Ninja foodi taco meat is tender and juicy, and loaded with flavorful Tex-Mex spices. For the best tacos, burritos, salads, and more, use this simple 4-ingredient pressure cooker recipe as a base. You can use fresh or frozen ground beef!
Anytime is a good time to eat tacos with your favorite toppings and savory, spicy meat, whether it’s the middle of the week or the weekend.
This Ninja Foodi taco meat recipe is my go-to for a winning dinner plan. It’s quick and easy, and it’s the perfect way to make seasoned ground beef with a serious Tex-Mex flair! And it’s amazing that you only need 4 ingredients to make that great, deep flavor—you probably already have them all in the kitchen!
We use salsa in a jar and taco seasoning packets, so there is no need to chop or do any other kind of prep work. Just put the pantry staples into the Ninja Foodi and pressure cook for 10 minutes (plus some time for the pot to fully pressurize). After that, cook the ground beef in the same pot for a few more minutes, until it is soft to the touch and tastes great.
The best part is that everything is cooked in one countertop appliance, which makes preparation easy. There is also very little mess, and it’s very quick and easy to clean up.
Make your own taco meat for quick dinners or to serve at a casual party as the main dish in a fun do-it-yourself taco bar. Not only that, but this recipe is great for making burritos, taquitos, nachos, taco salads, and a lot more.
Ninja foodi taco meat is tender and juicy, and loaded with flavorful Tex-Mex spices. For the best tacos, burritos, salads, and more, use this simple 4-ingredient pressure cooker recipe as a base. You can use fresh or frozen ground beef!
The Ninja Foodi is the ultimate multicooker for making fast, easy, and delicious meals. With its pressure cooking capabilities, the Ninja Foodi allows you to cook ground beef from frozen to fork-tender in a fraction of the time. No more waiting around for meat to thaw!
As a busy home cook and parent, I love being able to toss frozen ground beef straight into the Ninja Foodi and have a meal ready in less than 30 minutes. The results are juicy, flavorful beef that’s perfect for tacos, pasta sauce, casseroles, and so much more.
If you’re new to the Ninja Foodi, you may be wondering how to cook ground beef in this multifunctional pressure cooker. Well, you’ve come to the right place! Below I’ll share my tips and tricks for cooking perfect ground beef in the Ninja Foodi every time.
Why Cook Ground Beef in the Ninja Foodi?
Here are some of the key benefits of using the Ninja Foodi to cook ground beef
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Cooks from frozen – No need to thaw meat ahead of time! The Ninja Foodi pressure cooks frozen ground beef in minutes.
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Tender and juicy meat – The pressurized environment gently forces moisture into the meat, resulting in very tender and juicy ground beef.
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Intensifies flavor – Pressure cooking beef amplifies its flavor by forcing seasonings and spices deep into the meat.
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** Saves time** – Cook a hearty beef dish from start to finish in under 30 minutes! The Ninja Foodi sears, then pressure cooks in the same pot.
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Easy cleanup – With no splattering oils or multiple pots and pans, cleanup is a breeze after Ninja Foodi cooking.
With so many benefits, it’s easy to see why the Ninja Foodi is my go-to for quick ground beef meals!
Step-by-Step Guide to Cooking Ground Beef in the Ninja Foodi
Follow these simple steps for perfect ground beef every time
1. Prepare the Ground Beef
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For frozen beef, no prep needed!
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For fresh beef, break up the meat and season beforehand.
2. Preheat Ninja Foodi
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Select “Sear/Sauté” and set to highest temp.
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Allow 5 minutes to preheat.
3. Brown the Ground Beef
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Pour beef into hot pot. Let sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to brown.
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Break up meat chunks and stir occasionally until no pink remains.
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Drain excess grease if needed.
4. Add Liquid
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For 1 lb. meat, add 1/2 cup water or broth.
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Liquid isn’t needed but helps pressure cook evenly.
5. Pressure Cook
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Seal lid and set to “Pressure Cook” on high for 8-10 minutes.
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Allow 10 minutes natural pressure release after cooking.
6. Quick Release and Serve
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After 10 minutes, quick release remaining pressure.
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Fluff meat with a fork and add any final seasonings.
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Stir in any extra ingredients and serve beef.
In less than 30 minutes you can have perfectly cooked ground beef ready for any recipe!
Tips for Flavorful Ground Beef
Browning the meat first and adding flavorful ingredients are key for coaxing the most flavor out of ground beef:
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Sear properly – Letting the meat sit undisturbed at first will help it brown and develop flavor.
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Season early – Salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano – season the raw meat for flavor throughout.
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Use flavorful liquids – Try beef broth, tomato sauce, or soy sauce instead of just water.
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Sauté aromatics – Cook onion, garlic, peppers briefly before adding ground beef.
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Finish with fresh herbs – Stir in chopped parsley, basil, or cilantro just before serving.
With the right techniques, your Ninja Foodi ground beef will be bursting with flavor!
Pressure Cooking Frozen Ground Beef
Thanks to the Ninja Foodi’s pressurized environment, you don’t need to thaw frozen ground beef before cooking! Here are some tips:
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Use 1 lb. portions for more even cooking.
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Add an extra 1-2 minutes to the cook time.
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Use a trivet to elevate beef above liquid.
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Allow full natural release – no quick release for frozen meat.
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Break up meat and stir well before serving.
