Freezer taco meat makes getting a delicious dinner on the table fast and easy! This healthy meal prep recipe comes together quickly and thaws perfectly every time. It’s extremely flavourful and packed with protein, gut-healthy spices and fibre!
Keep reading for tips on how to freeze taco meat, or skip ahead to this healthy, tasty recipe.
Skip Ahead | Table Of Contents
- Can You Freeze Taco Meat?
- Is Taco Meat Healthy?
- Nutrition Facts
- Healthy Ingredients
- How To Make Taco Meat With Black Beans Step-By-Step
- How To Freeze Taco Meat Step-By-Step
- Reheating Freezer Taco Meat
- Substitutions
- Healthy Serving Ideas
- Meal Prep & Storage Tips
- FAQs
- Recipe Card
Can You Freeze Taco Meat?
Yes! Whether you are new to meal prep or a seasoned veteran, I highly recommend making and freezing taco meat. It’s an extremely versatile high-protein meal staple that’s easy to batch prep and store.
It takes the same effort to meal prep four to five pounds of this healthy taco meat as it does one pound. Your frozen taco meat will last up to three months in the freezer and can be packed and flattened in freezer bags for easy storage.
can you freeze cooked taco meat made from frozen beef?
This is the most common question I get from friends, family and clients. Yes! You can freeze meat that’s been previously frozen under these conditions:
- The meat you thawed was raw
- The meat is fully cooked before freezing it again
For example, you can use thawed raw beef to make your taco meat and refreeze it once it’s been fully cooked.
Alternatively, you shouldn’t refreeze raw meat. While there are some exceptions to this rule, to ensure optimal food safety and quality, don’t refreeze raw meat.
Is Taco Meat Healthy?
It all comes down to the ingredients! When you make taco meat at home using simple, whole-food ingredients and spices, yes, taco meat is a very healthy, high-protein food.
This freezer taco meat recipe is extra nutritious because it also includes fibre-rich black beans and gut-healthy taco seasoning!
Alternatively, here’s what can make taco meat a less healthy food:
- Cooking ground meat in vegetable and seed oils, which are inflammatory
- Using taco seasoning packets that contain ingredients like anti-caking agents, vegetable oils, sugars, and added colour and flavourings
- Using meat from animals that have been given growth hormones and routine antibiotics
- Added sugar or excessive amounts of sodium
Nutrition Facts
Each 3/4 cup serving of this freezer taco meat has:
- 25g of protein
- 7g of fibre
- 6g of healthy fats
- 0g of sugar
- 9g of net carbs
- 216 only calories
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: While you can use any ground meat in this recipe, ground beef adds a delicious, deep flavour. It’s high in iron and protein, and if you use grass-fed and finished beef, it’s a great source of omega-3 fats.
- Black Beans: Black beans are cholesterol-free and high in fibre, antioxidants, and plant protein. They also help to lower the overall cost of your taco meat! Adding beans or lentils to your meat dishes is a great way to stretch your meat and protein budget while adding additional fibre and nutrients.
- Taco Seasoning: You can’t have taco meat without taco seasoning! Any taco seasoning mix will work in this recipe. However, homemade seasoning like this one will make this recipe the tastiest and healthiest it can be.
- Water: Adding water helps your taco seasoning become fully incorporated with the meat and releases the spices’ nutritional benefits. It also keeps your freezer taco meat from drying out.
Check out the printable recipe card for exact measurements.
How To Make Freezer Taco Meat With Black Beans
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: Cook the ground beef in a pan over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula or spoon. Cook for about 6 minutes or until it starts to brown. Drain off most of the fat, leaving approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons behind, which will add tons of extra flavour!
STEP 2: Add the beans, taco seasoning, and water to the pan with the cooked meat, and stir everything together.
STEP 3: Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the water mostly evaporates and your meat and beans are evenly coated in saucy seasoning. Remove from heat and allow your meat to cool completely before storing.
How To Freeze Taco Meat
There are two ways to freeze taco meat so it lasts:
- In airtight glass freezer containers
- In freezer bags
Your chosen method will depend on how you consume your taco meat and how much freezer room you have to store it.
Airtight Containers
If you serve larger, family-sized amounts or use freezer taco meat to make casserole-type meals, airtight glass containers will be ideal because food lasts longer in glass storage.
Freezer Bags
Freezer bags will work best if you want to save on freezer storage space because you can flat-pack your freezer taco meat and stack it vertically in your freezer. To do this, place the meat in the freezer bag and press it flat before sealing the bag. You can later stack it horizontally if that works better after it’s been frozen solid.
Freezer bags are also ideal for serving smaller amounts of taco meat. You can simply break off a piece of your flattened freezer taco meat instead of needing to thaw the entire bag.
FREEzing taco meat INSTRUCTIONS
Allow your taco meat to cool completely before transferring it to airtight freezer containers or resealable freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
Label and date your containers so you can more easily rotate through your freezer taco meat, ensuring optimal freshness and preventing food waste.
