Description
These Garlic Butter Honey BBQ Beef Tacos are a quick, crowd-pleasing dinner featuring savory beef cooked in garlic butter and tossed with a sweet, smoky honey BBQ sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights or gatherings, they’re customizable, easy to make, and packed with bold, comforting flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup honey BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 8 small flour or corn tortillas (6-inch), warmed
- 1 cup shredded lettuce (romaine or iceberg)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or blend)
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes (or salsa)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Wash and dry all fresh veggies. Shred lettuce, dice tomatoes, slice red onion, and chop cilantro.
- Shred cheese if not pre-shredded and set aside with other toppings.
- In a small bowl, stir together honey BBQ sauce and honey. Set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt.
- Add minced garlic and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef to the skillet. Break up the beef and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Season with smoked paprika, chili powder (if using), and salt & pepper. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Pour the honey BBQ sauce mixture over the beef. Stir to coat and simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes until thick and glossy.
- While beef simmers, warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave.
- Assemble tacos: Fill each tortilla with beef, then top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onion, sour cream, and cilantro.
- Finish with a squeeze of lime and serve immediately.
Notes
Prep toppings first for quick assembly. Don’t rush the garlic—cook gently to avoid bitterness. Brown beef well for flavor. Use fresh tortillas for best texture. Adjust spice level to taste. For gluten-free, use corn tortillas and check BBQ sauce label. Leftover beef filling can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 540
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 17
Keywords: beef tacos, garlic butter, honey BBQ, easy dinner, crowd-pleaser, weeknight meal, Mexican, taco night, family dinner