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Deliciously seasoned with just the right touch of spice, this copycat recipe for homemade Mighty Taco Beef was inspired by the popular taco joint in Buffalo. Now that I live on the other end of the country, it’s a life-saver when a hometown craving hits.
When I initially found out that my ex-husband and I were moving overseas, I had two thoughts race through my head along with the excitement and anticipation of moving: 1) I’m going to miss the food, and 2) I’m going to miss my family and friends.
Priorities, lol. (Kidding, mom!)
Back home in Buffalo, there’s a taco chain called Mighty Taco that blows just about every other taco chain out of the water. (IMHO anyway…but I’ll admit, I’m biased!)
I’ve talked to people who were disappointed in the place, but I think that’s because they were expecting it to be something it’s not. It’s not fancy on any level, so don’t expect linen tablecloths, soft background music, or ambiance of any kind. It’s just your run-of-the-mill fast food joint. But it’s actually one of the select few fast food chains I’ll eat from, and their Super Mighty Beef Taco on a soft whole wheat tortilla with guacamole is killer.
I knew I’d miss their beef when I moved, so I wanted to re-create it (or at least my version of it) before I left.
Full disclosure here, although this meal is a no-brainer (you literally just dump everything into a pot and let it do its thing), this isn’t a quick meal to make. There is about four hours of cook time, but other than an occasional stir, it basically cooks itself.
I haven’t tried this in a slow cooker yet, but I bet it would be fantastic (but I would reduce the amount of liquid significantly). If you make it in a crockpot, let me know in the comments!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful, moist taco meat. Because of the blend of ingredients and cooking method we use for this recipe, you are sure to have moist and deliciously flavorful taco meat every time – no dry or crumbly taco meat here!
- Freezer-friendly so you have easy meals for later. This Mighty Taco Beef Copycat Recipe freezes really well! I like to freeze the meat in about 3/4-cup portions so I can thaw a serving when I want to make tacos or a taco salad.
- It’s a little bit of home if you’re from Buffalo but now live elsewhere. I currently live in St Petersburg, Florida and make this when I’m missing Mighty Taco!
The Best Homemade Mighty Taco Beef Copycat Recipe
Ingredients in Mighty Taco Beef Copycat
- Lean ground beef (look for 93 to 95% lean)
- Water
- Canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- Onion
- Garlic
- Jalapeno pepper
- Tomato paste
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey
- Chili powder
- Coarse kosher salt
- Dried oregano
- Ground cumin
- Black pepper
Step by Step Tutorial for How to Make Homemade Mighty Taco Beef
- Add the beef and 8 cups water to a 5.5-quart pot over high heat.
- Bring to a boil, and then once it boils, turn the heat down so it doesn’t boil over. Cook (uncovered) for 45 minutes, skimming off the fat as it rises to the top, and stirring occasionally.
- As it cooks, this is how it will look. Continue skimming the fat off the surface.
- Most of the water will cook off during this 45-minute cooking period. This is how the meat will look after 45 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes.
- And all remaining ingredients (including the remaining 1 cup water).
- Give it a stir.
- Turn the heat back up to high, and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down so the mixture stays at a steady simmer. Cover the pot, and cook until the liquid is evaporated out, about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. (During this step, you basically want it just under boiling to let the liquid evaporate off as quickly as possible without burning the meat.)
How to Store Taco Meat
After it’s cooked and cooled, you can store cooked taco meat covered in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I like to divide the meat into 3/4-cup portions per serving, and freeze the servings in individual containers or plastic bags so I can thaw as many servings as I need.
Tips for Making This Mighty Taco Beef Copycat Recipe
- Use lean ground beef. We’re going to be skimming the fat off the top as the meat cooks, so if you start with lean ground beef this step will be easier. Look for 93 to 95% lean.
- Don’t shy away from the seasonings and spices. Some of the spice amounts might sound like a lot, but three pounds is a lot of meat! If you follow the recipe, you will end up with well-seasoned, flavorful taco meat that has a balanced flavor profile with just a hint of a kick.
- Yes, this needs the full 4 hour cook time. Most of the liquid will cook off during the first 45-minute cooking step when we cook the meat uncovered. The rest of the liquid will cook off slower during the 3-hour cooking period. If you don’t rush it and just let it do its thing, the end result will be moist, flavor-infused, and perfectly seasoned taco meat that lets you enjoy a Mighty Taco copycat right in your own kitchen anywhere in the world!
