Make Instant Pot Taco Meat quickly from frozen ground beef or turkey thanks to this Instant Pot recipe. Perfect for taco night or any busy weeknight dinner!
We've all been there. You plan on making tacos for dinner but when evening rolls around, you realize you haven't defrosted the ground meat.
Enter the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Not only will it defrost your ground beef or turkey, it will also cook it — all in just 30 minutes.
- If you make a large batch, you can use it in all sorts of different ways, including dishes like Taco Pizza, Taco Pasta, Taco Mac and Cheese, and taco salads.
- The versatility really helps you stretch your dollar when grocery shopping.
💡 Get more meal prep tips with my Costco Meal Plan and Grocery List as well as my ideas for a Well Stocked Pantry. I also include helpful shelf-life guidelines to maximize your pantry goods.
👩🏻🍳 Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy recipe.
Ground turkey - We almost always use ground turkey. However, you can use lean ground beef, ground pork, or even ground chicken.
Taco seasoning - I like to have this pre-made taco seasoning mix on-hand. But you can use your own homemade taco seasoning, too.
Water - to help cook the meat in the Instant Pot.
✅ Step-by-step directions
Total cooking time is just around 30 minutes to make this flavorful taco meat.
Exact measurements of ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this post. Here are some helpful tips to guide you as you make this recipe.
1. Place the trivet that came with your Instant Pot inside the inner pot. Pour ½ cup of water into the pot; reserve the rest of the water for later.
2. Then place the frozen meat on top of the trivet.
3. Close and seal the lid. Set your Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High for 25 minutes. It will take anywhere from 9 to 15 minutes for your Instant Pot to come to pressure before it starts counting down.
4. When the cook cycle is done, allow 10 minutes for natural release, then do a quick release. Once all of the pressure has been safely released and the valve pin has gone down, carefully open the lid.
5. Remove the trivet. Press the SAUTE function and add the remaining water and the taco seasoning. Stir until combined, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and evenly coating the meat with the seasoning.
6. Use the cooked meat to make hard or soft tacos with your favorite toppings like sour cream, cilantro, or hot sauce. Or use it in other taco-meat dishes.
⭐️ Recipe FAQs
It takes longer for the Instant Pot to come to pressure with frozen meat, as it requires more heating time. Using a meat thermometer is a great way to check the internal temperature of the meat to make sure it's done. Ground beef and ground turkey should be at 165°F when done.
Yes, you can use chicken or beef broth if you prefer. This will impart the meat with the broth flavors which may clash with whatever taco seasoning you use. So I use water instead.
Store your leftover taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for 3-4 days. If you need to save it for longer, place it in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag and date it. Taco meat will stay good for up to 4 months in the freezer.
Kitchen equipment
Of course, you'll need an Instant Pot for this recipe. This 8-quart model is the Instant Pot I have and love. You can also use a 6-quart for this recipe, but anything smaller will likely not work.
More taco recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Instant Pot Taco Meat
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey meat or ground beef
- 1 cup water, divided
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
Instructions
- Pour ½ cup of water into the instant pot liner. Add trivet and place frozen meat on top of trivet.
- Close and seal lid. Pressure Cook (or Manual) on HIGH for 25 minutes. Allow for Natural Release for 10 minutes, then do a Quick Release for the remaining time. Once the pressure is completely released and the valve pin is down, press CANCEL.
- Carefully open the lid. Remove the trivet. Press SAUTE and add the remaining water and the taco seasoning. Stir until combined, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
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Melissa says
Easy to follow. Easy to cook. Delish!
Rachel says
Great recipe! This saved me when I had forgotten to thaw out meat for dinner! I followed this recipe pretty exactly with a 1-lb log of ground turkey that was completely frozen, and it turned out well. I do think that meat generally benefits from being thawed before cooking, even in the Instant Pot, but sometimes a busy mom doesn't always think that far ahead! Thanks for a quick and easy recipe that came to my rescue this week.
Taronza Agard says
Do you have to use a trivet?
I dont have one.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
You don't have to use a trivet. You can set the meat right into the pot :)
JOE says
I noticed your frozen meat was laying flat on the trivet... I have some ground turkey, but it came frozen in a ''roll'..... your thoughts ? THANKS
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Joe! Once you've taken the meat out of the packaging, you can either place the ground turkey on a trivet or right into the pot. The ground meat that comes in the "rolls" or tube-shapes should cook the same, it's just a different shape.
Chef Dennis says
This Instant Pot Taco Meat looks really delicious! This will be perfect for any recipes I have in mind. My family will love this.
Shelley Blouin says
So excited to know how to do this. I always find that I've forgotten to thaw my ground beef! Taco salad tonight! :)
Toni says
I loved it! So easy to make! Thanks for the recipe!
Kacey Perez says
This is such a good go-to recipe and one that I will make again and again!
Katie says
This looks amazing! Can't wait to try it.
Veena Azmanov says
Love the Instant Pot cooking option. Easy and quick and hassle free too. I can use this Taco meat for amazing recipes.