Shredded cheese(such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend)
Sour cream (low-fat or regular)
Diced tomatoes
Diced avocados
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a small bowl or plastic container, mix together the onion powder, salt, chili powder, cornstarch, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne or red pepper flakes, if using. Blend well.
Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and cook, stirring and making sure to really break it up into small crumbles, until it is browned throughout, about 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a colander and drain off any liquid.
Return the beef to the pan over medium-high heat and add the spice mixture. Stir for a minute or two until you can smell all of the spices. Add 3/4 cup of water, and stir until the water is mostly evaporated, the meat is evenly coated with the spices, and there is still a little bit of saucy liquid in the pan.
Meanwhile, heat the taco shells on a baking sheet (or right on the rack, whichever you prefer) in the oven for 5 minutes until warm and toasty. Place any desired toppings into small individual bowls.
Transfer the meat to a serving bowl, place the shells on a plate covered with a napkin or clean dish towel to keep them warm, and set out with the bowls of toppings. Let everyone serve themselves.
Notes
Making your own homemade taco seasoning for ground beef is so easy and takes less than 5 minutes. Plus, you can make it in bigger batches and just scoop it out as you need it, thinking about 1 generous tablespoon per pound of meat.My taco seasoning blend contains onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cornstarch, optional red pepper flakes or cayenne, salt, and pepper. Definitely feel free to play around with the proportions and add more cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want spicier tacos.