Learn how to make steak tacos from leftovers so you don’t have to waste, but don’t have to eat reheated steak either. Win-win!
Steak night is always a great time, but using up leftovers may seem like a pain. Cooking a steak twice leads to a rubbery mess, but turning the steak into something unique can have its advantages. For example- leftover steak tacos.
Take your leftover steak from the night before, slice it thin and cook it just right. Lay between a soft or crunchy tortilla shell and you have yourself a fabulous new dinner that’s both frugal and fun.
Tacos are always a huge hit around here and making steak tacos with leftover steak just amplifies that. It’s a creative way to use up what you already have on hand and helps to prevent food from going to waste.
This leftover steak tacos recipe is a perfect meal for Taco Tuesday or any other day of the week. While perfect for summer, it can be served up any time of the year and in any weather. Using our own homemade taco seasoning mixture, and a fresh garden squash we can add both flavor and some moisture (as well as hidden veggies) into every bite!
Steak Tacos Ingredients
- Steak: We need 3 cups of finely chopped leftover cooked steak. You can use steak, roast, or any other leftover cooked meat depending on what you have on hand. Just make sure to chop the pieces small.
- Oil: We want to use vegetable oil to help cook down the onions and ingredients to prevent sticking and help to heat everything evenly.
- Onion: This will help to add a little natural sweetness and flavor.
- Garlic: Adding some minced garlic into the mix will really help to make our taco filling taste incredible.
- Zucchini: I’m almost always trying to add in a little veggie to my taco filling. While I mostly opt for summer squashes like zucchini, any mild flavored veggie could work, depending on what is in season.
- Taco seasoning: Our homemade taco seasoning will include chili powder, cumin, coriander, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Tomato paste: Adding in some tomato paste will help to bring all of the flavors and ingredients together into one cohesive dish.
- Beef broth: To make sure our filling isn’t dry, adding in some beef broth or water wil help to give us the moisture needed.
- Salt and Pepper: Adding salt and pepper to taste means adjusting it to your own tastebuds.
- Tortillas: We want to use 6 inch taco shells so our tacos are small. You can fry them up for a better taco eating experience or just buy store-bought taco shells for convenience.
How to Make Leftover Steak Tacos
- Cook the oil in your pan until it’s heated and shimmering.
- Add in the onion and zucchini, cooking until just beginning to brown. This should take about 3 minutes.
- Add in your cooked steak pieces and stir to combine. Let cook until heated through, about another 3 minutes.
- Add in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the taco seasoning spices, stirring to coat the meat and veggies well. Cook for another minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and beef broth, and cook until liquid is reduced and very little liquid remains. This should be about 3 more minutes.
- Now fill your taco shells of choice with filling, being careful not to overpack them.
- Serve warm with our favorite taco toppings and enjoy.
Leftover Steak Tacos
Learn how to make steak tacos from leftovers so you don't have to waste, but don't have to eat reheated steak either. Win-win!
Servings 6 people
Calories 282kcal
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups steak (cooked, leftover) chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup zucchini diced or shredded, optional
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup beef broth water can be substituted
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add oil to the pan and let it heat until shimmering.
- Cook onion and zucchini until just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked steak and stir until combined and heated through about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the spices, stir to coat meat and vegetables. Cook for about 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and beef broth stir to combine and simmer until reduced and very little liquid remains about 3 minutes.
- Fill taco shells of your choice or fry your own!
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Notes
You can use whatever leftover cooked meat you have. Steak, roast, anything you have. Whatever you use, I recommend keeping the filling pieces chopped pretty small so they fit well in the tortilla shells and everything in the filling is a uniform size.
I always try to include a veggie in the beef mix, and this time of year it’s zucchini. Any other mild-flavored vegetable will go great in beef tacos, the beef and the seasonings have bold flavors so slipping some mild-flavored veggies in there shouldn’t bother anyone.
I actually make a large batch of the spices in this recipe so I can have homemade taco spice mix on hand. I add about 3 tablespoons of the taco spice mix per pound of meat, but taste test to your preference. Here is the spice mix recipe for a larger batch: Homemade Taco Seasoning
Nutrition
Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 890IU | Vitamin C: 5.9mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 3mg
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Diya says
This was very good. I made the recipe as is. It tasted like a fajita without the green peppers. I will definitely make it again but I will cook some green pepper strips in at the onion and meat cooking stage. We used tomato basil wraps because that’s all that I had and we added all of the optional ingredients listed. My husband gave the “MMM” of approval. That’s when I know it’s good.
Alli says
So glad to hear that Diya! Thanks!
ROBYN says
One of the best way to use leftover beef. Thank for your useful recipe!
Alli says
So glad you liked it! Thanks, Robyn!!
Robert A Gjurgevich says
Made it. It was a very good for my left over Tri-tip! 🙂
Alli says
So glad you liked it, Robert!
Sammi Windley says
What a great way to use up left overs!