Beef Tacos Corn Salsa (Printable)

Juicy seasoned beef nestled in warm tortillas accompanied by fresh, zesty corn salsa and toppings.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp chili powder, adjust to taste
08 - ½ tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tsp salt
10 - ½ tsp black pepper
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - ¼ cup water

→ Corn Salsa

13 - 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
14 - 1 medium ripe tomato, diced
15 - ¼ red onion, finely diced
16 - ½ jalapeño, seeded and minced
17 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Juice of 1 lime
19 - ¼ tsp salt

→ Tacos & Toppings

20 - 8 small corn tortillas or flour tortillas
21 - ½ cup shredded lettuce
22 - ½ cup grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
23 - ½ cup sour cream
24 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Steps:

01 - In a bowl, combine corn, tomato, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Mix thoroughly and set aside to meld flavors.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until fully browned, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Sprinkle cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper over the beef. Stir in tomato paste and water. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
05 - Heat tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave until pliable and warm.
06 - Spoon beef filling into each tortilla. Top with shredded lettuce, grated cheese, a generous spoonful of corn salsa, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The corn salsa is so quick to throw together, yet it tastes like you spent way more time than you did.
  • Ground beef gets deeply savory from the spice blend, and somehow tastes way better than it should for 15 minutes of cooking.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you're slaving away, which is the whole point of a weeknight dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the excess fat after browning the beef, or your filling will be greasy instead of savory.
  • The corn salsa tastes so much better if you give it at least 5 minutes to sit together before serving, letting the lime juice and salt work their magic.
  • Warm your tortillas right before assembling so they stay soft and don't harden up while you're building each taco.
03 -
  • If your ground beef seems lean, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet so the filling stays tender and doesn't dry out.
  • Toast your spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding them to the beef if you want to deepen their flavor even more.

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