- Keep an eye on it. While the meat is cooking, make sure you stir it occasionally. You might need to adjust the heat up or down slightly so the liquid can evaporate off as quickly as possible without burning the meat. And of course depending on a few different factors (including temperature, humidity, the age of the ground beef, etc.), you may need to adjust the cooking time (which is just an estimate).
Mighty Taco FAQs
What is in Mighty Taco Beef?
On their website and menu, Mighty Taco calls their beef “seasoned ground beef”. In our homemade copycat recipe, we use a blend of beef with tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, vinegar, honey, and spices for a balanced, well-seasoned flavor profile that’s not overly spicy hot.
What Kind of Cheese Does Mighty Taco Use?
Mighty Taco uses Swiss/American cheese.
How do You Reheat Mighty Tacos?
Mighty Tacos are easy to reheat – even the homemade ones! Here is how to do it:
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Unwrap your soft tacos and wrap each individually in aluminum foil.
- Place the foil-wrapped tacos directly onto the oven rack and bake until warm, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Use potholders to remove them from the oven. Cool slightly, and then carefully unwrap and enjoy!
What to Serve with Tacos
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Homemade Mighty Taco Beef Copycat
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds lean ground beef look for 93 to 95% lean
- 9 cups water divided into 8 cups + 1 cup
- 14.5 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices
- 3 medium-large onions diced
- 2 medium cloves garlic minced
- 1 fresh jalapeno pepper de-seeded and minced (or 1 tablespoon dried diced jalapeno pepper)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Cooking Period 1:
- Add the beef and 8 cups water to a 5.5-quart pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, and then once it boils, turn the heat down so it doesn’t boil over. Cook (uncovered) for 45 minutes, skimming off the fat as it rises to the top, and stirring occasionally. (Most of the water will cook off in this step.)
Cooking Period 2:
- Stir in all remaining ingredients (including the remaining 1 cup water). Turn the heat back up to high, and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down so the mixture stays at a steady simmer. Cover the pot, and cook until the liquid is evaporated out, about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. (During this step, you basically want it just under boiling to let the liquid evaporate off as quickly as possible without burning the meat.)
Serve:
- Use the beef to make tacos or taco salad.
Notes
Storage
Store any leftover beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (it’s even better after the first day!).To Make This Copycat Mighty Taco Beef into Mighty Tacos
You’ll need soft tortillas, shredded lettuce (iceberg), sliced tomatoes, and Swiss/American cheese. Salsa, sour cream, or guacamole are also delicious options – make it how you like it!How to Reheat Mighty Tacos
Mighty Tacos are easy to reheat – even the homemade ones! Here is how to do it:- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Unwrap your soft tacos and wrap each individually in aluminum foil.
- Place the foil-wrapped tacos directly onto the oven rack and bake until warm, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Use potholders to remove them from the oven. Cool slightly, and then carefully unwrap and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on September 13, 2013. It was updated with more information on February 17, 2022.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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I LOVE THIS RECIPE! THANK YOU!
step 2: three hours? how does the liquid evaporate covered?
am I reading this correctly?
Paul, Thanks for your comment. As noted in the recipe under “Cooking Period 1”, most of the water will cook off in the first cooking period. The 3-hour second cooking period not only helps us achieve the right meat texture to simulate Mighty Taco, but it also allows more of the liquid to evaporate off at a slower rate to avoid burning before the meat is soft. Unless your pot has a hermetic seal (like the seal on an Instant Pot), liquid will still evaporate if the pot is covered (of course at a reduced rate, which is what we want). For visual reference, it might be helpful to check out the step-by-step photos in the post above.
thank you for the quick response!
I’m onto stage 2, just added remaining ingredients and it’s already tasting great. I’ve been trying to come up with this recipe for years, GREAT JOB!
PS: never been sure how big a “medium onion should be”, so I googled.
5 -8 oz was the answer, hopes this helps others as OCD as I am. ;-)
Paul, Thank you, I really appreciate that! Now that I live in Florida, this recipe has been a go-to for me when a craving hits. :) I hope you enjoy it as well!
This was good. I was searching for a Jim’s Steakout taco recipe and yours popped up. I recall Might Taco and Jim’s being similar.
I was excited about your recipe as it was so different than my usual fry ground meat in a pan and adding a packet taco seasoning. I had a hunch yours was going to be special, and it was.
