Description
These flavor-packed tacos combine juicy ground beef sautéed in garlicky butter with a sticky-sweet honey BBQ sauce, all tucked into warm tortillas and topped with fresh, crunchy toppings. Perfect for busy weeknights, they’re quick, easy, and guaranteed to please a crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (preferably 80/20)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- 8 small flour tortillas (or corn tortillas for gluten-free)
- 1 cup shredded lettuce or slaw mix
- 1 large avocado, sliced (optional)
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Mince garlic, thinly slice red onion, and slice avocado. Set out toppings and warm tortillas in a clean kitchen towel. (Soak onion slices in cold water for a milder bite.)
- In a small bowl, mix BBQ sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika. Stir well and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt until foamy, then add minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, but not browned.
- Add ground beef, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through (6-8 minutes). Drain excess grease, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan.
- Pour the honey BBQ sauce over the beef. Stir to coat and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is glossy and clings to the meat. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- While beef simmers, warm tortillas in a dry skillet for 10-20 seconds per side or microwave wrapped in a damp towel for 30 seconds. Keep wrapped to stay soft.
- Assemble tacos: Spoon beef onto tortillas, top with lettuce or slaw, avocado, onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- Serve immediately while warm. For a crowd, set up a taco bar with all toppings.
Notes
Use freshly minced garlic for best flavor. Warm tortillas to prevent cracking. For gluten-free, use corn tortillas; for dairy-free, use vegan butter or olive oil. Adjust sauce sweetness or tanginess to taste. Leftover beef filling can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 23
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 33
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 22
Keywords: beef tacos, garlic butter, honey BBQ, easy dinner, weeknight meal, taco recipe, family favorite, quick tacos, ground beef, comfort food