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19 Brilliant Leftover Taco Meat Recipes You’ll Adore

Leftover taco meat recipes go far beyond tacos on repeat all week. These recipes will freshen up your dinner routine with fun new ideas! Any of these recipes work with ground turkey, ground chicken or your favorite meat.

How to make your own taco seasoning

It’s worth throwing it out here that packaged taco seasoning is some pretty sad stuff. Most of it has added sugar, preservatives, and MSG you don’t need so make sure to stick this homemade taco seasoning recipe away for later!

How to freeze taco meat

Leftover taco meat (beef, chicken or turkey) can be frozen for later. Seal it well and pack it away in serving sizes your family eats in one meal. Use within 2 months and just stick the meat in the fridge to thaw overnight before adding to your favorite recipes.

19 Leftover Taco Meat Recipes

20-minute taco pie with crescent rolls
Tired of tacos? Sick of burritos? This fun and different taco pie with crescent rolls is a way to get those Mexican flavors you love in a tender crescent roll crust. 
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Mexican Lasagna
Freezer and make-ahead friendly, this Mexican lasagna layers meat, cheeses and savory Mexican spices in to a dinnertime favorite. 
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a square of mexican lasagna on a plate
Ground Beef Taquitos
Take a bite out of these crunchy Beef Taquitos! This Mexican appetizer is a yummy way to use up leftover taco meat. Serve with your favorite salsa and enjoy!
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three taquitos on a plate
Southwest Stuffed Poblano Peppers
These hearty poblano peppers are filled with a combination of meat, veggies, and spices. A delicious, filling dinner without a huge amount of effort.
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Layered Taco Salad In A Jar
Easy and delicious taco salad in a jar is the perfect way to use up taco Tuesday leftovers

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a jar of taco salad in a jar on a table
Picadillo Empanadas
Cheesy Picadillo Empanadas are filled with ground beef and stuffed with potatoes, tomatoes, and a slice of creamy Monterey Jack cheese.
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French Bread Taco Pizza
This French bread taco pizza is a twist on taco night and a great way to use that leftover taco meat. The French bread is split horizontally smeared with taco sauce and it makes a great base with tacos.
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A slice of taco pizza on a plate
Stuffed Chile Rellenos
This Stuffed Chile Relleno Recipe stuffs ground beef Picadillo, (taco meat), inside roasted poblano peppers and smothers them with melted cheese to make a flavorful, zesty, and cheesy Mexican dinner.
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Keto Taco Stuffed Avocado Boats
These taco stuffed avocado boats are a tasty twist on Mexican tacos by using avocado halves! It’s an easy meal using leftover taco meat!
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avocados with taco filling on a cutting board
Taco Roll Ups
Taco roll ups are a quick and easy way to use up leftover meat. Makes the perfect lunch or after school snack-delish!
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three taco roll ups on a plate; one broken open to show filling
John Wayne Casserole
Instead of making the taco meat for this recipe, just use what you already have for a delicious casserole dish the whole family will love.
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Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme
This copycat Taco Bell recipe makes the best DIY Crunchwrap Supreme at home! Seriously SO good. Layered with ground taco meat, queso, creamy jalapeno quesadilla sauce, tostadas, sour cream, and salsa.
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Zucchini Taco Boats
Zucchini taco boats make the perfect delicious and healthy dinner! They’re so easy to prepare, are a great low carb weeknight dinner, and are the perfect way to use up leftover taco meat.
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four zucchini halves with taco meat and cheese in a skillet
Smoked Nachos
Smoked nachos take the classic party food to the next level! Perfect for leftover steak, chicken, or taco meat!
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nachos on foil ready to smoke
Southwest Fritatta
This southwestern frittata is made extra hearty with spiced up meat! Using leftover taco meat saves steps and time. Love this dish for any meal of the day – not just breakfast.
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Hash Brown Taco Casserole
Hash Brown Taco Casserole is the perfect combination of comfort foods! Zesty ground beef and hash browns along with cheese, this is one delicious dinner.
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a square of casserole on a plate
Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Use leftover taco meat to make these delicious Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. Super simple to throw together and perfect for meal prep.
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Smoked Queso
Smoked queso dip is the Traeger appetizer recipe that will get you firing up the smoker! This creamy, rich, cheese dip is 100% delicious.
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Smoked Queso
Taco Spaghetti
This Taco Spaghetti is the ultimate week night dinner!
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How long is leftover taco meat good for in the refrigerator?

Freshly made taco meat can last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in an air tight container. If you get close to that time frame and don’t use yours, go ahead and freeze it but make sure you use it within a day of thawing.

The best toppings for leftover taco meat inspired meals

As with the tacos you intended the meat for, any of these 19 recipes would love a dollop of sour cream, cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocado, or black olives. If you’ve chosen a non starchy recipe to make, add some rice or beans on the side to round out the meal.

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About the Author

Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.