I didn’t have tomato paste or honey so used ketchup. The final taste was a touch sweet for me. I’ll try tomato paste or sauce next time.
the meat and sour cream with Frank’s hot sauce that oozed out onto my plate tasted just a I remember Jim’s.
Much thanks for sharing.
I’ve been eating mighty taco for 30 years. This is spot on, thanks for sharing.
Tried this for the 2nd time today.
The consistency of the meat is spot on! Really looks like Mighty.
The first time I made it, I found it too sweet, so I cut the honey in half and that helped a lot.
This 2nd attempt, the taste was very good, but it’s missing something. It tasted a bit too much like chili to me. When I try again, I’ll probably cut back on the chili powder. It was too over powering. Something else is missing, but I can’t put my finger on it. Might try adding some coriander powder next attempt.
The family still very much enjoyed! They are great tacos, just needs a tad more experimenting for my taste.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
We haven’t lived in Buffalo for a few years and miss Mighty Taco. This recipe is spot on. I made it with ground chicken and followed the instructions exactly – the taste is spot on – so delicious! I also made it with Impossible plant based “beef” for our 11 year old who is vegetarian. Simply delicious – my husband, teenage daughter, myself and son counted down and took our first bites together and we were so impressed! Tastes just like Super Mighties! thank you for this out of the world recipe! Also, try the nacho cheese from Sams Club – it literally tastes just like Mighty. Please please make a recipe for Buffalo style pizza (dough and sauce) and copycat Paula’s Doughnuts!! Then we will be all set! Thanks again!
Jennifer, I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Ironically, I just made a batch of it yesterday and I’m looking forward to tacos all week, lol! I know what you mean about Paula’s!! Here’s my recipe for Paczki, which I think you’ll enjoy: https://www.anediblemosaic.com/paczki-recipe/ A Buffalo pizza recipe is definitely on my list to re-create. What’s your favorite pizzeria there?
Thank you. We also love Paczki as we have family from Poland. Our favorite pizza joints were Ronny’s in Lancaster, Carbones in Alden, Yum Yums (sadly closed years back) in Cheektowaga and Ricottas in Buffalo.
Texture is perfect! Getting the liquid to perfect is tough, but doable. Adding a few dashes of franks hot sauce makes the taste perfect to me!
I have made this recipe 3 times now. It is SO delicious and definitely the closest to Mighty Taco! I also use it for chili! Thank you.
I would typically eat Mighty 2-3 times a week but since moving to Clearwater in 2005, it’s been just on trips up to visit. I’ve probably had this recipe in my bookmarks for 3+ years and we finally made it today. This is the most spot on “tastes like” recipe I’ve ever tried. Absolutely perfect and went one further and whipped up a side of nachos deluxe. I’m going to be able to save a lot of money on plane tickets! Thank you for sharing this taste of Buffalo!!!
So happy to find this recipe! Just got back from visiting and a Super Mighty was the first thing I ate when I got there from the airport. I live in Sanford, FL. Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
How funny… I live in Sanford also. Going to try this soon.
I love Mighty Taco and I cannot get it now that I live in Tampa. I have tried multiple recipes to try and replicate it and this is by far the best! To avoid cholesterol I used 1.5lbs of Impossible Lite ground beef and instead of slow cooking I just pre-mixed the seasoning ingredients, cooked the meat in a frying pan added a cup and a half of water with the seasonings and simmered until the water boiled off! For cheese I used swiss-american blend slices from Sam’s Club. This was incredible, Thanks!!!
Where did you find the swiss American cheese in tampa
Mine doesn’t taste like Mighty, but I had to use what I had on hand – a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and vidalia onions which very well could have changed up the flavor a bit. Once I boiled the meat on the stovetop, I poured it into a sieve to get rid of any remaining water and transferred it to a crock pot, adding 1 cup of water and the remaining ingredients. It looked like it wasn’t enough water so I added about three-quarters of a cup from the liquid that was drained from the sieve, but I’d suggest not doing this, and I certainly won’t do so the next time I make this recipe, because once finished, there was still too much water and I had to use my sieve again. I also used my immersion blender to get rid of the chunks of tomato and make the meat extra fine.
I didn’t have Swiss/American cheese so I melted some slices of American and Swiss together.
