Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos are a tasty, no-mess dinner perfect for busy weeknights! This set-it-and-forget-it Mexican dish is sure to be a hit with even your pickiest eaters.

Out of all the convenient kitchen appliances we have these days, my favorite is always the slow cooker. It’s perfect for warm weather when no one wants to heat up the house. And it’s still perfect for cool weather when you crave lovely rich soups and stews.

These spicy and savory Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos are a great choice to make in your slow cooker no matter the weather. They’re made with beef, onion, green chilis, salsa, and taco seasoning for a six-ingredient recipe that is tantalizingly simple.

I love serving this slowly cooked Mexican beef inside corn tortillas with a pickled onion garnish, but you can add it to almost any dish. Plus, it stores and freezes beautifully, making it perfect for prepping ahead. There’s nothing not to love about this easy, flavorful slow cooker meal.

• No hot oven or stovetop is needed.
• Made with pantry-staple ingredients.
• Easy to prep ahead and store after.

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• Beef — I recommend either stew meat or chuck roast for this recipe. Either of those will stand up to the longer cooking time.
• Taco Seasoning — Purchase a package from the store or make your own taco seasoning with my easy recipe.
• Onion — Either white or yellow onion works well in this.
• Chopped Green Chilis — Use your favorite brand of canned chiles. I love Hatch chiles in this!
• Salsa — Use your favorite! I’ve used both homemade salsa and purchased salsa with great results.
• Corn Tortillas — For the most authentic flavor, go with corn tortillas.
• Garnishes — Tomato, cilantro, guacamole, and cheese are all great additions.
• Red Onion Garnish — A mix of chopped red onion, salt, sugar, and red wine vinegar. See the directions below for how to make it!

Add the Taco Meat Ingredients to the Crockpot

• Add the beef to the slow cooker and sprinkle with the taco seasoning, tossing to coat.
• Peel and chop the onion roughly and add it on top of the seasoned meat.
• Add the green chilies with their liquid, the salsa, and water.
• Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
• After two hours, stir the mixture, turn the crockpot down to low and cook for an additional 3-4 hours.

Prep the Red Onion Garnish

• An hour or two before serving, thinly slice the red onion.
• Place it in a small bowl with the sugar, salt, and enough red wine vinegar to just cover the onions.
• Allow the onions to stand in the vinegar mixture until ready to serve.

Finish the Taco Filling

• Thirty minutes before serving, remove the meat.
• Using two forks, pull the meat until it’s thoroughly shredded.
• Return the shredded meat to the crockpot and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, heat the tortillas in the oven or in a skillet on the stovetop. Garnish with marinated red onions, fresh tomato, and fresh cilantro.

I highly recommend serving these tacos alongside some simple Mexican-inspired sides. My black bean and corn salad, cheesy green chili cornbread, or pinto beans with fresh tomato relish are all good choices.

• Create spicy shredded beef tacos by swapping out the canned green chilis for a hotter pepper like serranos, jalapenos, or habaneros (if you dare!).
• You can easily substitute the beef in this recipe with chicken or pork.
• This Mexican shredded beef doesn’t have to be just for tacos! Try using this recipe as the protein in your burritos, enchiladas, or nachos.

Don’t have a taco seasoning packet on hand? No problem! Try my recipe for making your own Taco Seasoning! It’s a simple combination of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.

These shredded beef tacos can also be made in the instant pot! Simply place the beef, seasoning, onion, green chilis, salsa, and water into the pressure cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes with a 20-minute natural release.

Any leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend reheating in the oven or microwave.

To make Mexican shredded beef with an even deeper flavor, you can combine the beef, taco seasoning, onion, green chilis, salsa, and water in a ziplock bag and allow the mixture to marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

When you’re ready to cook, simply transfer the entire mixture to the crockpot and follow the recipe directions!

You really can’t go wrong with this savory and spicy Mexican shredded beef. Enjoy this hearty and flavorful set-it-and-forget-it meal!

📖 Recipe

— This post was originally published on June 20, 2014.