cooking/recipes/mexican/taco-bell-meat/taco-bell-meat.md

title	slug	date	lastUpdated	category	tags	cookTime	prepTime	servings	author	description	featured	display	displayPhoto
Taco Bell-Style Meat	taco-bell-meat	2026-04-20	2026-04-20	mexican	mexican meat	25	10	16	jake	Copycat Taco Bell seasoned beef with the signature saucy, clingy texture from a cornstarch slurry.	false	true	./assets/taco-bell-meat.jpg

:::photos

:::

:::ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 2/3 cups water or beef broth, divided
• 5 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder (optional, for color)
• Salt, to taste :::

:::instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 2/3 cups water, taco seasoning, cornstarch, and cocoa powder. Mix by hand or with a hand mixer until it forms a thick, sticky batter-like consistency.
2. Grease a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven and add the meat mixture along with the remaining 2/3 cup water.
3. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
4. Uncover and break the meat apart fully with a spatula. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the mixture is thick and saucy.
5. Taste and adjust with salt as needed. :::

:::notes

Meat Quality

Slightly fatty meat helps the cornstarch slurry thicken the meat. :::

:::references

• Reference Recipe HERE :::

::card