I’m going to try this recipe again using the recommended diced tomatoes and yellow onions. I’m also going to splurge to find the Swiss/American blend because it will be worth it, I’m sure. Thanks for creating this recipe and sharing it! I’m in NJ now and miss MT very much.
When I have a moment, I have an apple empanada recipe I’ll share that I’ve been making for years on “taco night” because my family loves these sweet treats from Mighty. I hope your readers will, too!
I’m curious if you ever tried to convert the second cooking time to a pressure cooker? I wonder if that would speed it up with the same results. I know I make my chili in one that takes 20 minutes and is the same flavor and consistency as cooking on the stovetop for 5-6 hours
Jason, I haven’t tried it. I think you’re right, the flavor and texture would be right, but I think the issue would be that the rest of the evaporation that needs to happen wouldn’t happen using an Instant Pot for the second part of the cooking process. I’d be curious though; let me know how it goes if you try this method!
Oh my ~ thank you for taking the time to figure out the Mighty Taco recipe and, more importantly, for sharing it! My husband and I have recently moved to Hilton Head, SC from the Buffalo area. I’m Mexican and can make my own tacos. But sometimes you just want that fast-food version. Your recipe is just that … although I’m sure it’s made with better beef than Mighty uses. The second time I made it, I reduced the honey by 1/2 tsp. I used 1 Tbsp and 2 tsps of honey, rather than the full 2 Tbsps of honey. I just preferred the slight decrease in sweetness. My kids, who have also moved down south from Buffalo, have tried this too. The whole family agrees that this is a spot-on Mighty Taco recipe (and one of my sons actually worked at MT in high school). I am sure we will enjoy it over and over again. Thank you, thank you, thank!!!
Outstanding!! I live here in the Buffalo area and this tastes great!! However, I have family members that won’t do ground beef, shredded chicken version would be extremely helpful😊?
Thank you so much for this recipe!!
I cannot wait to make this recipe!! Any chance you have a copycat recipe for their nacho cheese? An order of chips and cheese with the tacos is the best!!
Melissa, Thank you so much! I currently live in Florida and anytime I crave tacos, I whip up a batch. I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!
I haven’t tried to come up with a copycat of their nacho cheese, but next time I’m in town I’ll order it again (it’s been a couple years since I’ve had it) and I’ll see what I can come up with :)
No more Ortega for me! At first I was skeptical about this recipe, but after the 3+ hour simmering it was exquisite. I made it in my Dutch oven on the stove top and put the extra meat in containers in my freezer. Definitely a keeper.
Hello, it never mentions how many pounds of ground beef to start with. Please let me know.
I used to live in Lockport New York and can’t find a decent taco here in Atlanta. Your help is appreciated. Thanks Jeff
Hi Jeff, It’s 3 pounds of lean ground beef. Feel free to reach out with any other questions!
I can’t wait to try this. I’m from the Hamburg, Lakeview area and now live in PA. I’ll comment on the recipe when I make it. Thank regardless of how it turns out.
We have a Mighty Taco about half a mile away, matter of fact, I just picked up a steak fajita for my wife last night, matter of fact. Today I finally decided to delve into this recipe based on the positive reviews I’ve been reading on here for the last couple years. The meat hasn’t finished cooking yet, there’s prob about a couple hours of evaporation left, but I’ll tell you this… It smells freaking amazing in my house right now!! Just like a Mighty Taco restaurant!! I have 2 sons, one loves tacos, especially Mighty, he isn’t home rn, my other son doesn’t eat tacos at all and he’s drooling over the aroma!! I tasted the concoction so far and it’s ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON! Only thing is, when I eat Mighty I get a distinct flavor of cilantro, or more likely, coriander seed on the back end. I also get an elevated beefy flavor, so I added a bunch of minced fresh cilatro (I’m thinking crushed coriander seed would be even better, but so far it still tastes super authentic to the original as is), and I added about a TB of beef ‘Better than Bullion’. My mouth is watering smelling this aroma, can’t wait for the final product!! Also, the texture seems perfect so far! Holy crap, Faith, I think you nailed it!!! I’ll update when done
I’ve used this recipe a few times now, but at this point, for the ingredients only. I have found that there’s really no reason to be spending four hours on cook time. I’ve messed around with methods and temps, tweaked it a bit and cut the time into about a third of that. Still tastes identical to Mighty! Also, I totally agree with the blending method, I’ve found that pulsing a few times on a regular blender small amounts at a time really gives it the authentic Mighty Taco consistency. I have to say, though, the ingredients are spot on, the taste is shockingly perfect. I don’t know how you did it. Thanks for posting this!
