Taco nights are definitely some of my family’s favorite weeknight dinners. We all love tacos, they’re easy to make, they’re the perfect game day food, AND they’re easy to customize to everyone’s liking. It’s definitely one of my comfort foods.
Plus, there are all sorts of meat options you can use to make them, so you can utilize whatever you have on hand at the moment.
If you have taco nights often, you know leftover taco meat is such a common occurrence.
If you do have leftover taco meat, please do NOT toss it out. First of all, we should never waste food like that. Secondly, leftover taco meat works so well in so many dishes, and I love having it on hand, as it makes tomorrow’s lunch or dinner super quick and easy to make, as I don’t have to prepare the meat.
Using leftover taco meat for other recipes saves you time and money. While there are lots of recipes you can use the leftover taco meat for, there are also a couple of things you should keep in mind when it comes to using it so you’re using it in a safe way.
So in this post, we’re talking about what to do with leftover taco meat, so you’re prepared for your next Taco Tuesday.
What To Do With Leftover Taco Meat
Leftover taco meat can definitely be used in the following days, as long as it’s stored properly, and not longer than it should be stored. Storing it properly will ensure its food safety and freshness.
When we’re talking about how to store leftover taco meat, you should use an airtight container – most meal prep ones will work. Alternatively, wrap it tightly and cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
How Long Is Leftover Taco Meat Good For
If stored properly, leftover taco fridge can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. So, if you plan on using it in 3 to 4 days, you can easily put it in the fridge.
However, if you want to use it later on, and not in the next 3 to 4 days, you should freeze it.
If you decide to freeze your leftover taco meat, simply put it in a ziplock bag (but cool it down first), and place it in the freezer. In the freezer, it should be safe for up to 3 months.
Leftover Taco Meat Recipes
Note that all of these recipes will use raw taco meat, but since you’ll already have cooked taco meat, just skip the part of the recipe where we cook the meat.
Some of these recipes call for ground beef and some call for ground turkey, but feel free to use whatever leftover taco meat you have. Whether you had ground beef tacos, ground turkey tacos, or something else, you’ll be able to use any of those leftover taco meat options in all of these recipes.
Taco Mac and Cheese
If you’re looking for a delicious taco pasta recipe, this is one of my favorite ones.
Ingredients
- ¼ Mac & Cheese, boxed, entire box with cheese packet, without milk & butter – 163 calories
- 1 Tbsp Milk, 2% (Tbsp) – 9 calories
- 1 Tbsp Butter (Tbsp) – 103 calories
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- ½ Bell pepper, orange, large – 25 calories
- ½ Bell pepper, red, medium – 19 calories
- ½ Onion, yellow, large – 28 calories
- ½ tsp Taco seasoning – 3 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Note: this recipe works best when making 4 servings at once, to make the entire mac & cheese box and cheese packet (one serving is still a lot of food!)
Step 2: Dice vegetables
Step 3: Melt 1/2 of your butter in a large pan on low heat. Add in meat and vegetables, stir fry on medium heat stirring occasionally until everything has cooked through.
Step 4: Cook your pasta as instructed on package. Drain your pasta & return to your pot.
Step 5: Add vegetables and meat to your pot with pasta, mix in in taco seasoning and cheese packet.
Step 6: Enjoy!
No beef? Use white beans. No dairy? Use a dairy-free version of mac & cheese.
Taco Salad
Another one of my favorite taco recipes is a taco salad. It’s fresh, easy to make, and super delicious.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Salsa – 32 calories
- ¼ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 84 calories
- ½ Avocado, small – 117 calories
- 2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw – 10 calories
- 1 oz Olives, sliced – 50 calories
- 1 tsp Everything bagel seasoning (tsp) – 15 calories
- 4 oz Ground turkey, 93% lean, raw – 172 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Spray a pan with an oil spray. Slice avocado.
Step 2: Stir fry ground turkey ~8 minutes on low heat, until cooked through.
Step 3: Combine all ingredients and enjoy.
No turkey? Use fish, tofu, beans. No dairy? Use more olives and/or avocado.
Taco Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- ¾ Zucchini, medium – 25 calories
- ¾ Bell pepper, orange, large – 38 calories
- ½ cup Cheese, Mexican, shredded – 228 calories
- ¼ tsp Pepper, ground – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Oregano – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Basil, dried – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Dice zucchini and bell pepper.
Step 2: Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Step 3: Add ground beef, zucchini, and bell peppers to the pan.
Step 4: Cook for 8-10 minutes on medium heat, until meat has cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add in spices.
