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Navajo Tacos
5 from 78 votes

Navajo Tacos

Navajo Tacos feature a seasoned ground beef and bean filling cooked with diced tomatoes, green chilies, and spices, spooned over fry bread and topped with fresh lettuce, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and optional black olives or cilantro. The filling simmers to meld flavors, and the assembly provides a satisfying combination of textures and savory notes.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4 cup yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 lb ground beef lean
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin ground
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans drained and rinsed, dark
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes petite
  • 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis (mild if preferred)
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
Navajo Fry Bread, recipe here
For serving
  • romaine lettuce chopped, or iceberg lettuce
  • cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • Roma tomato diced
  • sour cream
  • cilantro optional, sliced black olives, chopped cilantro
  • black olives optional, sliced black olives, chopped cilantro

Instructions

Navajo Taco Filling
    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute 2 minutes, add garlic and saute 20 seconds. Scoot mixture to the side then crumble beef into skillet. 
  2. Season with salt and pepper and cook stirring occasionally and breaking up beef when stirring, until beef has browned and cooked through. Drain fat from beef and return to skillet. 
  3. Stir in chili powder, cumin, paprika, kidney beans, canned diced tomatoes and green chilis then season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. 
  4. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes (if you used the tomato sauce you can add in a few tbsp of water to thin a little if needed). 
  5. Using a slotted spoon, spoon mixture over prepared fry bread, then top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream (and any of the other optional toppings listed). Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Draining canned tomatoes reduces excess moisture if a less juicy filling is desired.
  • Tomato sauce can be used as a substitute for diced canned tomatoes when needed.