WOW, hubby gave rave reviews, said these were identical to his beloved Mighty Taco (and he recently visited)!
HOW TO BOIL OFF THE WATER? I only had 5 hours, and was worried, so I opted for high heat and that worked well.
1) Use a good sized pot with a thick bottom.
2) Turn up the heat! She notes most of the water will cook off in step one, so after it came to a rolling boil, I boiled this aggressively, on medium-high the whole time (and actually set my timer to 50 min for good measure). Stir often.
3) For step two, until most of the added water mix is evaporated, you can still cook this on at a decent boil, but stir regularly. Mine was boiling a good bit, with the lid on, for an hour before I finally turned it to low for the second hour.
4) Mine was done in 3 hrs from start to finish, and I had to keep it warm in the oven until dinner.
I DID THE UNTHINKABLE: Yes folks, I used an IMMERSION BLENDER on my taco meat after I turned the heat off. Crazy, right? That extra lean ground beef wouldn’t break apart. No amount of mashed and squishing worked. But everything I found on Mighty Taco said the meat is ground pretty fine. So, I set the immersion blender to low and just did a second at a time, a few times over. Definitely go on the cautious side if you try this; you don’t want dog food.
To be honest: I liked liked it a little better before I did this, but I’ve never had MT, and hubby actually commented on how I “even mastered the texture!” so it’s the go forward plan.
ONIONS: I dislike raw or crunchy onions and was too chicken to put them in without sweating them. Surely all that boiling would have cooked them, but this is my practice. And since I had time while letting the meat cook, it was easy.
JALAPEÑO: Somehow I missed that on the list and didn’t have any to add. Since hubby didn’t notice or care, I probably won’t bother next time.
LOWER CALO: I didn’t realize until I was done that this called for lean meat and had zero added oil. Wow, that’s such a bonus!
I MADE STICKERS! I grabbed the logo online and dropped it in word onto large address label stickers. I then wrapped them in wax lined bakery sheets I got from Amazon and closed each one with the stickers. I used the logo to create a picture with his name, noting his order was ready and texted it to him. He loved it and it was fast and fun to do.
SAUCE: He doesn’t really use it, so I gave him generic and he didn’t care.
CHEESE: Their website notes Swiss American but I couldn’t find it so I just used all deli white American sliced and he said he loved how creamy the cheese was and to leave it that way.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECIPE!
Faith, I remember years ago, when your brother’s girlfriend used a search engine to find out what was in Mighty Taco’s beef mixture in their tacos, the first entry was your copy cat taco beef mixture! You still rock it darling! Love, Mom ☺️☺️☺️ ❤️
I’ve used this recipe multiple times now, a couple times with ground beef, one time with impossible meat, which was great, and today with ground turkey, and that also turned out perfect. The only thing I change is right around hour 3 of simmering, I raise the temp to about medium, and stir frequently to devolve the excess liquid faster, and it loses no flavor at all. Thank you so much for this great recipe, it feels like hometown comfort even though I’m in Tampa, Fl now. 🍻
So made this recipe yesterday. I followed the directions to the T. It took all day and night for the water to evaporate to the right consistency. Now mind you I grew up in Buffalo. Went to mighty taco when there was only one. On Hertel Ave. so I’ve been consuming them for years. I even bought the Swiss American cheese slices. Which are definitely the right cheese to use. But…….something is missing. I always heard a rumor that the beef had pork grease in it. I think that’s what gives it that flavor. Any comments appreciated
I bought the Swiss American blend cheese on line. The brand is Great Lakes. Cost a small fortune to ship to florida but was worth it 👍
I was so happy when we came across this recipe. Being from Buffalo and a BIG fan of Mighty Taco I used to order a bunch the night before our flight, freeze them and then carry them on board since it was only an hour flight to our home in Chicago. We made this tonight and it was spot on. First let me say, yellow onions is the way to go. Not too sweet…just right! After the initial meat boil/simmer we cooked the mixture for about 4 hours with the lid on stirring occasionally and for the last hour we removed the lid and let it simmer. We had no issues with excess liquid. The consistency was perfect. For the flour shells we use the brands Guerrero or Gran Sazon. These flour tortillas are the BEST we’ve found on the market. Placed in a hot pan, flip a few times place a half of a slice of Land O’Lakes White American and a half slice of Land O’Lakes Domestic Swiss. Honestly, Land O’ Lakes makes the best version of this cheese. Add the scoop of meat to help the cheese melt. Slide it off the pan to a plate and add your favorite toppings. In our case it was lettuce, tomato, (sour cream for me!) and because we were out of Mighty Taco sauce we used LaVictoria Salsa Brava Hot Sauce. It is very close to the taste of the Mighty sauce. We used to use this before the Mighty starting offering bottled sauce. This recipe was excellent and really satisfied our palette.
