Tacos de Carne Molida: Simple Ground Beef Tacos for Cinco de Mayo! {Recipe}

If you’re looking for a simple ground beef taco recipe to try this Cinco de Mayo, then these Tacos de Carne Molida will surely be a hit! This recipe for Tacos de Carne Molida is a bit unconventional – in essence it is a fusion of Puerto Rican food with Mexican cuisine and it is a delicious combination! By blending Puerto Rican carne molida with traditional Mexican soft corn tortillas and toppings, you end up with a wonderful dish that tastes great and is easy to make. Ready to wow your friends and family with a new Cinco de Mayo meal? Check out the recipe below using ingredients you can find at your local Walmart!

Tacos de Carne Molida: Simple Ground Beef Taco Recipe for Cinco de Mayo

Ingredients

• 3 lbs ground beef
• 1 Tbsp adobo
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp meat tenderizer
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Sazón, 1 packet
• 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 1/2 Tbsp tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp sofrito (or recaito)
• 10-11 green olives (Spanish salad olives) + 1-2 tsp of olives’ liquid
• 2-3 small potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and cubed
• About 10 baby carrots, rinsed and chopped
• Soft corn tortillas
• Iceberg lettuce, rinsed and chopped
• Pico de gallo – You can make your own by chopping up some veggies or purchase a pre-packaged pico de gallo in Walmart’s fresh produce section, in case you want to take a little shortcut!
• Cilantro (optional), for garnishing

Note: To see pictures and links for some of the ingredients used, read 5 Must-Have Ingredients for Cooking Puerto Rican Food.

Directions

1. Follow my recipe for cooking Puerto Rican carne molida. This will be the ground beef filling for your tacos.
2. Warm your tortillas following the package directions, either in a microwave or on the stove.
3. You can assemble your tacos to your liking, but my preference is to layer the Tacos de Carne Molida in this order:
   • Add a layer of carne molida (ground beef) on top of your warm tortilla.
   • Then top with lettuce, followed by pico de gallo.
   • Add a little cilantro to garnish.

These Tacos de Carne Molida really couldn’t be any easier to make and the various tastes that blend together in this dish will have your mouth asking for more! It’s a simple ground beef taco recipe as is, but feel free to make it your own by playing with or adding additional toppings if you like – have fun with it! Want to add some cheese or use guacamole instead of pico de gallo? Go for it! The point of Cinco de Mayo is to celebrate, so you should definitely celebrate and have fun while enjoying your Tacos de Carne Molida!

What toppings would you add to these Tacos de Carne Molida?

All photos © Melanie Edwards/modernmami™