Ground beef tacos are a classic dish that everyone should know how to make. Are you wondering how much hamburger meat to plan on per person for tacos? They are not only quick and simple to prepare, but they are also reasonably priced and adaptable. I’ll demonstrate how to calculate the ideal amount of ground beef to use per person in tacos in this blog post, so you can enjoy this delectable dish whenever you like. Let’s get started!.
For good reason, ground beef is a traditional option for tacos; it is a versatile meat that is simple to prepare and, most importantly, delicious. But how much taco meat should you use per person?.
Planning The Perfect Taco Bar Party
Here is a good way to determine how many tacos the average person will eat if you are unfamiliar with feeding a large group of friends. Once you have that amount, you can use the calculator to calculate how much taco meat you will need per person. The number of tacos provided for each visitor tends to be on the generous side, but as the host, you always want to have extra food on hand to avoid running out. A tiny tacos-to-go leftover tray is something that guests would adore taking home!
- Plan for the adult guests to eat 2-3 tacos each
- Plan for children aged 2 to 10 to eat one to one and a half tacos each.
- Children who are older than 10 years old should be considered adult guests.
If you anticipate that your visitors will consume more food than this average amount per person, make adjustments. I also advise you to increase the total by 5 to 10 tacos after determining the initial number required for the gathering. These will act as a safety buffer.
Determine How Much Taco Meat Per Person
This calculator will tell you how much raw ground beef you’ll need to buy. It depends on both the number of attendees at your party and the calculation made in step 1 above regarding how many tacos you will be serving per person.
The calculator uses precise measurements to calculate how much taco meat is needed per person. It is based on a formula that uses the standard taco’s average serving size of 1/8th of a pound of meat, or roughly 2 ounces of raw beef. Therefore, one pound of ground beef should adequately fill eight tacos.
Of course, cooked hamburger meat will weigh less than raw and will also slightly shrink in size. You will, however, have the appropriate quantity of hamburger meat for your taco party if you use the calculator.
No matter how many pounds of ground beef you need to prepare for your large taco party, a little forethought and the right ground beef calculator will put you in the driver’s seat every time.
Determine the Amount of All the Taco Bar Toppings
Now that you are aware of the required amount of taco meat per person, let’s discuss toppings. All topping amounts are given by weight rather than volume to make things simpler. Simply divide the quantity of each topping ingredient listed by the estimated number of tacos you’ll need for your party.
- Plan to have 1 hard taco shell or tortilla per taco. Flour tortillas. However, keep in mind that some of the hard shells may break in the package, so purchase extras.
- Refried beans: By adding beans, taco meat will last longer. Plan on 2 ounces per taco.
- Shredded cheese – each taco should take about 1. 5 ounces of cheese.
- Plan to put 1 ounce of shredded lettuce on each taco.
- Buy 2 ounces of fresh tomatoes to use as diced tomatoes for each taco.
- Salsa – each taco will use 1.5 ounces of salsa
- Guacamole – plan for 1. 5 ounces of guacamole for each taco.
- Sour cream – purchase 1. 5 ounces of sour cream for each taco.
- Plan for 0 black olives because not everyone will use them. 5 ounces for each taco.
Taco Bar Ingredient Checklist
Here is a suggested list of preferred toppings and must-haves for tacos because each of your guests will have different preferences. Before going to the grocery store, make sure you have them all:
- Hard shell tacos, corn tortillas, and flour for soft tortillas are the three options for tacos in shells.
- Use the ground beef calculator to calculate how much lean hamburger you need for each serving of tacos.
- Taco seasoning – homemade or store-bought
- Refried beans or black beans
- Grated cheese – cheddar, queso fresco, or pepper jack
- Thinly shredded lettuce
- Homemade salsa or pico de gallo, with options for mild and medium heat
- Sour cream or Mexican crema
- Guacamole
- Black olives
- Pickled jalapenos
- Slices of fresh lime to squeeze over top
- Tortilla chips
How to Make Taco Meat Ahead Of Time
Make sure to prepare as much as you can in the days (or weeks) prior to your large taco party so that you are not stressed out right before it. You might be surprised by how much ground beef you have to cook once you’ve calculated how much taco meat per person and the number of tacos required. Here are some simple steps to take before the big day.
- So that the hamburger doesn’t steam but instead browns, prepare the taco meat in small batches. The browning creates great flavor.
- Use 2-3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning or 3 tablespoons of my favorite store-bought taco seasoning to season each pound of ground beef. Once the hamburger is fully cooked and no longer pink, the seasoning is applied.
- To thaw, place the taco meat in the refrigerator a few days before the party, and heat it in the microwave or crock pot before serving.
Of course, once you know how much taco meat per person, you have to season it! The easiest option for a taco meat recipe is to purchase the store-bought seasoning packets, but I’m going to discourage that option pretty strongly. Most of those pre-mixed seasonings are very heavy with the sodium and leave a grainy texture in your mouth. The only store-bought version I have used and would recommend is Spice Islands Premium Taco Seasoning from Costco.
Taco seasoning made at home is incredibly easy to make and tastes much better than store-bought seasoning. Additionally, it incorporates ingredients like chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder that you probably already have on hand. To view my favorite and easiest homemade taco seasoning recipe, click here.
How to Keep Taco Meat Warm for a Party
To prevent anyone from becoming ill, let’s keep all the ingredients on your taco bar safe if your guests will be assembling their own homemade tacos. This means the seasoned hamburger meat must remain warm and the cold toppings must remain cold.
- Use a disposable chafing buffet dish or a crockpot to keep your prepared taco meat warm. To stop bacteria from growing, the cooked hamburger needs to be kept at or above 140 degrees.
