Ground beef Gluten Free Tacos

No dinner excites me as much as a taco tuesday dinner! I love tacos and since I’m gluten free and celiac, they are of course gluten free tacos! In this taco recipe, I use corn tortillas to ensure they are gluten free. I love the combination of warm tortillas, flavorful garlic chipotle honey taco meat, crisp lettuce, and fresh avocado.

These gluten free taco recipe is a real weeknight hero because it is a one-pan recipe and made in less than 30 minutes. I just pan fried some ground beef, adding my honey and spices and let it simmer. These gluten-free tacos are a meal EVERYONE loves.

Gluten Free Tacos are such a simple, classic meal, just like my gluten free fried rice recipe and my gluten free chili with red beans.

What Makes this Gluten free Recipe Special?

• This gluten free taco recipe makes for the perfect comfort food dinner. My family used to make them growing up and I always thought it was the best day of the week as a kid! And here I am still making thenm…and still thinking it is the best day of the week! We make them at least once a week at my house.
• The best part about this ground beef taco recipe is that it is a one pan meal…which means only one pan to make it and only one pan to clean up! My ideal situation since I hate doing dishes.
• This recipe is allergy friendly. You can use gluten free corn tortillas like I did for gluten free tacos. You can use dairy free cheese as a topping for an easy dairy free recipe!
• These Gluten Free Tacos are an easy freezer friendly meal, which means it is a great option for a meal prep lunches or dinners! I love to have it ready to go when I need to just pull a dinner out of the freezer and heat it up quick.
• This classic recipe for gluten free tacos is simple, easy and straightforward. It takes less than 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Corn tortillas: Any taco shells that are labeled as certified gluten free are perfect for this recipe. That includes soft corn tortillas as well as crunchy corn shells. You can also use other taco shells, like cauliflower based low carb tortillas, cassava flour tortillas or even almond flour tortillas.

Ground beef: I love that I can easily swap the ground beef for whatever ground meat I have on hand; ground turkey, ground chicken, etc. Choose any meat you want for these Gluten Free Tacos.

Onion: Onion adds aromatic sweetness and depth to the flavor, but shallots or leeks can be substituted for a milder or more delicate taste.

Water: Water helps to create a sauce and meld the flavors, but beef broth or chicken broth can be used for a richer taste for the Gluten Free Tacos.

Garlic powder: Garlic powder provides a convenient garlic flavor, but 2-3 cloves of fresh minced garlic can be used for a more pungent taste.

Chipotle seasoning: Chipotle seasoning adds a smoky and slightly spicy flavor, but smoked paprika or a pinch of cayenne pepper can be used for a similar smoky or spicy note.

Honey: Honey adds a touch of sweetness that balances the savory and spicy flavors in the ground beef tacos. Maple syrup or agave can be used as a substitute.

How do I make this recipe?

Grab a large skillet (a frying pan with slightly higher sides) and place it on your stovetop. Turn the burner to medium-high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. You’ll know the oil is ready when it starts to shimmer or a drop of water flicked into it sizzles.

Brown the Beef: Now, add the ground beef to the hot skillet. Use a spoon or spatula to break it up into smaller pieces. Cook the beef until it’s browned all over. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. You’ll see the pink color disappear and the beef will turn brown.

Drain the Grease (Important!): Once the beef is browned, you might see some grease in the skillet. Carefully tilt the skillet and use a spoon to scoop out the excess grease. You can discard it in a heat-safe container (never pour hot grease down the drain!). This step keeps your dish from being too greasy.

Add the chopped onion to the skillet with the browned beef. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become soft and translucent (they’ll look a little see-through).

Spice it Up! Now for the flavor! Pour in the ¾ cup of water, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of chipotle seasoning, and ½ tablespoon of honey. Stir everything well to make sure all the ingredients are combined.

Bring the Gluten Free Taco mixture to a simmer. A simmer means the liquid is bubbling gently, not boiling vigorously. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Expert Tips & Tricks

You could also use all of these same Gluten Free Tacos ingredients but skip the tortillas to make this into an easy taco salad or quick taco bowls. All of these options get dinner on the table fast!

I love a make your own taco night. I prepare all the ingredients for these Gluten Free Tacos with some bowls of toppings and then guests can make their own!

How Do I Serve the Gluten Free Tacos?

You can use any of your favorite taco toppings like pickled jalapenos, fresh red onion, avocado crema (I like to mix together avocado and plain yogurt), sour cream, ranch, hot sauce, fresh tomatoes, black beans, pico de gallo, or guacamole!

How do I Store and Meal Prep this recipe?

To store, I let the Gluten Free Taco meat cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to four days.

For longer storage, I love to portion the Gluten Free Taco meat into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months.

To meal prep into individual portions, divide the ground beef taco meat into separate containers. These individual portions are my favorite for great grab-and-go lunches or quick dinners during the week.

I would not recommend storing the Gluten Free Tacos once already assembled.

How do I reheat leftovers?

I either pop my leftover meat in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 2-3 minutes until fully warmed, or you an heat on the stovetop in a pan on medium low heat.

What Taco Shells Are Gluten-Free?

I always make sure to read the corn tortilla package to make sure they are certified gluten-free. Some corn tortillas are naturally gluten free but made on shared manufacturing lines so you run the risk of cross contamination.

What Can I use instead of ground beef?

Don’t love ground meat? You could also use shredded chicken, pulled pork or shredded beef in these Gluten Free Tacos. If beef isn’t your thing you can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.

How Can I make these gluten free tacos vegan?

To make this a vegan recipe, you can use crumled tofu or any plant based meat substitute. You can also use peppers and onions instead of shredded meat like I did in these fajita tacos. These fajita tacos has all the delicious flavors or classic fajitas, but all set up for you in tasty taco form. Plus, they only take 30 minutes to make, which is way faster than delivery!

Can I make these tacos in the oven?

If you want oven baked gluten free tacos, check out these BBQ oven baked tacos! All you need or this baked tacos recipe is chicken, bbq sauce, pepper and onions, cheese and corn tortillas. It doesn’t get any easier than that! These baked tacos are gluten free and can easily be made dairy free.

Looking for more gluten free recipes?

If you make this recipe and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and Pinterest. Purchase my cookbook Easy Allergy Free Cooking. Join my exclusive weeknight meal plan group for 5 weekly 30-minute dinner recipes. The weeknight meal plan also has an accompanying podcast as well! I would love for you to follow along! 

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