Slow-Cooked Beef Tacos with Charred Salsa Verde

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-08 · Updated 2026-08-08

Tender slow-cooked beef served in warm corn tortillas topped with a smoky charred salsa verde for a vibrant Mexican street food experience. This Mexican-inspired taco and burrito recipe, ready in about 500 minutes, pairs beef chuck roast, olive oil, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1, seeded and chopped jalapeño pepper
• 8, husked and rinsed tomatillos
• 1/2 cup, chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat dry 2 lbs beef chuck roast and season evenly with 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp chili powder. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 4 minutes per side.
2. Step 2: Transfer the seared beef to a slow cooker. Add 1 medium diced yellow onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 1 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender.
3. Step 3: While the beef cooks, prepare the salsa verde by charring 8 husked and rinsed tomatillos and 1 chopped jalapeño pepper on a hot grill or skillet over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes until blackened spots appear and the tomatillos soften.
4. Step 4: Blend the charred tomatillos and jalapeño with 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and 2 tbsp lime juice until smooth. Season to taste with salt.
5. Step 5: Once the beef is done, shred it with two forks directly in the slow cooker and mix with the cooking juices.
6. Step 6: Warm 12 small corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly toasted.
7. Step 7: Assemble tacos by spooning generous portions of shredded beef onto each tortilla and topping with the charred salsa verde. Serve immediately.