High Protein Taco Meat
High-protein taco meat is one of my favorite ways to make a pound of ground turkey or chicken go further: add a can of black soy beans. You get a generous, hearty batch of taco filling with more protein and fiber, and suddenly one skillet can become tacos tonight, taco salad tomorrow, and maybe even a quick chili later in the week.
This isn’t about disguising beans or trying to make ground meat pretend to be something else. It’s about putting two ingredients that work beautifully together in the same pan. Once the meat and beans are coated in taco seasoning and all those browned bits from the skillet, they become one delicious filling.
And perhaps my favorite part: you’ve cooked something useful for meal prep, not committed yourself to eating the same leftovers for three days.
Why You’ll Love This Taco Meat
A pound of ground meat can disappear surprisingly quickly when you’re feeding several people. Adding black soy beans gives you a much more generous skillet without simply buying another pound of meat.
I especially like black soy beans here because they’re higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates than traditional black beans, but they behave much the same way in a recipe. They’re mild, hearty, and happily take on all those taco flavors.
But the real reason I make it this way is leverage. Make a double batch once and you’ve created the beginning of several meals. Tacos tonight, pile it over crunchy cabbage tomorrow for taco salad, add bone broth and be halfway to a pot of chili. When I need a fast snack I put a scoop between two tortillas with greek yogurt dipping sauce.
That’s my favorite kind of cooking!
The Black Soy Bean Advantage
Black soy beans work anywhere you’d use traditional black beans. They’re mild, hearty, and take on the flavors of the dish, making them a natural addition to taco meat.
I drain and rinse them well before using. Canned black soy beans are packed in a thick, almost gelatinous liquid that rinses away easily.
For more on their nutrition, how they compare with traditional black beans, and other ways to use them, read Why Black Soy Beans Deserve a Place in Your Pantry.
And if you don’t have black soy beans? Use regular black beans. Dinner will still be delicious.
I’d tighten it considerably while keeping your great heading:
Don’t Stir Your Ground Meat to Death
Add the ground turkey or chicken to a hot skillet, spread it out, and leave it alone. Constant stirring releases moisture and encourages steaming instead of browning.
Let the first side develop a deep brown crust, flip the meat in sections, and mostly brown the second side before breaking it apart. Browning adds depth and flavor. Breaking it up exposes surfaces for the seasoning to stick.
Then add the beans and seasonings and finish cooking everything together.
What Else Can I Make With High-Protein Taco Meat?
Once you start thinking of it as a building block rather than simply taco filling, there are all kinds of possibilities:
- burritos or burrito bowls
- enchiladas
- nachos
- stuffed peppers
- taco soup
- scrambled eggs or breakfast tacos
- loaded baked potatoes
- lettuce wraps
- cheesy bean-and-meat dip
- a quick tortilla pizza
- cabbage bowls with lime-yogurt sauce
You don’t need to decide today what you’ll want tomorrow. Having this ready in the fridge simply gives you a head start when the next meal rolls around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular black beans instead of black soy beans?
Absolutely. Substitute them one-for-one. I particularly like black soy beans because of their protein, fiber and lower carbohydrate content, but this method works beautifully with traditional black beans too.
Can I use other meats?
Yes. The same technique works with ground beef, turkey, chicken, crumbled extra firm tofu and even your favorite plant based meat. For best flavor, give them enough uninterrupted contact with the hot skillet to develop some browning before breaking it apart.
How long does taco meat keep in the refrigerator?
Cool the cooked taco meat promptly and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. For best food safety, use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. This is an excellent freezer staple. Freeze portions of the cooled filling so you can pull out only what you need for tacos, quesadillas, soup or another quick meal.
Is this low carb?
Using black soy beans instead of traditional black beans makes this lower in carbohydrates than the same taco filling made with many conventional beans. What you serve with it obviously matters too: tortillas, taco shells, rice and toppings will change the complete meal.
Make Extra While You’re Already Cooking
One of the easiest ways to make cooking easier all week is to make a little more than you need whenever it makes sense. I think of it as modular meal prep: instead of preparing a week of finished meals, I make extra of useful components while I’m already cooking.
If I’m browning ground meat, I make extra. If I’m roasting vegetables, I fill the pan. If I’m making something that freezes well, I double it. The extra work is minimal because I’m already cooking.
This taco meat is a perfect example. Serve it in tacos tonight, then use what’s left for taco salad, chili, quesadillas, breakfast tacos, or whatever sounds good tomorrow.
You get the convenience of meal prep without deciding in advance what you’ll want to eat all week. More importantly, you start opening the refrigerator and seeing possibilities instead of leftovers.
Cook a little extra when you’re already doing the work, and the next meal gets easier.
Here’s to eating the things we love!
High-Protein Taco Meat
Equipment
- Asian slicing knife
Ingredients
- 16 oz lean ground beef ground turkey, or ground chicken
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can Eden Foods Black Soy Beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2-3 tbsp taco seasoning divided
- 2 TB garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 to 1 cup beef or chicken broth or water, as needed
For Serving
- – Plain Greek yogurt
- – Fresh cilantro chopped
- – Diced onion
Instructions
- Heat a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat.
- Crumble the ground meat evenly into the skillet. Season with 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Leave the meat completely undisturbed until the moisture cooks off, the liquid is reabsorbed, and a deep brown crust develops on the bottom.
- Flip the meat in large sections, allowing the second side to brown.
- Before the meat is fully cooked, break it into bite-sized crumbles using a meat chopper.
- Add the diced onion and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine and cook until the onion begins to soften.
- Stir in the black soy beans and crushed tomatoes.
- Add the remaining taco seasoning. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding additional taco seasoning, salt, or pepper as needed.
- If the mixture is thicker than you’d like, stir in broth or water a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Simmer for 5–10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve topped with Greek yogurt, diced onion, and fresh cilantro.
Notes
– Black soy beans add protein and fiber while staying much lower in digestible carbohydrates than traditional black beans.
– This skillet is delicious on its own or served over cauliflower rice, baked potatoes, rice, tortilla chips, or tucked into tacos, burritos, lettuce wraps, or taco salads.
– Leftovers keep well for up to 4 days and freeze beautifully.
From My Kitchen to Yours
I love sharing the little kitchen tools and ingredients that make cooking more enjoyable. The links below are affiliate links, which help support this ad-free site at no extra cost to you. Other links on this site are simply products I think are worth knowing about. Either way, every recommendation comes from my own kitchen.
So how bout that biscuit!!!
It was a good one! Cheesy and low-carb, sounds like I should do a post about it. Thank you for commenting, it makes me so happy!