This fast, healthy, easy taco skillet recipe is my new weeknight meal crush! Between me and my three kids, I have to juggle a lot of dietary restrictions at dinner time and so I am always looking for dinner recipes that are dairy free, gluten free AND healthy AND quick. Sometimes, it feels like rocket science.
Thankfully, this meal is anything but! With four main ingredients (plus a few seasonings) it’s a legit one-pan wonder and it literally takes like 30 minutes, start to finish! Once it’s done, there are so many ways to serve the taco skillet!
Taco Skillet Ingredients and Swaps
- Ground beef: You can use almost any ground meat here (including vegetarian ‘meat’ substitutes, like Beyond or Impossible) or double the beans for a vegetarian version.
- Rotel: You might know Rotel if you’ve ever made Velveeta dip, but if you’re new to Rotel, all it is is canned tomatoes with green chilies. It can vary a bit in spice, so be sure to check the label to see if its spicy or mild. Can’t find Rotel? Use fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Black Beans: Regular old canned beans are perfect. I love black beans, but you could use pinto beans if you prefer.
- Cheese: Any cheeses that melt well work great. Freshly shredded will always melt best, but this is a recipe where you totally can use pre-shredded cheese because it’s all about EASE.
- Seasonings: Taco seasoning, garlic, onions.
How To Make An Easy Taco Skillet
See the full recipe instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Brown the beef, along with the onion and garlic.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and Rotel and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more.
- Turn on the broiler. Sprinkle the cheese over the skillet and broil until melted and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve with desired toppings and tortilla chips for dipping, or use the skillet and toppings as taco fillings.
Ways To Serve This Taco Skillet
- You can eat it straight out of the pan! No really. With the beef and beans and Rotel, sometimes I just put out some tortilla chips for folks to dip into the pan, and call dinner DONE.
- For a more rounded out meal, turn it into tacos. We often stuff the taco skillet deliciousness into flour or corn tortillas, or into hard taco shells.
- Try using this taco skillet as a quesadilla filling by following the technique from this quesadilla recipe. I usually add extra cheese!
- I love to eat it over rice or baked potatoes (trust me on this one!). You could do regular russet potatoes, or sweet potatoes for extra nutrition!
- Dress it up with lots of Tex-Mex toppings! I love to top mine with sour cream, fresh salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole, and pickled jalapeños, and my kids are all about lots of black olives.
Storage Tips
I don’t usually have much leftover taco skillet! But if you do, it’ll keep fine in the fridge for up to four days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months; you could even make and freeze it to have an easy taco filling on-hand. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then reheat it in a skillet over medium heat for the best results, or you can also do it in the microwave.
More Easy Weeknight Tex-Mex Dinners
Dinnertime Ease? Yes Please
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