Beef Taco Skillet

When taco night needs to happen in 25 minutes flat, this skillet has your back. Everything cooks in one pan, and the genius shortcut is the sauce: condensed tomato soup and a scoop of salsa come together into a savory, mildly tangy base without you measuring out a single spice.

The tortillas are what make it a taco skillet rather than just saucy beef. You cut them into pieces and stir them right into the simmering sauce, where they soften and soak up the flavor like a fast, deconstructed enchilada. Five minutes is all they need, so don’t let them cook down to mush.

Start by browning the ground beef well and pouring off the fat, which keeps the dish from going greasy. Once everything has simmered together, blanket the top with shredded cheddar and let it melt into the bubbling skillet.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown the beef hard for real color and flavor, then pour off the fat before the sauce goes in.
• Stir the tortilla pieces in gently and simmer just 5 minutes so they stay tender, not gummy.
• Cover the skillet off the heat for a minute to melt the cheese without overcooking everything else.

Variations

• Add a can of drained black beans or corn to stretch it further.
• Top with sour cream, sliced jalapenos, avocado, or chopped cilantro.
• Use ground turkey and corn tortillas for a lighter, gluten-free version.