Just made this for the first time. Impressive recipe my wife and I enjoyed it very much. I think I used the wrong onions it seemed a little sweet. What onions do you recommend?
Michael, I’m happy that you and your wife enjoyed it, thanks so much for letting me know! I use yellow cooking onions for this.
What kind of tortillas?
Jordan, Mighty Taco offers white, wheat, or corn tortillas. When I make them at home I like to use white tortillas, but you can use whatever your preference is.
Thanks for the meat recipe but where can i acquire the soft shells, they are the best.
OMG–I have been dreaming about these burritos for 39 years! I’m not kidding. I think this was the place we used to go when I attended Canisius College–I was there beginning late 1981. I can still taste them today! I could never figure out what the cheese was either. I will have to try this. I remember it was just a “joint” back then; the guys were right up front, slinging the meat on the grill. They’d pick up a nice big scoop of moist meat, and put it in that warm tortilla with that lovely mellow cheese–I didn’t even need any toppings! Thank you!
Mighty Taco was one of my first jobs, and I never got tired of it. The cheese they use is literally just white american cheese. Hope this reaches you!
Yes it was! I went to Canisius too, Go Griffs!
Just so you know the cheese is Swiss America.
I’m definitely gonna try this. Thanks for sharing! I’m currently ‘m Florida and have had Mighty Taco sent to me more than once. I’d love to find a recipe for their refried beans also.
Nailed it! Now that they have Mighty hot taco sauce at Wegmans, I can make super mightys at home! Amazing.
I’ve made this several times when I lived in South Carolina for my Mighty craving. You won’t find a better copycat recipe for Mighty anywhere else!
I’ve since retired to the Philippines and am in the process of making my first batch here.
Just tried this. Got our Mighty Sauce shipped and all. The meat consistency was great, and flavor was decent, but it came out too sweet. That happen to anyone else? I wonder if yellow vs sweet onion could have done it perhaps.
This is unreal ! Huge fan who moved away … buy the mighty hot sauce online and it’s a dead ringer!!! So good and a great copycat recipe! Makes me miss Buffalo all the more!! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for posting … just moved from Buffalo and this tastes like home. Don’t forget to use Swiss American slices for the authentic Mighty taste!
Thank you very much for posting this recipe…can’t wait to try it!
I made this tonight. OMG….amazing!!! We moved to Tennessee from western NY several years ago. I crave Mighty Taco from time to time. After a recent visit to NY, I was craving Mighty more than usual. So I ordered some Mild sauce and Hot sauce and was going to attempt to freestyle a recipe. Then I found this recipe. I cut in 1/3 since I only had 1lb of beef. It turned out great. With the addition on authentic Mighty Taco mild sauce, it was perfect. My husband never ate his Mighty Tacos with sauce. So he made his tacos sans the bottled Mighty sauce and he, too, raved about how much this tasted like authentic Mighty. Thank you for helping me cure a craving.
I finally got around to making this and it is the bomb! Absolutely fantastic. Anyone making this, you definitely need patience to get great results. I think I cooked mine for over 5 hours to get the right consistency but it is so worth it.
Thanks for posting. This is a keeper.
Born and raised in WNY, Mighty Taco had always been a staple. I moved to Louisville, KY nearly 2 yrs ago and have been able to make just about all the foods I missed…everything except Mighty. Until now. I made a batch of this up last night and finished cooking it down this morning. OMG, this is spot on!!! I can’t thank you enough for posting this. It is an amazing knock off of one of the things I missed most from home.
The only thing I am going to add to your instructions is to be patient. It took me a lot longer to simmer off the liquid. Next time I make this I will give it a good 8 hrs to simmer. Don’t dump the liquid or you dump the flavor.
I would think leaving the lid off would help…I find leaving lid on causes some things to be watery.
