This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Ground beef, shredded beef, or even carne asada—this collection features all of our most popular Mexican beef recipes!
More Collections: Mexican Chicken Recipes, Mexican Soups, Mexican Desserts
Beef Mexican Entrees to Love!
A lot of our Mexican dishes use chicken, but trust me when I say that beef is just as delicious in these flavorful recipes!
Why we love them:
- Shredded beef to ground beef. These recipes use ground beef, shredded beef, and freshly cooked and sliced beef. Use what you have on hand – there are plenty of options!
- From the freezer. Cooked beef (especially ground beef) can easily be stored in the freezer to use in Mexican cuisine for quick meals on busy nights!
- Simple ingredients. Mexican dishes use similar ingredients and flavor profiles in different ways. Fortunately, these pantry staples are simple AND delicious!
Best Cut of Beef for Your Recipes
- Mexican shredded beef recipes use a tender slow-cooked beef roast from a crock pot, slow cooker, or an instant pot.
- Steak. Flank or skirt steak both work well. Other similar cuts include flat iron steak, flap steak, hanger steak, brisket, and beef skirt.
- Ground beef is used in Tacos, casseroles, Burrito Bowls, and more. There are 3 main types of ground beef.
- Ground beef 70/30 has the highest percentage of fat making it the most flavorful. The amount of meat used will be reduced by about 25-30 percent after being cooked. Drain the excess juices after browning.
- Ground beef chuck roast 80/20 is versatile and perfect for most recipes. It has less fat but great flavor. You may still want to drain any excess fat.
- Ground sirloin 90/10 has the least amount of fat and can dry out more quickly. It’s not great for binding in hamburgers or meatballs, but is a great choice for casseroles with sauces and cheese which will add moisture.
Brown and STore Ground Beef
- PREP. Heat a skillet (10-12 inches for 1½ pounds of ground beef) before adding the meat.
- COOK over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break it into pieces and stir it up.
- If the recipe does not instruct to add spices, add a bit of table salt and pepper or garlic powder, oregano, and cumin depending on the recipe you’re making.
- FREEZE. Portion cooled meat into 1-pound increments. Store in a freezer-safe airtight container for 3-4 months. When you’re ready to make a recipe simply grab the premade meat, thaw, and start cookin’.
- Not only can you make the beef portion ahead of time, but many of the recipes can be completed ahead of time and stored in the freezer for a quick dinner on a busy day. See the individual posts for more storage details.
Favorite Mexican beef recipes
These family favorites are on repeat in our home. We love to pair them with some tasty sides like Canned Refried Beans, Cilantro Lime Rice, Homemade Spanish Rice, Mexican Corn, black beans, and of course Tortilla Chips and Red Salsa or Pico de Gallo! Warm Tortillas also make a frequent appearance.
Be sure to set out your favorite toppings to pile high. We like shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, Guacamole or diced avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and diced onion.
1 Flautas
2 Beef Empanadas Recipe
3 Taco Soup Recipe
4 Fry Bread Recipe
5 Taco Casserole Recipe
Recipe Video
6 Albondigas Recipe
7 Taco Pie Recipe
Recipe Video
8 Nachos Recipe
9 Carne Asada Recipe
10 Beef Enchiladas
Mexican Ground Beef Recipes
Ground beef is a quick and simple staple of these Mexican favorites.
Whether you use prepped and frozen meat (see instructions above), or whip up a fresh batch, these delicious and filling dishes are on the table in no time at all!
11 Taco Salad Recipe
12 Loaded Nachos Recipe
13 Ground Beef Tacos Recipe
14 Beef Enchilada Casserole Recipe
15 Tamale Pie Recipe
16 Frito Pie Recipe
17 Taco Pizza Recipe
18 Hamburger Dip
19 Taco Bowl Recipe
20 Dorito Casserole
21 Taco Pasta Shells Recipe
More Mexican Recipes with Beef
Our site is FULL of Mexican dishes – we eat a lot of Mexican food. Enjoy even more of our best-loved options to keep dinners fresh and interesting!
22 Carne Asada Tacos Recipe
23 Fajita Recipe
24 Mexican Beef Stew Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe25 Green Chile Burritos Recipe
26 Steak Taco Recipe
27 Slow Cooker Barbacoa Recipe
A Mexican Staple
Since the dawn of time (or just a really long time) my late grandmother and now my mom have made the BEST Empanadas. We literally fight over them when my mom makes them and you’ll know why once you give them a try!
Using our favorite Red Enchilada Sauce, leftover Roast, and this amazing empanada dough, these beef empanadas are requested in my home more than any other Mexican dish.
Here is the recipe:
25+ Mexican Beef Recipes
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ cup lard or shortening
- 1¼ cups water
Filling
- 2½ pounds roast beef cooked and shredded (store-bought or homemade)
- 1-2 cups red enchilada sauce to taste (store bought or homemade)
- ½ cup diced black olives
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Mix all of the dough ingredients with a wooden spoon in a medium-sized bowl until well combined and sticky in texture. Next, grab golf ball-sized balls of dough and roll them into a ball. Place the rolled dough balls onto a glass or ceramic plate and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough balls rest at room temp for 4-6 hours.
- Combine the meat, enchilada sauce and olives in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Once the dough has rested, fill a medium saucepan with ¾ inch of oil. Heat the oil to 365 °F
- Roll out each dough ball on a floured surface into a 5–6-inch round.
- Add ¼ cup of the meat mixture to one side of each dough circle. Fold the other half over and pinch around the entire edge.
- Working in batches, fry the empanadas in oil for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner!
And in these cases, it’s all about the Mexican flavors! You’ll love all of these family favorites highlighting ground beef, shredded beef, or cut steak.
More Collections: Mexican Christmas Food, Mexican Side Dishes, Beef Dinner Ideas