Store in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.
flat pack freezer bag storage
- Start by cooling your cooked meat completely and placing it in a resealable freezer bag.
- Seal it halfway and start flattening the meat until it’s one even layer.
- Press out the remaining air, seal it, and lay it flat on an even surface in the freezer.
- Once it’s frozen solid, you can stack it on its back or side.
reheating freezer taco meat
Allow your taco meat to thaw at room temperature in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. If you are short on time, you can place your container or sealed bag in a sink full of cold water.
Reheat your thawed taco meat in the microwave, in the oven or on the stove with 1 to 3 teaspoons of hot water. Stir and serve as desired.
REHEATING TACO MEAT FROM FROZEN
If you’re short on time, you can quickly thaw and reheat frozen taco meat in the microwave.
You can also thaw and reheat it in a slow cooker on low heat if you want to start dinner before leaving the house for school or work.
Substitutions
You can substitute the ground beef for other ground meats, such as:
- Turkey
- Chicken
- Bison
- Venison
You can substitute the black beans for other cooked or canned legumes, such as:
- Navy beans
- Pinto beans
- Lentils
- Cannellini beans
- Kidney beans
Healthy Taco Meat Serving Ideas
The following are some healthier alternatives to traditional
While you can serve your taco meat in hard taco shells (yum), here are some equally delicious and healthy alternatives for your next Taco Tuesday or taco night.
LOW CARB IDEAS
- Taco meat stuffed zucchini boats
- Lettuce tacos or wraps
- Taco stuffed avocadoes
- Taco salad
- Taco bowl over cauliflower rice
HEALTHY COMPLEX CARB IDEAS
- As a topping over baked white or sweet potatoes
- Over sweet potato fries
- Burrito stuffed peppers (combine the taco mixture with brown rice and diced tomatoes)
- Taco pasta casserole with chickpea or brown rice pasta, peppers and kale
- Taco bowl over quinoa or brown rice
Meal Prep & Storage Tips
Once you start big-batch prepping and freezing taco meat, you’ll never go back. You’ll love how convenient it is to have freezer taco meat on hand, as much as you’ll love its flavour!
MEAL PREP
Taco meat is a long-term meal prep food, meaning you can prepare and store it to enjoy over several weeks or months.
Meal-prepping multiple batches of freezer taco meat in one cooking session takes much less time than making frequent, single batches over the long run.
If you have multiple frying pans, a large pot, a dutch oven, an electric skillet or a combination of these cooking tools, you have the means of cooking multiple batches at once. It takes the same effort to meal-prep four to five pounds of taco meat as it does one pound!
Taco meat is a very forgiving recipe that doesn’t require much fussing or precision, making it an optimal recipe for practicing big-batch meal-prepping!
STORAGE
Taco meat will last for 3 to 4 months in the freezer and up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Questions About This Recipe?
Once you start big-batch prepping and freezing taco meat, you’ll never go back. You’ll love how convenient and versatile it is, and your whole family will love how it tastes! Still have questions? Check out these Frequently Asked Questions, or write a comment below!
FAQs
Yes! Cooked taco meat, whether it was cooked using thawed or fresh raw meat, can be frozen.
Yes! Beans in taco meat freezes and thaws just as well as basic taco meat.
Taco meat can be frozen for up to 3 months and still retain it’s delcious flavour when you use airtight glass storage containers or well sealed freezer bags. It will last up to 6 months in a deep freezer if packaged and seeled using a food saver machine.
Yes! You can quickly thaw and reheat frozen taco meat in the microwave. You can also thaw and reheat it in a slow cooker on low heat if you have more time or want to start dinner before leaving for school or work.
Recipe Card
Freezer Taco Meat With Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef – grass-fed if possible for added nutrition
- 15 oz can of black beans or 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning like this mild taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a pan over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula or spoon. Cook for about 6 minutes or until it starts to brown. Drain off most of the fat, leaving approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons behind, which will add tons of extra flavour!
- Add the beans, taco seasoning, and water to the pan with the cooked meat, and stir everything together.
- Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the water mostly evaporates and your meat and beans are evenly coated in saucy seasoning.
- Remove from heat and allow your meat to cool completely before transferring it to airtight freezer containers or resealable freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Allow your taco meat to thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or the oven with 1 to 2 teaspoons of hot water. Stir and serve as desired.
Notes
- Homemade taco seasoning is healthier than store-bought and doesn’t contain sugar. My favourite is this mild taco seasoning, which is naturally gluten-free and gut-healthy.
- You can substitute the ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, bison and venison, and the black beans for navy beans, pinto beans and lentils.
- The serving size is a generous 3/4 cup, but you can easily divide it into seven 1/2 cup portions.
Nutrition
Let’s Keep In Touch!
I can’t wait to hear all about your healthy eating journey and what you’ve been cooking! Please comment below or share your successes with me on Instagram @nourashnutrition so that I can celebrate you and your healthy eating milestones!
Until next time…
Sending you 🤎 & ✨!
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