Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 12 to 16 taco shells or warmed soft tortillas, as desired
- Grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar, for garnish
- Diced tomatoes, for garnish
- Minced jalapenos, for garnish
- Sour cream, for garnish
- Shredded iceburg lettuce, for garnish
- Guacamole, recipe follows, for garnish
- Salsa, recipe follows, for garnish
- Chopped red onion, for garnish
Directions
Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, place the onions in the pan and saute until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin to the pan and continue to saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef to the pan and cook, breaking the pieces up as they cook, until the meat is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with the chipotle pepper and the salt. Add the beef broth and tomato paste to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook the meat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve with the garnishes for guests to assemble their tacos to their liking.
For the Guacamole:
- 3 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
In a small mixing bowl, combine the avocado with the onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and mash with the back of a fork until mostly smooth.
Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap (pressed directly onto the surface of the guacamole) and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups
For the Salsa:
- 4 large tomatoes, about 21/2 pounds, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 cup chopped white onions
- 5 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 serrano peppers, stems and seeds removed, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine. Let salsa sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Serve as an accompaniment to fish tacos, or other dishes, as desired.
Yield: about 3 cups
Photo: Taco Bar Recipe

















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By lexismommy24_13...
Cleveland, OH
on May 17, 2013
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Love these! I've tried other taco recipes that came out bland, emerils recipe has tons of flavor and were so good. My husband and I both agreed this is our go to taco recipe. I made the guacamole and salsa also. Only thing I would change next time is cutting the salsa recipe in half. It made a lot!
By annette.aldridg...
Fruitport, MI
on December 07, 2012
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This is the BEST! I have made a few adjusted the most notable being that I add chili powder, but there is so much flavor. It takes a litter longer than opening a package of shelf bought so called taco seasoning, but if you care about flavor, it is worth every little bit of slicing and dicing. We love it so much that I do it up in huge patches without the meat and can it. Spend one day doing that and you have instant taco seasoning with real flavors for months to come!!!
By Bergis
on November 12, 2012
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The best
Read all 36 reviews