Quick and Cheesy Ground Beef Tacos with Pickled Cabbage

These quick and cheesy ground beef tacos are the perfect weeknight dinner when you need something fast, flavorful and fun. The filling comes together in one pan with juicy tomatoes and scallions, while a tangy lime-pickled cabbage adds a refreshing crunch. Drizzle everything with warm queso blanco for a melty finish that will have everyone reaching for seconds.

Ready in just 20 minutes, this recipe is all about big flavor with minimal effort. Serve with warm flour tortillas and extra lime wedges for a meal that feels like a fiesta any night of the week.

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Ingredients

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fajita Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 ounce Queso BlancoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Shredded Red CabbageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Dice tomato into ¼-inch pieces. Quarter lime.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and tomato; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2-3 minutes. While veggies cook, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine cabbage, 1 TBSP water, ¾ tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and juice from half the lime. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 45 seconds. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Set aside to pickle, tossing occasionally, until ready to serve.
3. Add beef to pan with veggies; season with Fajita Spice Blend, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes (carefully pour out any excess grease). Add stock concentrate and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and saucy, 1-3 minutes more.
4. In a second medium microwave-safe bowl, combine queso blanco and 2 TBSP water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until warmed through, 30-45 seconds. Stir halfway through for even heating. Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 30 seconds. Divide tortillas between plates; fill with pickled cabbage (draining first), saucy beef and queso blanco. Garnish with scallion greens and serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

Yes, corn tortillas work well too. Warm them in a dry skillet or microwave until pliable.

How do I store leftovers?

Store the beef, pickled cabbage and queso blanco separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Can I make the pickled cabbage ahead of time?

Absolutely! The pickled cabbage can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. It actually gets more flavorful over time.