It only takes a few small adjustments to pressure cook beef straight from the freezer. The Ninja Foodi makes quick work of frozen meat!
Top Recipe Ideas
Here are just a few of my favorite ways to use Ninja Foodi ground beef:
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Quick Tacos – Seasoned ground beef with taco toppings.
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Beef Stroganoff – Tender beef in creamy mushroom sauce over noodles.
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Cheeseburger Casserole – Cheesy ground beef layered with potatoes and veggies.
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Beef Chili – Hearty stew loaded with beef, beans, and tomatoes.
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Cottage Pie – Savory beef topped with creamy mashed potatoes.
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Sloppy Joes – Saucy, messy sandwiches are family favorites.
The possibilities are endless for recipes with Ninja Foodi ground beef! From fast weeknight meals to hearty casseroles and stews, you’ll make cooking ground beef a breeze with the Ninja Foodi.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much liquid is needed?
Use about 1/2 cup of liquid for every pound of ground beef. The liquid helps create steam to cook the beef evenly. Water, broth, or sauce all work well.
What pressure cook time should I use?
For tender and juicy ground beef, pressure cook for approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on the desired level of doneness. Start checking doneness at 8 minutes.
Can I cook more than 1 lb. at once?
Yes, you can cook up to 3 pounds of ground beef at once in the Ninja Foodi! Just be sure not to exceed the max fill line. Increase cook time by 3-5 minutes per pound.
Do I need to stir or flip the meat?
There’s no need to stir or flip ground beef while pressure cooking. The hot circulating steam will evenly cook the meat without any extra effort.
Should I quick or natural release?
For fresh ground beef, you can quick release after the cooking time is done. For frozen, always use natural release to allow the meat to gently defrost.
Enjoy Deliciously Simple Ground Beef Meals
The Ninja Foodi makes cooking moist, flavorful ground beef recipes so easy. Just toss the meat in the pot, pressure cook, then stir in any additional ingredients after cooking.
In no time at all, you can be enjoying incredible ground beef dishes from the comfort of your own kitchen thanks to the Ninja Foodi. Give it a try today!
How to make Ninja Foodi taco meat
If you have frozen ground meat, pull it out of the freezer few hours before cooking. If you choose to cook from frozen, just add 20 more minutes to the cooking time.
Place ground beef in the inner pot of ninja foodi pressure cooker. Top with with your favorite salsa ( i used salsa Verde) and the whole package of taco seasoning. Instead you can add separately chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper in equal proportions.
Add water. That’s what you need to do to get the pot to pressure and keep the BURN message off the pressure cooker’s screen. Close and lock the lid. Pressure cook taco meat for 10 minutes.
Quick release the pressure once done. Carefully open the lid and break up the meat using a special tool or a fork. It should break up easily. If it feels like taco meat has to much liquid you can evaporate it.
Turn on the SAUTE button and saute meat, stirring, until extra liquid is gone. Stir in chopped cilantro and your Ninja Foodi taco meat is really to use.
Ground beef. 85% lean is ideal. This amount of fat is just right to make the beef tender without making it too greasy or dry.
Taco seasoning. Classic blend of spices that typically includes chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
Salsa. Fresh or jarred. I like a thick and chunky salsa with lots of extra goodies, like diced onions and jalapenos.
Water. Essential when cooking meat in a Ninja Foodi or other pressure cooker. This keeps the ground beef from getting stuck at the bottom of the pot and setting off the dreaded “Burn” alarm.
- You don’t have to thaw the ground beef before making this easy taco meat recipe. Increase the pressure cook time to 20 minutes.
- You can pick any salsa you like, whether it’s mild or spicy, green (verde) salsa, Rotel, chipotle salsa, restaurant-style salsa, or something else.
- Make this easy recipe with ground chicken or ground turkey. I think dark meat is better than white meat for making the most flavorful, juicy, and tender taco filling.
- You can even make this recipe as a vegan taco meat! Just use fresh or frozen plant-based ground beef instead of real beef.
- I use store bought taco seasoning for the fastest recipe. Funny enough, though, it’s really simple to make your own seasoning mix!
In fact, this Ninja Foodi taco meat recipe calls for putting the raw ground beef right into the pot to pressure cook it.
Add the taco seasoning along with all other ingredients before pressure cooking. There is no need to drain the beef in this wonderfully easy recipe!.
That’s really up to you! Some classic Tex-Mex toppings are shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes and/or onions, sour cream, jalapeno slices, guacamole or avocado slices, and hot sauce. A squeeze of lime juice is also a great idea for a pop of freshness!.
Absolutely! Like a Ninja Foodi, the Instant Pot is a name brand pressure cooker. Follow the same recipe steps for using this or other pressure cooking appliance.
Use Ninja Foodi taco meat in different tacos, in burritos, taquitos. You can also put it in different kinds of taco bowls or salads. Put it on nachos for a quick and tasty snack or appetizer.
Nikkei taco meat leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. Use it in tacos or mixed with white or brown rice.
Freezer. You can also freeze this cooked taco meat in the freezer safe bag or plastic or glass container. Make sure to add all the juices and liquid to your container. If stored properly it will be good in the freezer for up to 6-8 months. Its not recommended to keep it longer because of the possible freezer burn.
You can heat it up again in the Ninja Foodi using the SAUTE button, in the microwave, or on the stove in a pan.