Beef Taco Lettuce Cups
- Serves
- 4 servings
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Cost
- $17.00
- Nutrition
- 490 cal · 36g protein
- quick
- kid-favorite
- high-protein
- skillet
🍳 1 pan · Picky-eater safe bet: cheese
Beef Taco Lettuce Cups is a Mexican weeknight dinner that serves 4 and is on the table in about 30 minutes, for around $17 in groceries. You'll need 1 pan, and the 12 ingredients below are everyday supermarket items. Cooking for a picky eater? Plain cheese works on its own for the one who won't try the rest. Add it to your week and the whole grocery list lands in your Instacart cart in one tap.
Goes with: Chips and salsa (2 min)
Contains: Dairy— based on the ingredients; brands vary, so check labels.
Cookware you'll need
Set these out before you start — it saves hunting through drawers mid-recipe.
- 12-inch nonstick skilletDon't have one? Amazon →
- LadleDon't have one? Amazon →
- ColanderDon't have one? Amazon →
- Box graterDon't have one? Amazon →
- Salad spinnerDon't have one? Amazon →
- 8-inch chef's knifeDon't have one? Amazon →
Our kitchen essentials list · As an Amazon Associate, DinnerDrop earns from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb 90% lean ground beef
- 1 count yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 heads butter lettuce
- 4 oz cheddar cheese
- 1 package grape tomatoes
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Steps
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Separate the lettuce into whole leaves, rinse, and pat dry.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook the onion 3-4 minutes until soft.
- Add the raw ground beef and cook, breaking it up, 7-8 minutes until no pink remains (160°F). Drain extra fat if needed.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper with a splash of water and cook 1-2 minutes more.
- While the beef cooks, shred the cheddar, halve the tomatoes, and slice the green onions.
- Spoon the taco beef into lettuce cups and top with cheese, tomatoes, and green onions. Kids can build their own.
- Picky eaters can have just the plain taco beef with a little cheese.
- Make ahead: cook the beef up to 3 days early and chill it. Keep the chopped toppings and lettuce in separate containers, then reheat the beef to serve.
On the side: Chips and salsa (2 min)
1 bag tortilla chips, 1 jar salsa
- Put out the chips with a bowl of salsa.
Nutrition per serving
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Saturated fat
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 710 mg
Estimated from the ingredients and amounts in this recipe; brands and portions vary. Not medical or dietary advice.
Photo: Kashish Lamba / Unsplash