Easy Gluten-free Taco Meat

This is the easiest and best gluten-free ground taco meat to make with the perfect homemade taco seasoning blend. This recipe can do it all!

In our house, someone is putting gluten-free tacos on the menu all the time because the entire family loves them. Of course, this mama always says yes because, hello, I love tacos too. Plus, they make the perfect easy weeknight dinner.

This easy gluten-free taco seasoning recipe will come in handy since the new start of the school year is just around the corner with all the extra activities that come along with it.

Jump to:

• Are tacos gluten-free?
• Ingredients.
• Best ground meat for tacos.
• Steps.
• Gluten-free taco seasoning.
• Homemade vs. Store-bought taco seasoning.
• Gluten-free taco seasoning packets.
• Gluten-free taco shells.
• Gluten-free taco toppings.
• Serving suggestions.
• Tacos for a crowd.
• Not feeling tacos?
• More quick and easy gluten-free dinners.
• 📖 Recipe

Are tacos gluten-free?

When it comes to whether or not tacos are gluten-free or not usually depends on the taco seasoning and the type of taco shell that is used. If you are ordering tacos at a restaurant, you want to make sure that the shells are 100% gluten-free corn tortillas. You also want to make sure that the taco seasoning they use is gluten-free, as well as if anything is made with the possibility of cross-contamination like a shared fryer.

Thankfully, making gluten-free tacos at home is super easy and takes no time at all.

Ingredients.

Making some gluten-free taco meat with tons of flavor isn't hard, and only requires a few simple ingredients.

• Ground Meat - See below for my favorite ground meats for tacos.
• Onion - Yellow or white onions have the best flavor for tacos.
• Bell Pepper - Feel free to use whatever color you have on hand. I often find myself grabbing the bag of frozen peppers from the freezer when I want to make these tacos even easier.
• Tomato Paste - This is the thick tomato paste that comes in a small can or tube, not tomato sauce.
• Avocado Oil - I like to use avocado oil, but you can use any light cooking oil.
• Gluten-free taco seasoning - See my favorite gluten-free taco seasoning blend below, or feel free to use your favorite store-bought blend. I actually really like the Siete brand spice packets, which can be found at Walmart and other grocery stores.
• Water - A little bit of liquid brings the meat and seasonings together for the best taco meat.

Best ground meat for tacos.

This recipe for gluten-free tacos uses ground meat. If you prefer chicken or steak, check out my gluten-free fajita recipe or my carne asada.

The meat you use can be a personal preference, but I like to use one of the following depending on what I have on hand.

• 80-90% lean ground beef
• Ground Turkey
• Ground Chicken
• Ground Pork

Steps.

1. Cook and drain the ground meat.
2. Add the onions and bell pepper to the meat and continue to cook until the onions and pepper have softened.
3. Stir in your gluten-free taco seasoning, tomato paste, and water, and let it simmer to coat the meat and vegetables.
4. Use your taco meat to make delicious gluten-free tacos.

Gluten-free taco seasoning.

 My go-to taco seasoning blend.

• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• ½ Teaspoon Paprika
• ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Onion Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano
• 1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• ½ - 1 Teaspoon Dried Jalapeno Pepper (optional, depending on heat level desired)

To make a homemade gluten-free taco seasoning, mix all the spices into a small bowl to combine.

Store the taco seasoning in an air-tight container or ziplock bag. Keep your homemade taco seasoning in a cool, dark place for up to six months.

Homemade vs. Store-bought taco seasoning.

I prefer to make my own spice blends for a few reasons.

• They are less expensive - Many spice blends, including taco/ Mexican blends, are costly for the amounts you are getting, especially if you are buying organic or mixes you know are gluten-free. Saving money at the grocery store is always a good thing since a gluten-free diet can get expensive quickly.
• I can control the ingredients - A lot of blends use filler ingredients, and by making my own, I can control the ingredients, and therefore I can keep all the unwanted fillers. This includes possible gluten contamination in them since many blends contain anti-caking agents that can contain gluten. 
• I don't have to run to the store to get more - You can make a batch of it to keep on hand to use when you need to.

Gluten-free taco seasoning packets.

If you really don't want to make your own taco seasoning to make gluten-free tacos, there are a few brands that make gluten-free taco seasoning. Here are a few of my favorites.

• Siete - They make two different varieties of gluten-free taco seasoning. I've been able to find them at my local Walmart.
• Simply Organic - This one, I personally think, lacks a little bit of flavor.
• McCormick also makes a gluten-free taco seasoning if you can find it. To me, it isn't the best, but it is gluten-free.

If you choose store-bought taco seasoning, always check the label to make sure it is gluten-free before using it.

Gluten-free taco shells.

You can't really make gluten-free tacos without something to put them in. Otherwise, you're just eating a gluten-free burrito bowl. It will be delicious, but not a taco. We want to make gluten-free tacos which means we need to use a gluten-free tortilla shell.

• Gluten-free Soft Corn Tortillas - Most soft corn tortillas are gluten-free, but always check the label to make sure.
• Hard Corn Shells - A few companies make hard corn tortilla shells that are gluten-free, including Old El Paso crunchy shells, which are labeled gluten-free. If you want a crunchy taco shell but don't want the grains, Siete makes a gluten-free and grain-free taco shell.
• Soft Flour Tortillas - If you want your gluten-free tacos to have that soft flour texture try using Mission gluten-free tortillas. I also am a fan of the Siete cassava or almond flour tortillas for this.
• Lettuce - If you want something lighter, you can always use lettuce as a taco shell to stuff full of goodness.

Gluten-free taco toppings.

You can always keep your taco toppings simple with the classics, but sometimes it's fun to mix them up.

• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Shredded Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Lime Juice
• Cilantro
• Sliced Olives
• Sliced Avocado

If you want to really go over the top and make a delicious gluten-free taco, you can do some more like these.

• Gluten-free Salsa - You can make a quick batch of my gluten-free restaurant-style salsa or even some of my gluten-free salsa verde. Both are delicious.
• Guacamole - Who can resist some homemade gluten-free guacamole?
• Pico De Gallo
• Roasted veggies
• Pickled Jalapenos
• Pickled Onions

You can get creative and make your gluten-free tacos the way you like them.

Serving suggestions.

You can serve these gluten-free tacos by themself or alongside some simple rice and beans and some gluten-free tortilla chips. My kids love it when my gluten-free Mexican rice or some of my cilantro lime cauliflower rice, and they are always asking for some of my homemade gluten-free refried beans.

Tacos for a crowd.

You can easily make gluten-free tacos for a crowd. Making a gluten-free taco bar is just a slightly bigger version of a regular taco night.

Everyone can make their tacos the way they like. Just make sure there isn't a possibility of cross-contamination in how it is being served if you are having both gluten and gluten-free options.

Not feeling tacos?

This gluten-free taco meat can be used for so many different things beyond just tacos. Don't get me wrong. I love tacos (and eat more than my fair share, I'm sure). But sometimes you want something more.

This does excellent for other things like:

• Burritos/ Burrito Bowls
• Nachos
• Skillets
• Quesadillas 

Any place you want a little bit of that fun taco flare.

More quick and easy gluten-free dinners.

If you love Mexican food as much as I do, you'll love my gluten-free enchiladas or my gluten-free breakfast tacos. Need more quick and easy dinners for the week? Give one of these easy, gluten-free recipes a try.

📖 Recipe