & zucchini substitutes– Most types of chopped-up vegetables are suitable to add to the taco meat filling in this recipe. Try using mushrooms, cauliflower rice, broccoli rice, bell peppers, butternut squash or beets.

A homemade seasoning blend can be substituted with a premade blend, here is my recipe for homemade taco seasoning .

looking down at three tacos on a plate with lettuce and lime

If you are looking for more easy and delicious ground beef recipes, check out these Grass Fed Ground Beef Recipes!

How to make healthy beef tacos ahead of time

Tacos are a great recipe to make ahead of time. Prepare the taco filling according to the instructions in the recipe card and refrigerate it for 2 to 3 days.

You can also chop the lettuce and fixings ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator.

Just before serving, heat the taco meat on top of the stove and assemble the tacos.

How to store leftover taco filling

Store leftover taco meat in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Thaw the leftover taco meat overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheat the taco meat on top of the stove or in the microwave.

What to do with leftover taco meat – add leftover taco meat to salads, rice and beans, wraps, tortillas, or quesadillas.

three tacos on plate with lime and lettuce

Are you too tired to cook dinner?

If you’re feeling uninspired when it’s time to cook dinner, this free guide will help you make a quick and healthy dinner with ingredients you have in your kitchen.

Serving Suggestions

Serve healthy tacos with any of your favorite taco toppings such as chopped fresh cilantro, olives, pickled onions, chopped green onions, pico de gallo, fresh garden salsa, salsa verde, homemade guacamole, hot sauce, shredded pepper jack, or cheddar cheese.

Make it a complete meal and serve your healthy tacos with a Mexican chopped salad on the side, and if you are serving these tacos to your kids, make dinner even more fun with grinch punch as a beverage.

Recipe variations

Even though these taco taste great as they are, here are a few ways to make them your own.

Taco salad – fill up a bowl with romaine lettuce, onions, tomatoes, shredded cheese, healthy taco meat, and avocados and top it with a crumbled taco shell or tortilla chips, fresh salsa, and Greek yogurt.

Sheet pan nachos – add tortilla chips to a baking tray and cover them with taco meat, sprinkle on cheese, and sliced jalapenos. Place the mixture into the oven at 350 until the cheese melts. Top the melted cheese with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, green onion, and salsa.

Use less meat – Reduce the meat to 1/2 pound and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cooked black beans to the meat when the vegetables are added.

Vegetarian tacos – Instead of ground beef, use a vegetarian taco filling like the one used in this vegetarian taco lettuce wraps recipe.

💡Tips

  • Don’t peel the zucchini! The zucchini skin is mild tasting and it’s where most of the nutrients are. If you don’t like the skin, you can remove it.
  • Make extra taco meat filling an use it during the week in salads, bowls, wraps, nachos and more.
  • Add a little extra flavor and moisture to the taco meat with a splash of fresh juice.
  • Store homemade taco seasoning blend in your spice cabinet for up to 8 months.
What type of taco shells are better to use, hard or soft?

We prefer our tacos in hard shells, but they also taste great as soft tacos in soft corn tortillas or flour tortillas.

Is there a low carb version for taco shells?

Try using romaine or bibb lettuce leaves to hold your taco meat or low-carb tortillas.

Are Homemade Tacos Healthy?

Homemade is always healthier because you can control the ingredients. Homemade tacos contain less salt, and they have vegetables in them, so these tacos are much better for you than fast food tacos.

Can you freeze leftover taco meat?

You can freeze leftover taco meat in a freezer safe container for up to three months. Thaw the meat in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it in the oven, on top of the stove or the microwave.

Which is better for these easy ground beef tacos, soft shells or hard taco shells?

The choice between hard shells and soft shells is your personal preference. Hard shells have a satisfying crunch and will hold up well to hearty fillings. Soft shells are more pliable which makes them easier to fold.

You might also like these healthy taco recipes

Do you like this recipe?
Please comment and give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!

three tacos on plate with lime and lettuce

Healthy Beef Tacos Recipe

Enjoy a healthier version of beef tacos that the whole family will love!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Click on serving size to scale this recipe

Course: Dinner Recipes
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Healthy Ground Beef Tacos
Servings: 4
Calories: 319kcal
Author: Anne
Scale this Recipe 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 3/4 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning Homemade Seasoning ingredients: 3 T chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. sea salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 medium carrots shredded
  • 1 small zucchini shredded
  • 8 soft or hard taco shells
  • 1/4 cup water
  • your favorite taco fixings

Instructions

  • Prepare: Use a box grater to shred 2 medium carrots shredded, and 1 small zucchini shredded.
    2 medium carrots shredded, 1 small zucchini shredded
  • Mix the taco seasoning if you are using homemade and measure out 1 tablespoon. Ingredients for homemade: 3 T chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. sea salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan and oil are hot, reduce to medium heat; add the ground beef to the pan and cook it until it is cooked through. drain any excess fat from the meat and return it to the skillet on the stove and reduce heat to low.
    3/4 pound lean ground beef
  • Stir in 1 tablespoon taco seasoning and shredded vegetables.
  • Add the water and let simmer over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed
    1/4 cup water
  • Fill taco shells with meat and top with your favorite fixings.
    8 soft or hard taco shells, your favorite taco fixings

Notes

Store leftover taco meat in an airtight container for up to three days or the freezer for up to three months.
Recipe Variations
Change up the meat – You can subsititue the ground beef with any ground meat such as chicken, turkey or pork.
Use less meat – Reduce the meat to 1/2 pound and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cooked black beans to the meat when the vegetables are added.
Change up the hidden vegetables – Replace the zucchini and carrots with shredded or small diced butternut squash, cauliflower or broccoli rice.
If you make homemade taco seasoning, store leftovers  in your spice cabinet for up to 8 months.
 
 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 532mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5256IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used

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