Step 5: Turn heat to low and top with cheese. Cover pot with a lid, and let cheese melt ~2 minutes.
Step 6: Serve.
No dairy? Top with diced avocado, bacon bits or use a dairy-free cheese. No meat? Use beans or tofu.
Note: you can make multiple servings at once.
Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats
Ingredients
- 2 cups Squash, spaghetti – 90 calories
- ¼ cup Cheese, Mexican, shredded – 114 calories
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- ½ cup Corn, canned – 63 calories
- ¼ cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked – 57 calories
- ¼ cup Canned, diced tomatoes – 14 calories
- 1 tsp Taco seasoning – 5 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2: Slice spaghetti squash in half, if not already sliced (be careful!). Note: Microwaving the spaghetti squash for 6 minutes (3 on the top & the bottom) makes cutting it much easier.
Step 3: Scoop out seeds from center of spaghetti squash.
Step 4: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spray it with an oil spray.
Step 5: Bake spaghetti squash, cut side faced down, for 30 minutes.
Step 6: While spaghetti squash is cooking, cook ground beef in a pan for ~8 minutes on medium heat, or until cooked through. Mix in beans, corn, tomatoes, and taco seasoning.
Step 7: Remove spaghetti squash from the oven.
Step 8: Shred spaghetti squash with a fork, keeping the “spaghetti” strands in the boat.
Step 9: Add ground beef mixture to the boat, mix contents together. Top with cheese.
Step 10: Set the oven to broil, and broil for 2 minutes.
No meat? Use more beans. No dairy? Top with diced avocado.
1/2 spaghetti squash = about 2 cups spaghetti squash.
Zucchini Bowl Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 Zucchini, medium – 33 calories
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- ¼ cup Tomatoes, canned, crushed – 13 calories
- ¼ cup Ricotta cheese, part-skim – 108 calories
- ⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 112 calories
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Basil, dried – 0 calories
- ⅛ tsp Red pepper flakes – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Chop zucchini into small pieces.
Step 2: Stir fry ground beef ~7 minutes on medium heat, or until cooked through. Add in zucchini for the last 3 minutes. Drain away any excess liquid.
Step 3: Mix in tomatoes, ricotta, and seasonings. Let all contents heat through.
Step 4: Top with mozzarella.
Step 5: Set oven to broil, and bake for 3 minutes.
No red meat? Use ground turkey or beans. No dairy? Use dairy free cheeses, or switch out this meal for another.
Big Mac Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- 1 Potato, Russet, medium, 5 inches – 160 calories
- ½ Onion, yellow, large – 28 calories
- ½ cup Leafy greens, romaine – 4 calories
- ¼ cup Tomatoes, grape – 8 calories
- 1 Tbsp Cheese, shredded, cheddar (Tbsp) – 30 calories
- 1 oz Pickles, chip-cut – 0 calories
- 1 Tbsp Creamy dressing (e.g. ranch), regular (more than 50 calories per 2 tbsp) – 74 calories
- 1 tsp Butter (tsp) – 36 calories
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories
- ⅛ tsp Pepper, ground – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Note: This recipe works well when making multiple servings at once
Step 2: Slice potato into small pieces, and bake at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes or air fry at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes
Step 3: Dice onions, slice tomatoes in halves
Step 4: Melt butter in a pan, add in ground beef and onions, stir fry on medium heat until cooked through
Step 5: Mix in potatoes, ranch, and seasonings
Step 6: Make a salad with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and cheese
Step 7: Top skillet contents with salad, and serve!
No meat? Use black beans. No dairy? Use diced avocado and dairy-free ranch, available at most stores.
Stuffed Pepper Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- ½ Bell pepper, orange, large – 25 calories
- ½ Bell pepper, yellow, large – 25 calories
- ½ cup Canned, diced tomatoes – 28 calories
- ½ Onion, yellow, large – 28 calories
- ½ cup Cauliflower rice, raw (already riced) – 19 calories
- ¼ cup Cheese, Mexican, shredded – 114 calories
- 1 tsp Avocado oil (tsp) – 41 calories
- ¼ Avocado, small – 58 calories
- ⅛ tsp Cumin – 0 calories
- ⅛ tsp Red pepper flakes – 0 calories
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories
- 1 Tbsp Parsley, fresh – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Dice onion, peppers, and avocado.
Step 2: Add oil to a pan, then add in your meat and onions.
Step 3: Stir fry on medium heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Step 4: Add in your peppers, cauliflower rice, tomatoes, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, and cumin.
Step 5: Stir fry another ~10 minutes on low-medium heat.
