Ground Beef Potato Tacos Recipe | Smart Fun DIY (2024)

Sponsored post by Mirum Shopper. All opinions are my own. Ground beef potato tacos … these were the tacos I knew before I knew there were street tacos. The tacos I knew before I ever tried a fast food taco. These are the tacos I grew up on! When someone special came over to the house, we made these Ground Beef Potato Tacos because they were a treat. No soft tacos in my family, no pre-formed shells, no pre-cooked beef … only real authentic ground beef potato tacos.

Looking for a soft taco recipe? Try these:

• Chile Verde Soft Tacos
• Pork Street Tacos
• Mini Chicken Street Tacos

Why use potatoes in taco recipes?

Shredded potatoes make these tacos have a unique taste. But even more important in our culture is that shredded potatoes can make a pound of ground beef stretch to make at least 20 tacos. When your family is struggling, you gotta do what you can to feed everyone on a budget.

Shredded potatoes make tacos taste better

Though shredded potatoes in this recipe has it roots in financial struggle, the taste of ground beef and potatoes in these tacos is really amazing. And isn't that how it is in most cultures? People take the easy, cheap food and make it taste amazing through cooking, spices, and ingenuity.

What makes tacos “authentic”? Read this …

Who invented hard shell tacos?

Wondering who invented hard shell tacos? According to Atlas Obscura, they were invented in the 1940s but as early as 1914 there's a reference to a taco-like recipe, possibly and empanada, in an early cookbook.

Updating traditional ground beef potato tacos recipe for today

Since my grandma passed this recipe down to my dad and then he passed it down to me, we've made a few changes. We add Knorr Caldo de Res Bouillon (Beef flavor Bouillon) to the meat for extra flavor. We also use a heartier, more nutrient-rich potato variety, Yukon Gold, instead of Russet potatoes like my grandma used for her taco recipe.

Shredding potato for tacos

My husband Xaver shreds the potato in larger pieces so you can see and taste it in the meat. My grandma shredded the potato as small as possible because the point was NOT to taste it. But even my dad said that this is what makes the tacos so good – that bit of potato in them!

Add extra flavor to tacos with bouillon

If you get the bouillon cubes, you'll need to grind up the bouillon into a powder to mix into the meat. You can use a mortar a pestle to do this or just wrap the bouillon in a paper towel and smash it with a meat tenderizing hammer or a cutting board.

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I realized I never actually taught my husband how to make these ground beef potato tacos so that's why you see him making them in the photos. No better time than now!Our daughter knows how to make these ground beef potato tacos and while she is visiting family in North Carolina this month, she is making these tacos on request forthe family. Everyone loves them!

Follow these step by step directions to make this Ground Beef Potato Tacos Recipe:

Mix the meat with the shredded potatoes, spices, and bouillon until blended.

Press about 2 TBSPof meat to one side of the corn tortilla. Form it to fit the tortilla, about 1/2″ from the edge of the tortilla. It should look like half a circle.

Stack the tortilla with meat on a plate, alternating directions.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat.

How to fry hard shell tacos:

Using tongs, gently hold the tortilla into the oil while it softens. Once the center of the tortilla (bottom of taco) is soft, fold it and lay the taco on it's side in the oil.Allow the taco to cook until the tortilla looks crispy like a tortilla chip.Flip and cook the other side.

Line a bread pan with paper towels.Remove the taco from the oil, tilting it sideways in the bread pan so the oil runs out of the taco down into the paper towels.Or line a cookie sheet with paper towels and put a cookie rack on top to set the tacos on to drain.

Cook 3 to 4 tacos at a time until they are all cooked.

Toppings for Hard Shell Tacos:

Shred or thinly slice the iceberg lettuce.Add tomatoes and onion to a bowl with the lettuce.Add mayonnaise and mix well.Open a taco. Spoon in 2 TBSP of the lettuce mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top. Add hot sauce or avocado if desired.

Best sides for hard shell tacos

We love to serve these with avocado slices, Mexican Rice (Arroz Rojo), and cowboy beans. We set them up buffet style, where everyone puts the tacos together the way they like best; more lettuce for my mom, more cheese for my dad, and so on.

What's your favorite way to eat tacos?

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