Description
Authentic, budget-friendly Mexican street tacos made with seasoned ground meat, fresh toppings, and a tangy cilantro lime crema. Ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs ground beef or chicken
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- 12–16 small corn tortillas
- 1 medium white onion, finely diced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced, seeds removed (optional)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl or blender, combine sour cream, Greek yogurt, chopped cilantro, lime juice, minced garlic, and salt. Blend or whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while cooking meat.
- Dice the white onion and chop the cilantro. Mix them together in a small bowl. Dice the jalapeño if using. Cut limes into wedges.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef or chicken and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes until browned.
- Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the meat. Stir to coat and cook for another 1-2 minutes to toast the spices. Remove from heat.
- Warm tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat (30-45 seconds per side) or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 30-45 seconds. Keep warm in a clean kitchen towel or foil.
- Assemble tacos by spooning meat onto warm tortillas. Top with the onion and cilantro mix, squeeze fresh lime juice over the top, and drizzle with cilantro lime crema. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking meat to ensure proper browning. Keep tortillas warm and covered to prevent cracking. The crema can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do not freeze the crema as it will separate. Meat can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tacos per serving
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 12
Keywords: Mexican street tacos, budget dinner, family dinner, cilantro lime crema, quick tacos, ground beef tacos, gluten-free tacos