- Put your cheese and sour cream containers in an ice bath to keep them chilled. Be sure to change out the ice as it melts.
- For the duration of your event, the corn and flour tortillas can be kept warm in a disposable chafing buffet dish with a clean, damp towel on top to keep them soft.
Keeping The Taco Bar Ingredients Stocked
Allowing your guests to go through the line first when hosting a taco party is not only courteous, but it also gives you the chance to restock all the ingredients before you take your own plate and join your guests. By doing this, the taco bar can be stocked with the amount of taco meat per person, as well as the shells and toppings, for a second round. There’s no need for you to stand up and replenish everything.
Hiring someone to keep the ingredients for the taco bar stocked throughout the event is a fantastic alternative. By doing this, you can concentrate on your guests rather than the food. Hire a responsible high schooler or college student to keep the food trays full at all times.
Taco Bar Side Dish Suggestions
Because the tacos will be the main course, choose straightforward side dishes to serve your guests. To balance the meal, choose a few fresh options in addition to the obvious side of tortilla chips.
- Fresh green salad with Tomatillo Avocado Ranch dressing
- Fresh fruit salad
- Corn on the cob
- Lightly sautéed peppers and onions
- Mexican black beans
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Southwest cole slaw
- Mexican rice
Uses for Leftover Taco Meat
Don’t worry if you end up with a little too much meat. Sometimes you still have leftover taco meat even after using the calculator to figure out how much meat to use for each person. Always prefer having extra to not having enough for your party. Let’s be honest…. The best part of hosting is having extra food, so here are some ideas for your leftovers:
How to Freeze Taco Meat
Portion the extra hamburger meat into smaller servings and freeze them in containers or freezer bags for use later. For safety, be sure the meat is still warm when you package it. The taco meat will last 6 months in your freezer. Be sure you mark the container with both the date and the description of what’s inside. When it comes time to use the leftovers, simply put them in the fridge to thaw a couple of days before you need them. Or, pop it in the microwave on defrost setting.
Store the Hamburger Meat in the Refrigerator
If you will be using it within the next few days, leftover taco meat will last up to one week in your fridge in an airtight container. For food safety reasons, be sure the cooked hamburger is still hot when it is packed up and put in the refrigerator. It is important to cool the food quickly to keep bacteria from growing.
Leftover Taco Meat Recipe Ideas
Make other dinners out of those few extra pounds of meat so you aren’t limited to tacos for the next few days.
- Make a loaded omelet with eggs, onions, peppers, green chilies, Monterey jack cheese, and the remaining taco meat for a delicious Southwest dish. Add some fresh pico de gallo over the top.
- Green Chili Taco Bake is a simple layered casserole made with corn tortillas, refried beans, cheese, and leftover taco meat. The dish is baked all at once until it is hot and bubbly. Serve it with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and pico de gallo.
- Layers of tortilla chips, corn, tomatoes, leftover taco meat, black beans, cheese, and green enchilada sauce make up the nacho casserole. Once your children hear the word “nachos,” this will be a huge hit with them.
- Make this incredible dinner in less than 15 minutes with this quick chili recipe. Simply replace the regular ground beef in the recipe with the leftover hamburger meat. For the ideal meal, serve it with some warm California Cornbread.
- Use the taco meat you are keeping in the freezer as the base for this traditional Midwest recipe for Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole to take it a little south of the border. Finished with cheese, corn, and those famously salty tater tots
- When time is limited, nothing beats a quick quesadilla from the Southwest. Although the leftovers from your taco bar party will taste just as good as the chicken breast meat used in this recipe,
Taco Bar Party Supply Suggestions
While using the standard paper plates for your gathering will be tempting, think about using some of the supplies that will make it a little bit simpler for you and your guests to enjoy their delicious food.
- Because they have three taco compartments, disposable taco plates are very convenient for holding tacos upright while you build them as well as while you are out and about talking to friends.
- Ceramic Tortilla Warmer keeps tortillas warm for over an hour. It is both microwave and oven safe. Tortillas made of flour and corn will remain warm for the majority of the party if you simply heat the warmer in either.
- To keep everything cool and secure, the Chilled Condiment Holder has five distinct compartments with an ice compartment on the bottom. comes with three sets of serving tongs and a lid that hinges.
How Much Taco Meat Per Person Calculator
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Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. Shes authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Caroles love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Dont judge.
Hello, my friend! My name is Carole Jones, and I am a mother of six rambunctious children. Honestly, all I want is for my children to eat something other than chicken nuggets and french fries.
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How To Make: Ground Meat for Tacos with Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
FAQ
How many pounds of meat do I need for 15 people tacos?
How Much Taco Meat Per Person. Generally speaking, it’s good to budget about 3 tacos per person, which equates to almost 1 cup of meat for each guest. The standard rule of thumb is about 14 cup taco meat per taco so you have room for all those other fillings and toppings!
How many tacos does 3 lbs of beef make?
Typically, each person will require about 14 pound of taco meat. The average person eats about 3 tacos. This recipe for crockpot taco meat makes 3 pounds of taco meat, enough for 12 servings, making it ideal for feeding a large group or preparing meals ahead of time for the week.
How much does 5 lbs of ground beef feed for tacos?
Calculate the Amount of Taco Meat Per Person This formula is based on the average serving of protein, which is an 1/8th of a pound of meat, or about 2 ounces of beef before it is cooked, on a typical taco. Therefore, one pound of ground beef should adequately fill eight tacos.
How much ground beef do I need for 50 tacos?
I estimate that there should be 15 pounds of meat for every 100 people, but it may vary depending on how hungry your guests are and the sides you serve. You could also consider steak, but depending on how many people you have, that could get very expensive!