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Quick Summer Ground Beef Tacos with Iced Coffee

A fast, flavorful ground beef taco recipe designed for hot summer days, paired with a bright, cold brew iced coffee to cut the richness.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 350

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef 80/20, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup water, 8 small corn or flour tortillas, 1 cup shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup diced tomato, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or cotija cheese, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, lime wedges for serving, 1/2 cup coarsely ground coffee beans, 2 cups cold filtered water, ice cubes

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • wooden spoon
  • measuring spoons
  • small bowl
  • coffee grinder
  • French press or jar
  • fine-mesh strainer
  • glass
  • ice

Method
 

  1. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne (if using), and salt. Set aside. 2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. 3. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet. 4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the spice mixture and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. 5. Pour in 1/4 cup water and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until liquid mostly evaporates, about 2 minutes. 6. While beef cooks, prepare cold brew: combine coarsely ground coffee and cold water in a jar or French press. Stir gently, cover, and let steep at room temperature for 12-24 hours (or use hot steep method: steep in hot water for 4 minutes, then strain over ice). 7. Strain cold brew through a fine-mesh strainer (or press plunger). Fill a glass with ice, pour cold brew over, and add a splash of milk or cream if desired. 8. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave. Fill each with seasoned beef, then top with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately with iced coffee.

Notes

For a spicier taco, increase cayenne to 1/2 teaspoon. Cold brew concentrate can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Dilute with equal parts water or milk before serving. Handle hot skillet safely.