Step 6: Top with cheese and cover your pan so the cheese melts.
Step 7: Top with fresh parsley and avocado, and enjoy!
No meat? Use beans. No dairy? Top with more avocado.
Low Carb Lasagna
Ingredients
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- 4 oz Hearts of palm noodles, lasagna shape – 20 calories
- ½ cup Tomatoes, canned, crushed – 25 calories
- ⅓ cup Cheese, Parmesan, shredded (cups) – 111 calories
- ⅓ cup Cheese, Parmesan, grated (cups) – 115 calories
- ½ tsp Garlic salt (tsp) – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Basil, dried – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Oregano – 0 calories
Instructions
Note: this recipe works best when making 3+ servings at once
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Step 2: Spray a pan with an oil spray
Step 3: Stir fry ground beef until cooked through, about 6 minutes
Step 4: Mix in garlic salt, basil, oregano, and tomatoes
Step 5: Rinse and drain hearts of palm lasagna noodles
Step 6: Spray a casserole dish with an oil spray
Step 7: Layer in lasagna noodles, meat sauce, cheeses, and then that sequence again until you have no more ingredients
Step 8: Bake for 20 minutes, serve hot
No meat? Use beans or tofu. No hearts of palm lasagna noodles? Use hearts of palm “spaghetti” or cauliflower rice instead
Spicy Pepper Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 Bell pepper, orange, large – 50 calories
- 6 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 278 calories
- 1 cup Cauliflower rice, raw (already riced) – 38 calories
- ⅓ cup Cheese, Mexican, shredded – 152 calories
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes (tsp) – 0 calories
- 1 tsp Hot sauce (tsp) – 0 calories
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories
- 1 Tbsp Cilantro – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Step 2: Spray a pan with an oil spray
Step 3: Stir fry beef and cauli rice, mixing frequently, on medium heat ~ 8 minutes until cooked through
Step 4: Mix in red pepper flakes, hot sauce, and garlic salt
Step 5: Slice pepper into quarters
Step 6: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil and spray with an oil spray, or you can use an oven-safe pan (like I am in the picture) or casserole dish
Step 7: Add in pepper quarters, then top with beef stir fry and cheese
Step 8: Bake for 10 minutes
Step 9: Top with cilantro and serve
Optionally put some sour cream on top.
No meat? Use beans. No dairy? Use oil instead of an oil spray when cooking the beef & cauli rice mixture
Lettuce Wrapped Ground Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 Lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps – 6 calories
- 4 oz Ground turkey, 93% lean, raw – 172 calories
- ⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 112 calories
- 1 Carrots, whole, medium – 25 calories
- ⅛ tsp Cumin – 0 calories
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Dice carrots.
Step 2: Spray a pan with an oil spray. Stir fry turkey and carrots for ~10 minutes on low heat, until turkey is no longer pink.
Step 3: Add in seasonings.
Step 4: Add to lettuce leaves.
Step 5: Top with cheese.
No ground turkey? Use ground beef, tuna, beans or tofu. No lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps? Have taco insides on a bed of lettuce as a “taco salad”.
Pizza Skillet
You can obviously make taco pizza by simply putting leftover taco meat on a pizza before baking it. But if you want a different cheesy taco pizza dish, this pizza skillet is just what you need.
Ingredients
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- ¼ oz Pepperoni – 35 calories
- ⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 112 calories
- ¼ cup Tomatoes, canned, crushed – 13 calories
- ½ Onion, yellow, large – 28 calories
- ½ Bell pepper, orange, large – 25 calories
- ¼ tsp Garlic, minced (tsp) – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Basil, dried – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Oregano – 0 calories
- ⅛ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Note: this recipe works best if making more than 1 serving at once. So double, triple etc. the ingredients list and then divide by 2, 3 etc. equal sized portions when done.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 3: Dice onion and pepper.
Step 4: Spray an oven-safe pan with an oil spray.
Step 5: Stir fry minced garlic (I buy jarred, pre-minced), onion, pepper, and ground beef for ~12 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef and onion have cooked through.
Step 6: Add in tomatoes, and seasonings (can season liberally).
Step 7: Top with cheese, and then pepperoni.
Step 8: Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 3, and serve!
No dairy? Use dairy-free cheese. No meat? Use beans for the meat, and add more cheese instead of the pepperoni.
Whenever I have something leftover that can be used the next day, I love turning one ingredient into different dishes. That’s why I also shared what to do with leftover spaghetti sauce recently!
Now, you also know what to do with leftover taco meat!