This was awesome! I too was a little skeptical given the ingredients for this but it tastes so much like Mighty. I haven’t lived in Buffalo for 10 years but I still miss Mighty Taco so much.
Mine had tons of liquid at the end but I simply drained it and it was fine. I may use less water next time.
Do you by any chance know what I could use to re-create their nacho cheese sauce? I love it.
Gabby, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this!! I haven’t tried re-creating their nacho sauce, but if I do I will definitely share it! :)
Hello, what brand Swiss American slices?
Also, what brand tortillas do you use?
Ty
Hi Kevin, I buy the Wegmans brand for both the cheese and the tortillas. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you give it a try!
I want to make this tonight, however I don’t have fresh garlic. Can I used the bottles minced garlic? If so, how many tablespoons do I use? Also do I cook the meat before adding the water to it or should I put the meant in the water raw?
Mariah, You can use 1 tablespoon of bottled minced garlic instead of fresh. The meat is put in with the water raw. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I was so psyched to be able to make a Super Mighty in my kitchen. It tasted great – thank you. Unfortunately, like another person, I have a ton of liquid. Any ideas? I’m mystified. Maybe I had the heat too low? Simmer (to me) means just of the edge of bubbling. Also – you mention simmering with the cover on. How does the liquid evaporate if the cover is on? Thanks for any insight…
Hi Robin, I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe! Sorry to hear about it being liquidy. Without getting too much into the physics involved (because it definitely isn’t my area of expertise), with a regular lidded pot (i.e. not something like a pressure cooker with a sealed lid) the seal isn’t tight enough to prevent evaporation, which is affected by the following factors: temperature and humidity, air pressure, the rate of airflow, and surface area. That being said, on a cold and/or humid day, the rate of evaporation is likely to be slower than it would be on a hot and/or dry day. I hope this helps!
Do you cook the beef or add raw beef
Donna, The meat gets added raw.
Does anyone have a clue as to how to make the hot sauce? For me that was the best part of a Mighty burrito.
Have you or any of your readers had any luck making this and then freezing a portion of it?
Kiki, Yes, this freezes really well. I let it cool to room temperature, put it in a freezer-safe container, and then place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top (to help prevent freezer burn) before putting on the container’s lid and freezing. It should be fine for up to three months in the freezer. Then when I want to use it, I thaw it in the fridge overnight or for for a few hours at room temperature. (Be sure to remove the plastic wrap before reheating.) Hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!
Awesome! Thank you! I’m going to try it this weekend – crock pot and all. I’ll let you know. :)
Hpw did it turn out in the crockpot?
Maxine, If you want to try this recipe in a slow cooker, I would definitely recommend reducing the amount of water. If you make it, please let me know how it turns out!
I cannot believe how close this is! I had my doubts when i looked at the ingredients but I honestly can’t imagine it being better from home. i used a thin strip of white american and an even thinner strip of mild swiss under the beef since my grocery store doesn’t have a blend. And my lovely sisters bought me a bottle of Mighty Taco’s mild sauce so the combo was absolutely perfect! thank you for saving me a 3.5 hour drive and coming up with this game changer!
I actually asked at MIGHT TACO about the cheese. I was told its an American Swiss blend. I have yet to find it anywhere though.
Mike, That’s good to know, thanks. I can help with where to find it – Wegmans carries American-style Swiss cheese! Here’s what it looks like in case you want to buy it: http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=368840.
Thank you for this recipe! I am a die hard super mighty xhot, sour cream fan. Grew up in Buffalo, but live far away now. My family ships mighty to me in dry ice, it still loses something in the ‘translation’ and Mighty started shipping food,but only burritos…weird.
I can not wait to make these!!
I’m a Buffalo native and me and my cousin were just talking to my aunt about fedexing us Mighty Taco! Everyone I go home I go there or Jim’s steakout and all other food places they have there that we don’t have here in NC!El Niño and loganberry! I cant wait to try this recipe. Do you know what kind of cheese is used because I want the exact replica!
Daneen, I’m pretty sure Mighty Taco uses sliced white American cheese in their tacos. Hope you enjoy making a replica – so yummy! :)
Swiss american blend!
Thanks..lol I thought so, but I wanted to just make sure I have the full pleasure and enjoyment of my taco! I invited my family over tomorrow and told them I have a surprise for them so I hope I get it right. I’m a pretty good cook, so I’ve been told, so I think I can get it the first time. Thanks so much and I will let you know the results!
