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Air Fryer Ground Beef (Taco Meat)

air fryer ground beef or taco meat on a plate.
Cook crispy ground beef in air fryer in just 5 minutes and use it in all the recipes that call for cooked ground beef or taco meat, perfect for busy weeknights. The best part is the fat drains while cooking giving extra lean meat.
4.10 from 10 votes
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Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp dried oregano

Instructions
 

  • Preheat air fryer to 375˚F. Place the ground beef in the air fryer basket and break it down with a wooden spatula.
  • Air fry ground beef for 3 minutes. Remove the air fryer basket and gently break down the lumps of ground meat. You might still see uncooked pink meat.
  • Air fryer for another minute until the meat is no longer pink and cooked.
  • Add salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, garlic powder to the ground beef and mix to coat. Air fry the seasoned ground beef for 1 more minute until brown and crispy.
  • Transfer the meat to a plate. You can mix in a tablespoon of water if the meat is dry. The fat will be pooled in the air fryer tray at the bottom and you can discard it.

To cook ground beef in an oven type air fryer

  • Place the ground beef in a baking pan and break up the meat.
  • Cook at 375˚F for 4 minutes, stir the meat, air fry again for 1 more minute.
  • Drain the meat and transfer to the baking pan and season. Air fry for a minute or two.
    The cooking time will vary on the air fryer and the amount of beef used.

Notes

  • You can use taco seasoning instead of the spices used for taco meat.
  • Cook diced onions with the meat for more flavor.
Store - leftover ground beef in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. It stays that long in the fridge. I always have a container of cooked ground beef in the fridge to make a quick meal.
Reheat - You can reheat the ground beef in the microwave. reheating in the air fryer will make it crispy and dry. Sprinkle some water or sauce if you must.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25 poundCalories: 292 kcalTotal Carbs: 1 gProtein: 20 gFat: 23 gSaturated Fat: 9 gSodium: 658 mgFiber: 0.1 gSugar: 0.1 gVitamin A: 42 IUVitamin C: 2 mgCalcium: 24 mgIron: 2 mgNet Carbs: 1 g
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