I used to work there all throughout college. Even though I’m still in Buffalo, I’ll have to try this. So crazy to see the words ” mighty taco” popping up on pinterest as only locals and former locals know what it is. I’m shocked people here even go to Taco Bell at all as mighty is the superior choice!
I Am canadian and use to live near the buffalo border and am definitely a mighty taco addict! Whenever I go for a cross border trip everyone knows that is where we have to go so I can stock up on tacos for a few days! So when I saw this recipe my heart leapt with joy! I made it last night following the directions to the letter but after 5 hours there was still a lot of liquid. So I put it in the crockpot overnight on low. Now 12 hours later – still lots of liquid. Any thoughts?
Sarah, I have no idea about the liquid, that is very strange. It’s just science and the laws of evaporation – cook something for a long time and liquid evaporates off. For me, the approximate 4 hour cooking period resulted in moist taco beef (it’s pictured in the blue dish above). Eventually, the liquid will evaporate off if you keep cooking it, but I’m completely stumped as to why it would take longer than the 4 hour cook time. I wish I could be more help, but I am really baffled on this one! Since you’re a Mighty fan I really I hope you’re able to make it – I am so excited to be able to replicate their tacos when I’m living across the world!
I had the same issue, we cooked for 9hours and still was very liquidy. Do you think this will work in a pressure cooker to save on time? Any thoughts on how long to cook it for in it?
Andrea, Did you cook it on a stovetop or in a slow cooker? I wrote this recipe for the stovetop; the slow cooker method requires less water. Also, the rate of evaporation for any cooking method used depends on the weather. The meat should be very soft and tender at the end of the cooking process, and it should look like the photo above.
I haven’t tried this recipe in an Instant Pot, but I think it would probably work! I think it would need quite a bit less water in the IP (maybe 2 to 3 cups?). For depth of flavor, I would probably brown the meat in the IP using the “Saute” function, and then I would cook it at on “High Pressure” for around 35 to 45 minutes (the meat should be very tender at the end of the cooking process), and then let it do a natural pressure release. Depending on how much liquid is left in the meat, I would turn the “Saute” function (and stir frequently) to let some of the liquid evaporate off. If you make it in an IP, please let me know how it goes!
That has made me hungry and it’s late at night. I wish we had that taco place around here. I love slow cooked ground beef.
This looks like a mighty yummy dish, hope you are doing good there.
I usually don’t go to fast food chains, but Mighty is definitely an exception. I could eat there every day. It doesn’t help that there is one about 2 minutes away from my house! I’m going to have to try this recipe because it sure would save us some money!!!
I’m a native Buffalonian living in the DC area. I *crave* Mighty like it’s nobody’s business. It’s also my first stop any time I go home (literally – my family is well aware of my priorities :) )
Anyway thanks for the recipe. I’m totally sharing with all my transplant friends and making some for myself!
I’d have to say, tacos would be something I’d miss too! We have a Chipotle near us that I have an affinity for, so I can totally relate! These look delicious! I will most definitely be making these…I’ll give the crockpot a try (great idea!) and will report back!
I love tacos, these look fab!
Oh Faith! Will we ever meet, now that you are moving?!?
Tasty tacos and I LOVE the styling here :)
These look perfect! Totally trying this recipe. I’m with Alyssa- Chipotle is the bestest
You’re such a rockstar with these tacos, lady!!! Hope you guys are doing great over there! xo
My favorite fast food is Chipotle! It’s so true about moving Faith – the things I miss the most are the people and the food!
Food that remind you of home are going to be very important for sure. This sounds like an amazing taco. I am not a food chain kinda girl, I like one of a kind places more.
I hope this was close to your taco joint :) If I try the slow cooker version – will report you.
AHHHH my friends who have left Buffalo are going to be so happy to see this! Now if only there was a good substitute for Rosie’s Loganberry :)
I didn’t know you were moving… you will miss that great area you were living in… I’ve thought of moving up there many times.
Hope you enjoy your new place (where?) and can make your own great tacos all the time!
Deana, Sorry about that…I feel like I’ve talked about my move in just about every post for the past couple of weeks, and I was starting to feel like I was bombarding my readers so I didn’t want to mention it yet again, lol! We moved to Kuwait. :)
Scrumptious! I am a big fan of tacos.
Cheers,
Rosa